We appreciate you contacting us. One of our colleagues will get back in touch with you soon!
Have a great day!
Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date Ref. 19018N - 'Burlwood' Dial
When the Day-Date was released in 1956, Rolex had made numerous attempts to capture the market with more complicated timepieces such as the Ref. 6036, the Ref. 8171, and the Ref. 6062, but it seemed like buyers were not particularly fond of complicated Rolexes. All of that changed when President Dwight D. Eisenhower was spotted wearing one Rolex in particular: a Day-Date. The model has since become known worldwide as ‘The President’ and as a symbol of success and prestige. Simply put, this one stuck.
The 1970s were an interesting time for the watch industry. The Great Quartz Crisis from Japan offered the world better quality watches, that were more accurate, more reliable, and generally much more affordable. A kiss of death for mechanical watchmaking at the time. Even the very best of Switzerland will still lose accuracy over time — an issue that a quartz watch virtually solved (though not perfect). Great, beloved Swiss brands like Universal Genève, Gallet, Zodiac, and Blancpain would disappear — some of which were acquired by holding companies, other brands, etc. and eventually resurface, but
hundreds of smaller brands were completely wiped away. Rolex responded by producing their own version of the quartz watch called it the Oysterquartz, which introduced a more style-forward and angular design that was becoming popular in the 1970s, and of course, a quartz movement inside. On top of this new model line name, these pieces utilized existing cornerstone model names to denote specific models with the Oysterquartz range, such as the Datejust and Day-Date.By the middle of the 1980s, the Swiss watch industry was able to pivot and re-establish itself as a luxury product worthy of higher prices that could justify the cost and complexity of designing and manufacturing a mechanical watch. So the Oysterquartz is massively important in the history of Rolex, representing the only time in its nearly 120-years of business that it was ever under siege in a truly threatening way. These did not stay in the Rolex lineup for long and therefore surprisingly hard to come by.The piece that we have here is a Day-Date variant dating to circa 1988, and as with all other pieces in Rolex's flagship line, it is constructed out of solid gold. In this case, yellow gold with a very of-its-time, lacquered 'burlwood' dial within — further adding to this pieces scarcity. The case and integrated bracelet are in excellent overall condition, having seen a light previous polishing and showing only light signs of wear throughout and only one small impression on the upper left lug. The 'fluted' yellow gold bezel retains crisp finishing and also shows only light signs of wear. Inside, the non-luminous lacquered burlwood dial with its printed minute markers, applied hour markers, and framed day & date apertures remains in outstanding, seemingly-flawless condition and is complimented by a matching non-luminous handset.
The flat-link bracelet wears beautifully and features a signed 'hidden' deployant clasp.This then, is a strange yet important piece from the pages of Rolex's history, and is a must if you are looking to add a Day-Date to a collection of many, or simply snag a lesser-known piece thats a bit out of the ordinary.Condition Report & Details
Condition:
Movement:
Bracelet/Strap:
Shipping, Returns, & Warranty
At Oliver & Clarke, we offer free global shipping on all orders over $150.
Returns (accepted within 3 days of initial delivery of your purchase) must be sent overnight or by priority international delivery, fully insured and paid for by the customer. For payments via Credit Card, a 5% restocking fee will be in place for any returns or cancellations in order to cover our processing fee. Of course, watches must be returned in the same condition as initially shipped.
If you happen to trade a watch with us, which we welcome, trades are final, except of course if the watch is grossly misdescribed or misrepresented.
We back each Oliver & Clarke timepiece with a one-year mechanical warranty starting at the date of first delivery. We service or perform necessary maintenance to the extent necessary to all of our watches, unless otherwise noted. All watches are listed and sold running and functioning as intended.
*Please note that due to the vintage or antique nature of many of our watches, these machines may not run as accurately as they did when new, nor will any mechanical timepiece keep time as accurately as a quartz or electronic device.
We do not guarantee water resistance, thus do not warranty against moisture incursion or water damage.
*We also do not recommend deliberate exposure to water or worse - steam!
Our warranty is voided under the following circumstances:
- Internal or external damage caused by an accident, mishandling, abuse, modification, or handling/service performed by a third party individual other than one of our own.
Our warranty is non-transferable.
The Oliver & Clarke Guarantee
Through rigorous vetting of each watch offered, we’re able to guarantee authenticity of our pieces. Ultimately, your satisfaction is our mission, as is helping you get YOUR perfect watch. If you have any questions at all, we will get back to you ASAP.
Each of our timepieces are vetted, evaluated, authenticated, and approved by our experienced team prior to sale. We guarantee the period-correctness of all components unless otherwise disclosed. We guarantee the authenticity of each watch in perpetuity.
Choose options
Rolex Oysterquartz Day-Date Ref. 19018N - 'Burlwood' DialSale price$17,950.00 USD Regular price
recommended products
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Day-Date Moonphase Ref. 25594STSale price$28,500.00 USD
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 14700BA - 'Mid-Size' / 'Mini Jumbo' W/ Booklet & PapersSale price$38,750.00 USD
Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - 'Doorstop Underline' DialSale price$9,350.00 USD
Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 1675 - 'Pepsi MK2' Full SetSale price$21,850.00 USD
Rolex Sea-Dweller Ref. 16660 - 'Triple 6' Gloss Black DialSale price$10,850.00 USD
Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - Satin Blue Dial UnpolishedSale price$24,950.00 USD
Movado Super Sub Sea Chronograph Ref. 206-705-502 - 'Cushion Case'Sale price$6,500.00 USD
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Ref. 1530 - Patina DialSale price$18,950.00 USD
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Ref. 1500 - Blue 'Mosaic' DialSale price$3,950.00 USD
Patek Philippe Calatrava 'Amagnetic' Ref. 2570 w/ ExtractSale price$66,450.00 USD
"As collectors themselves, Oliver and Clarke are on a mission to make buying vintage watches as painless as possible."
"The company focuses on good prices for its pieces, elite customer service and full transparency."
"The appointment-only space is inviting, with comfortable seating areas and exposed brick walls."
From Rolex & Patek Philippe, to Cartier & Audemars Piguet. As collectors first, we love the small details that separate the Submariner from Daytona and Calatrava from Royal Oak. This is why you'll find our curated assortment spans decades of generations of models and brands. We believe that watches don't just tell time, they tell history - and life is too short to wear a boring watch.
Oliver & Clarke