Reference:1831 - Revision history

Klaudiusz: Deep audit: 1831 provenance, movement attribution, anti-slop prose and auction limits

2026-09-29T00:06:00Z

Deep audit: 1831 provenance, movement attribution, anti-slop prose and auction limits

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:06, 29 September 2026
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	The 1831 is ~~the~~ platinum ~~"Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage~~ Day-~~Dates. It drops~~ the round President case ~~for the angular, integrated-bracelet architecture Rolex~~ used on the ~~1530 and 1630 and later carried into the Oysterquartz, executed here in~~ solid platinum with a ~~factory~~ diamond bezel~~. Around eight were built as~~ a ~~special order~~ for the household of the Shah of Iran~~, each with~~ a ~~different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the~~ Omani Khanjar~~, surfaced later~~. It is the ~~Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find~~.		The 1831 is a platinum Day-Date with an angular case and integrated bracelet rather than the round President case used on most Day-Dates. Auction catalogues call the model “Emperor.” The case is solid platinum with a diamond-set bezel, and the cited records identify a numbered series made for the household of the Shah of Iran plus a later Omani Khanjar example. The exact total depends on whether that Omani watch is counted with the Iranian series.


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	==Where it sits in the line==		==Where it sits in the line==

	The 1831 ~~is barely a~~ Day-Date in ~~the usual sense. Everything except the dial belongs to a different watch — an~~ angular platinum case at roughly 40mm, a bracelet ~~that~~ grows out of the case rather than ~~clipping into it, and a heft that has nothing to do with a 36mm~~ President. The ~~watch reads as a piece~~ of ~~platinum sculpture with a~~ Day-Date ~~dial set into it~~.		The 1831 differs from the usual Day-Date in its angular platinum case and integrated bracelet. The case is roughly 40mm, and the bracelet grows out of the case rather than attaching through removable President end links. The movement and day-date display remain part of the Day-Date family.

	It sits apart from the other rare platinum Day-Dates. The platinum Arabic and Khanjar examples of the 1802, 1803 and gem-set 1804 keep the round President case; the 1831 alone moves to the integrated case. ~~That~~, ~~plus its tiny~~ numbered ~~production~~, is why ~~specialists treat~~ it as a reference ~~of its own~~ rather than a variant. Some catalogues file it under "Oysterquartz" because of the case shape, though the movement inside is an automatic from the 1556 family.		It sits apart from the other rare platinum Day-Dates. The platinum Arabic and Khanjar examples of the 1802, 1803 and gem-set 1804 keep the round President case; the 1831 alone moves to the integrated case. The case and bracelet difference, together with the numbered examples in the auction record, is why catalogues list it as a separate reference rather than as a routine dial or bezel variant. Some catalogues file it under "Oysterquartz" because of the case shape, though the movement inside is an automatic from the 1556 family.

	==Production outline==		==Production outline==

	The 1831 was ~~built to~~ order ~~in tiny numbers, never~~ a catalogue model. The numbered series, generally cited as eight pieces, was built for the household of the Shah of Iran around 1977, each example carrying a different diamond-set dial. The watches are numbered between the lugs, and documented examples include No. 001, No. 004 and No. 5. A ninth platinum 1831, carrying the Omani Khanjar emblem rather than a plain or Stella dial, surfaced at Sotheby's in 2018; its case serial sits alongside the Iranian pieces, extending the known count to nine and crossing the series into Oman. ~~Documented~~ case serials ~~cluster tightly,~~ from ~~around~~ 5,055,000 to 5,087,000, consistent with a ~~single~~ small production ~~run~~. No standard catalogue presence exists for the reference, which is why so much of what is known comes from the auction record.		The 1831 was described in the cited catalogues as a special order rather than a regular catalogue model. The numbered series, generally cited as eight pieces, was built for the household of the Shah of Iran around 1977, each example carrying a different diamond-set dial. The watches are numbered between the lugs, and documented examples include No. 001, No. 004 and No. 5. A ninth platinum 1831, carrying the Omani Khanjar emblem rather than a plain or Stella dial, surfaced at Sotheby's in 2018; its case serial sits alongside the Iranian pieces, extending the known count to nine and crossing the series into Oman. The cited case serials run from about 5,055,000 to 5,087,000. That range is consistent with a small contemporary group, but it is not a Rolex production register. No standard catalogue presence exists for the reference, which is why so much of what is known comes from the auction record.

