Admin: Create researched Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008 article

2026-10-24T04:25:26Z

Create researched Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008 article

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 15008}}
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 15008: Gold Case, Caliber Reports, and Dated Examples | Rolexopedia
|description=Documented configurations of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008, including conflicting caliber reports, yellow-gold cases, dial examples, and bracelet records.
|keywords=Rolex 15008, Oyster Perpetual Date, Rolex caliber 3035, yellow gold Rolex
|image=Ref 15008 hero.webp
|image_alt=Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008 with blue dial
|type=article
|og_type=article
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
<small>[[Reference:oyster-perpetual|Oyster Perpetual]] → '''15008'''</small>

<div class="rp-lead">[[File:Ref 15008 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008 with blue dial and yellow-gold case|Meeting Art lists this blue-dial example as a 1986 ref. 15008; the sale is scheduled for 31 October 2026.]]</div>

The 15008 is a yellow-gold Oyster Perpetual Date. Catalogues and listings date examples from circa 1981 through 1987; one dealer estimates a white-Roman example to 1989–1990 and gives the partial serial L25xxxx. Factory endpoints remain unknown. Four listings identify Cal. 3035, and a movement photo in the stock 45225 listing shows that marking. A 1983 listing reports Cal. 1570 on another example; its movement is not pictured. The 1983 and 1986 Alitalia-engraving listings may describe the same watch.

==Core facts==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Detail !! Documented record
|-
| Reference || 15008
|-
| Model || Oyster Perpetual Date
|-
| Case || Yellow gold; 18k in several listings
|-
| Size || Usually listed as 34 mm; one dealer gives 35 mm
|-
| Movement || Cal. 3035 in four listings; Cal. 1570 in one
|-
| Display || Central seconds; date at 3 o'clock
|-
| Bezel and crystal || Smooth bezel; acrylic crystal in listed examples
|-
| Dials recorded || Blue, silver, champagne, yellow, white Roman, and one UAE Armed Forces crest
|-
| Bracelet and strap records || Riveted Oyster bracelets and leather straps; first delivery remains unverified
|-
| Dated examples || Examples dated circa 1981–1987; one dealer estimates another to 1989–1990; factory endpoints unknown
|}

==Where it sits in the line==

The 15008 belongs to Rolex's five-digit Oyster Perpetual Date line. The neighboring 15007 is another five-digit Date with its own case-metal and bezel records. Listings document the 15008 in yellow gold; records for the wider 150xx group leave the full option range unclear.

==Production outline==

The dates in the table are estimates for individual watches; factory production limits remain unknown.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date attached to example !! Record !! What it documents
|-
| Circa 1981 || [https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=822731 RolexForums sale listing] || Seller describes a 34 mm 18k yellow-gold case, champagne dial, Cal. 3035, and riveted Oyster 7205 bracelet.
|-
| 1981 || [https://everywatch.com/rolex/oyster-perpetual-date/15008/watch-32693962 EveryWatch archive of Rabat CPO listing] || 34 mm yellow-gold watch with Cal. 3035, Plexiglas and white Roman dial; sold as Rolex CPO in 2026.
|-
| 1983 || [https://goldammer.me/products/rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-18k-1983 Sold listing, item 295] || Describes a 34 mm 18k example with champagne dial, engraving, and Cal. 1570. It also gives 28,800 A/h, unlike the 19,800 vph stated in the Cal. 1570 entry.
|-
| 1986 || [https://drouot.com/fr/l/35426066-rolex-geneve-modele-oyster-perpetual-date-ref-15008-annee Drouot / Meeting Art, lot 977] || Upcoming catalogue describes a 34 mm 18k case, smooth bezel, blue dial and Cal. 3035. The sale is scheduled for 31 October 2026.
|-
| 1986 || [https://www.gioielleriabracco.com/?category=un-polso-e-mezzo&marchio=Rolex&page=catalogue-item&slug=-Rolex-Uomo-15008.html 1986 listing] || Describes a yellow-gold 15008 with yellow dial and an Alitalia 30-years-of-service engraving; no caliber is named.
|-
| 1987 || [https://momentum-dubai.com/products/1987-rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-uae-armed-forces-ref-15008-with-rsc Momentum Dubai listing] || Dealer dates serial 9662xxx to 1987 and describes an 18k case. It gives the case size as 35 mm.
| 1989–1990 (seller estimate) || [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/watches/rolex-date-18k-yellow-gold-white-roman-dial-vintage-mens-watch-15008-45225/ Seller stock 45225] || Gives serial prefix L25xxxx and identifies Cal. 3035; describes a 34 mm yellow-gold case, smooth bezel, acrylic crystal, white Roman dial and gold Oyster bracelet. A 1stDibs page reproduces the same stock number.
|}