	==Movement notes==		==Movement notes==
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	[[File:Ref 1831 stella.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 with burgundy Stella dial\|No. 5 of the series, a burgundy Stella lacquer dial on the integrated platinum bracelet — each numbered Emperor carries a different diamond-set dial.]]		[[File:Ref 1831 stella.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 with burgundy Stella dial\|No. 5 of the series, a burgundy Stella lacquer dial on the integrated platinum bracelet — each numbered Emperor carries a different diamond-set dial.]]

	Each of the numbered 1831s carries a different diamond-set dial. Documented dials include a light-blue sunburst with round-brilliant and baguette diamond markers, a burgundy Stella lacquer with oversized diamond markers, and plain silvered grounds with diamond-set numerals. The markers sit closer to the centre of the dial than on a standard Day-Date, a layout cue of the platinum special orders. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" carries a silvered sunburst dial with diamond markers and the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate at six o'clock. ~~With a run this small and every dial distinct, the dial is part of each watch's identity~~ rather than a catalogue ~~option~~.		Each of the numbered 1831s carries a different diamond-set dial. Documented dials include a light-blue sunburst with round-brilliant and baguette diamond markers, a burgundy Stella lacquer with oversized diamond markers, and plain silvered grounds with diamond-set numerals. The markers sit closer to the centre of the dial than on a standard Day-Date, a layout cue of the platinum special orders. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" carries a silvered sunburst dial with diamond markers and the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate at six o'clock. The cited examples show different dials; they document individual watches rather than a complete catalogue of factory options.

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

	The case is the 1831~~'s whole reason for being~~. It is solid platinum in the angular, integrated-bracelet idiom of the 1530 and 1630, sharp-faceted and brushed, around 40mm and substantially heavier than a President, with one documented example weighing about 290 grams all in. The bezel is factory diamond-set, round brilliants with baguettes at six and nine on the documented examples, and the crystal is acrylic over a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bracelet is integrated, built into the case rather than fitted with end-links.		The case is the feature that most clearly separates the 1831 from the round-case Day-Date. It is solid platinum in the angular, integrated-bracelet idiom of the 1530 and 1630, sharp-faceted and brushed, around 40mm and substantially heavier than a President, with one documented example weighing about 290 grams all in. The bezel is factory diamond-set, round brilliants with baguettes at six and nine on the documented examples, and the crystal is acrylic over a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bracelet is integrated, built into the case rather than fitted with end-links.

	==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==		==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==

	The 1831's platinum bracelet is integral to the case, in the King Midas and Oysterquartz idiom, and cannot take a removable President. ~~That integration is much of why~~ the ~~watch wears so differently from~~ a round Day-Date. Where the original bracelet survives it is part of the watch's value; the Omani "Khanjar No. 9" had its platinum bracelet removed and sold separately before the watch came to auction, and it appears on a strap. The cross-family bracelet detail sits on [[Reference:Bracelets]].		The 1831's platinum bracelet is integral to the case, in the King Midas and Oysterquartz idiom, and cannot take a removable President. The integrated construction changes the fit and service considerations compared with a round-case Day-Date. Where the original bracelet survives it is part of the watch's value; the Omani "Khanjar No. 9" had its platinum bracelet removed and sold separately before the watch came to auction, and it appears on a strap. The cross-family bracelet detail sits on [[Reference:Bracelets]].

	==Special branches==		==Special branches==
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	===The Shah of Iran series===		===The Shah of Iran series===

	Each watch in the Shah series is numbered between the lugs, and that number rather than the reference is how the market identifies an individual Emperor: No. 001 with its light-blue sunburst, No. 004 in silvered, No. 5 in burgundy Stella lacquer. ~~Because the run is so small, the~~ same ~~numbers~~ reappear ~~at auction a decade apart carrying the same~~ case and movement numbers, ~~which makes~~ the ~~ownership chain of any given example unusually easy~~ to ~~follow~~.		Each watch in the Shah series is numbered between the lugs, and that number rather than the reference is how the market identifies an individual Emperor: No. 001 with its light-blue sunburst, No. 004 in silvered, No. 5 in burgundy Stella lacquer. The same numbered examples reappear in later catalogues with matching case and movement numbers, allowing the cited auction history to be compared watch by watch.