==Movement notes==

Four reviewed listings identify Cal. 3035. The [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/watches/rolex-date-18k-yellow-gold-white-roman-dial-vintage-mens-watch-15008-45225/ stock 45225 listing] includes a movement photograph visibly marked 3035. The seller assigns the watch to ref. 15008, though no legible case number appears in the accessible photos. A [https://goldammer.me/products/rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-18k-1983 1983 listing] gives Cal. 1570 and 28,800 A/h; the [[Reference:Movements#cal-1570|Cal. 1570 entry]] gives 19,800 vph. That 1570 attribution remains unverified.

==Dial map==

Catalogues and listings show blue applied batons, silver, champagne, yellow, and white Roman dials. Factory dial options remain only partly documented. One dealer-listed 1987 watch has a silver dial with a UAE Armed Forces crest; the seller identifies its hands as Rolex service replacements. The listing documents the crest on that watch; its first-sale record and dial origin are unknown.

==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==

Several records describe 18k yellow gold and measure the case at 34 mm. The UAE-crest listing gives 35 mm. The records leave the reason for that difference unclear; measurement practice or a listing error could explain it. The stock 45225 entry and its 1stDibs copy refer to the same watch.

Auction catalogues, the 2021 forum listing, and stock 45225 describe smooth bezels. A separate [https://www.elevatedtimewatchco.com/shop/p/rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-34mm-18k-yellow-gold-ref-15008-serviced-1224 seller listing] assigned to ref. 15008 describes a fluted bezel and sapphire crystal. The listing shows no legible reference number, so those details remain unverified seller attributions. Other listings describe acrylic crystals. Meeting Art specifies a screw-down crown and caseback. The full factory option list remains unknown.

[[File:Ref 15008 caseback.webp|thumb|right|230px|Outer caseback and lug of the same lot. No legible reference number is shown.]]

==Bracelets, clasps, and packaging==

RolexForums describes a riveted 18k Oyster bracelet marked 7205 and dates the bracelet to 1981. Aste Boetto calls its riveted Oyster bracelet original, but gives no first-delivery record. The stock 45225 listing shows another watch on a gold Oyster bracelet; its 1stDibs copy is the same example. Other watches appear on leather straps. Meeting Art lists a gold-colored buckle, while the UAE-crest listing describes a gold-plated pin buckle. Together, the examples document several setups for the reference.

Meeting Art also lists a case, a certificate dated January 1987, a booklet, leather document holders, a cheque holder and a Rolex handkerchief with its lot. The catalogue does not say these accessories were delivered with the watch in 1986.

[[File:Ref 15008 historical-example.webp|thumb|right|230px|The watch and accessories shown together in the auction lot; first delivery is not established.]]