	===Khanjar No. 9===		===Khanjar No. 9===
	[[File:Ref 1831 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 Khanjar No. 9 Omani dial\|The Omani "Khanjar No. 9", the ninth platinum Emperor — a silvered dial with the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate, on a strap after its platinum bracelet was removed.]]		[[File:Ref 1831 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 Khanjar No. 9 Omani dial\|The Omani "Khanjar No. 9", the ninth platinum Emperor — a silvered dial with the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate, on a strap after its platinum bracelet was removed.]]

	A ninth platinum 1831 surfaced at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2018, carrying the red Omani Khanjar emblem. Sotheby's presented it as extending the believed run of eight to nine, the only example made for the Sultanate of Oman, with a serial number sitting alongside the Iranian pieces. Per the consigning owner, and not independently confirmed by the house, the watch may have been gifted by Sultan Qaboos to the first premier of Djibouti at that country's independence in 1977. It is the ~~single most storied 1831~~.		A ninth platinum 1831 surfaced at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2018, carrying the red Omani Khanjar emblem. Sotheby's presented it as extending the believed run of eight to nine, the only example made for the Sultanate of Oman, with a serial number sitting alongside the Iranian pieces. Per the consigning owner, and not independently confirmed by the house, the watch may have been gifted by Sultan Qaboos to the first premier of Djibouti at that country's independence in 1977. The reported gift history remains a consignor-supplied claim and is not independently confirmed in the catalogue.

	==Auction record==		==Auction record==

	The ~~1831 trades as~~ a ~~blue~~-~~chip rarity,~~ and the ~~same handful of watches recirculate through the major houses~~. Christie's sold No. 004 in Geneva in 2011 for CHF 147,000. Antiquorum sold the burgundy Stella No. 5 in 2013 for CHF 206,500, and Phillips sold the same watch again in 2015 for CHF 305,000, the highest documented result for the reference. The light-blue No. 001 has come to sale three times, identified across all three by its case number 5,055,759 and movement number DD336356. Antiquorum sold it in Geneva in 2014 for CHF 165,750, Phillips in Hong Kong in 2016 for HK$1,750,000, and Phillips in Geneva again in 2021 for CHF 289,800. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" sold at Sotheby's in 2018 with the result not publicly disclosed. The ~~trajectory across~~ the ~~2010s is steadily upward~~, and ~~an original~~, ~~unpolished platinum case with its integrated bracelet is~~ the ~~value driver~~.		The auction record is concentrated in a small number of identified watches. The results below are lot-specific and use the currencies reported by each house. Christie's sold No. 004 in Geneva in 2011 for CHF 147,000. Antiquorum sold the burgundy Stella No. 5 in 2013 for CHF 206,500, and Phillips sold the same watch again in 2015 for CHF 305,000, the highest documented result for the reference. The light-blue No. 001 has come to sale three times, identified across all three by its case number 5,055,759 and movement number DD336356. Antiquorum sold it in Geneva in 2014 for CHF 165,750, Phillips in Hong Kong in 2016 for HK$1,750,000, and Phillips in Geneva again in 2021 for CHF 289,800. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" sold at Sotheby's in 2018 with the result not publicly disclosed. The results are not a time-series valuation: the watches differ in dial, condition, provenance and completeness, and the records do not establish a current price range.

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
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	== Related references ==		== Related references ==

	* [[Reference:1803\|Day-Date 1803]] ~~— Fluted~~ President (1960–1977)		* [[Reference:1803\|Day-Date 1803]], fluted President (1960–1977)
	* [[Reference:1804\|Day-Date 1804]]		* [[Reference:1804\|Day-Date 1804]], gem-set President
	* [[Reference:1806\|Day-Date 1806]]		* [[Reference:1806\|Day-Date 1806]], Florentine finish
	* [[Reference:1807\|Day-Date 1807]]		* [[Reference:1807\|Day-Date 1807]], bark finish
	* [[Reference:1811\|Day-Date 1811]]		* [[Reference:1811\|Day-Date 1811]], Morellis finish
	* [[Reference:6510\|Day-Date 6510]] — 1956–1957		* [[Reference:6510\|Day-Date 6510]], 1956–1957

	See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

Admin: Layout: restore the original lead caption

2026-09-06T22:59:24Z

Layout: restore the original lead caption

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	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date 1831\|Rolex Day-Date 1831]]		[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.\|Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.]]
	</div>		</div>