==Special branches==

Two dealer listings describe 15008 watches with Alitalia-related engravings. A [https://goldammer.me/products/rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-18k-1983 sold listing] says a watch engraved for Giorgio Burini was presented for Alitalia's 30th anniversary in 1983. The [https://www.camera.it/leg18/995?anno=2021&giorno=23&idlegislatura=18&mese=09&sezione=documenti&tipoDoc=assemblea_allegato_odg Italian Chamber of Deputies] dates Alitalia's founding to 1946, placing its 30th anniversary in 1976. The 1983 presentation story needs supporting documentation. A separate [https://www.gioielleriabracco.com/?category=un-polso-e-mezzo&marchio=Rolex&page=catalogue-item&slug=-Rolex-Uomo-15008.html 1986 listing] calls its watch a 30-year service award for an Alitalia pilot or executive. The listings lack matching identifiers, so whether they show the same watch remains unresolved; neither includes award documentation.

Another dealer listing shows a UAE Armed Forces crest on a 15008 with serial 9662xxx. It describes a 2022 Rolex service card and identifies the hands as service replacements. The card records later service; the dial's origin and first delivery remain unknown.

==Auction record==

Aste Boetto's June 2025 catalogue lists a yellow-gold 15008 with a smooth bezel, silver dial, riveted Oyster bracelet and 34 mm case. Its description omits caliber and gold purity.

==Gallery==

<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 15008 hero.webp|Blue-dial 15008 listed by Meeting Art as a 1986 example; the 31 October 2026 sale is upcoming.
File:Ref 15008 caseback.webp|Outer caseback and lug of the same lot; the catalogue lists an 18k yellow-gold case.
File:Ref 15008 historical-example.webp|Watch and accessories shown together in the auction lot.
</gallery>

== Sources ==

* [https://drouot.com/fr/l/35426066-rolex-geneve-modele-oyster-perpetual-date-ref-15008-annee Meeting Art, "Drouot / Meeting Art, 31 October 2026, lot 977, Rolex ref. 15008", Meeting Art via Drouot]
* [https://www.asteboetto.com/pdf/2505.pdf Aste Boetto, "Aste Boetto, 19 June 2025, lot 2467, Rolex ref. 15008", Aste Boetto, 2025-06-19]
* [https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=822731 forum seller, "RolexForums sale listing, Rolex Date ref. 15008, circa 1981", RolexForums, 2021]
* [https://everywatch.com/rolex/oyster-perpetual-date/15008/watch-32693962 EveryWatch, "EveryWatch archive of Rabat Rolex CPO listing, ref. 15008, 1981", EveryWatch / Rabat, 2026-06]
* [https://momentum-dubai.com/products/1987-rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-uae-armed-forces-ref-15008-with-rsc Momentum Dubai, "Momentum Dubai, 1987 ref. 15008 with UAE Armed Forces crest dial", Momentum Dubai, 2024]
* [https://goldammer.me/products/rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-18k-1983 Goldammer, "Goldammer, Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008, item 295, dated 1983", Goldammer]
* [https://www.gioielleriabracco.com/?category=un-polso-e-mezzo&marchio=Rolex&page=catalogue-item&slug=-Rolex-Uomo-15008.html Gioielleria Bracco, "Gioielleria Bracco, Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008 with Alitalia engraving", Gioielleria Bracco]
* [https://www.swisswatchexpo.com/watches/rolex-date-18k-yellow-gold-white-roman-dial-vintage-mens-watch-15008-45225/ SwissWatchExpo, "SwissWatchExpo, stock 45225, Rolex Date ref. 15008, white Roman dial", SwissWatchExpo]
* [https://www.elevatedtimewatchco.com/shop/p/rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-34mm-18k-yellow-gold-ref-15008-serviced-1224 Elevated Time Watch Co., "Elevated Time Watch Co., listing assigned to Rolex ref. 15008, fluted bezel and sapphire crystal", Elevated Time Watch Co., 2024-12]
* [https://www.camera.it/leg18/995?anno=2021&giorno=23&idlegislatura=18&mese=09&sezione=documenti&tipoDoc=assemblea_allegato_odg Italian Parliament, "Italian Chamber of Deputies, record on Alitalia's history", Camera dei Deputati, 2021-09-23]

[[Category:Oyster-Perpetual]]

Reference:15008 - Revision history

Admin: Create researched Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 15008 article