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2026-09-06T22:53:53Z

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	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date 1831 ~~"Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.~~\|Rolex Day-Date 1831 ~~"Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.~~]]		[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date 1831\|Rolex Day-Date 1831]]
	</div>		</div>

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	}}		}}
	<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] › '''1831'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] › '''1831'''</small>

			<div class="rp-lead">
			[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.\|Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.]]
			</div>

	The 1831 is the platinum "Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage Day-Dates. It drops the round President case for the angular, integrated-bracelet architecture Rolex used on the 1530 and 1630 and later carried into the Oysterquartz, executed here in solid platinum with a factory diamond bezel. Around eight were built as a special order for the household of the Shah of Iran, each with a different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the Omani Khanjar, surfaced later. It is the Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find.		The 1831 is the platinum "Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage Day-Dates. It drops the round President case for the angular, integrated-bracelet architecture Rolex used on the 1530 and 1630 and later carried into the Oysterquartz, executed here in solid platinum with a factory diamond bezel. Around eight were built as a special order for the household of the Shah of Iran, each with a different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the Omani Khanjar, surfaced later. It is the Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find.

	[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|260px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date 1831 Emperor light blue dial\|Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.]]

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

Admin: site-wide: layout classes (core-facts card, breadcrumb, entry-point cards)

2026-09-05T01:20:53Z

site-wide: layout classes (core-facts card, breadcrumb, entry-point cards)

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	}}		}}
	<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] -> '''1831'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] › '''1831'''</small>

	The 1831 is the platinum "Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage Day-Dates. It drops the round President case for the angular, integrated-bracelet architecture Rolex used on the 1530 and 1630 and later carried into the Oysterquartz, executed here in solid platinum with a factory diamond bezel. Around eight were built as a special order for the household of the Shah of Iran, each with a different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the Omani Khanjar, surfaced later. It is the Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find.		The 1831 is the platinum "Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage Day-Dates. It drops the round President case for the angular, integrated-bracelet architecture Rolex used on the 1530 and 1630 and later carried into the Oysterquartz, executed here in solid platinum with a factory diamond bezel. Around eight were built as a special order for the household of the Shah of Iran, each with a different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the Omani Khanjar, surfaced later. It is the Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find.
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	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable rp-facts"
	\|-		\|-
	! detail		! detail

Admin: Cleanup: remove stale Category:Working Draft — page is fully published, category has no functional gate in code

2026-08-09T23:55:18Z

Cleanup: remove stale Category:Working Draft — page is fully published, category has no functional gate in code

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	[[Category:Day-Date]]		[[Category:Day-Date]]
	~~[[Category:Working Draft]]~~

Admin: Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

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Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

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	<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] → '''1831'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] -> '''1831'''</small>

	The 1831 is the platinum "Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage Day-Dates. It ~~abandons~~ the round President case for an angular, integrated-bracelet ~~platinum case, the one~~ Rolex used on the 1530 and 1630 and carried into the Oysterquartz, ~~and renders it~~ in solid platinum with a diamond bezel~~. It was never a catalogue reference in the ordinary sense~~. Around eight were built as a special order for the household of the Shah of Iran, each with a different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the Omani Khanjar, surfaced later. It is the Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find.		The 1831 is the platinum "Emperor", the rarest and most exotic of the vintage Day-Dates. It drops the round President case for the angular, integrated-bracelet architecture Rolex used on the 1530 and 1630 and later carried into the Oysterquartz, executed here in solid platinum with a factory diamond bezel. Around eight were built as a special order for the household of the Shah of Iran, each with a different diamond-set dial, and a ninth, carrying the Omani Khanjar, surfaced later. It is the Day-Date at its most imperial, and the hardest of all of them to find.

	[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|260px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date 1831 Emperor light blue dial\|Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.]]		[[File:Ref 1831 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|260px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date 1831 Emperor light blue dial\|Rolex Day-Date 1831 "Emperor" No. 001 in platinum — the integrated case and diamond bezel that set the reference apart from the round President.]]
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	==Where it sits in the line==		==Where it sits in the line==

	The 1831 is barely a Day-Date in the usual sense. ~~Where the 1803 and its siblings are round 36mm Presidents, the 1831 takes~~ the angular, ~~integrated-~~bracelet ~~case~~ of the ~~1530 and 1630, the same architecture Rolex would carry~~ into ~~the Oysterquartz~~, and ~~builds it in solid platinum~~ with a ~~factory diamond bezel. The case is the point: it is not a~~ President~~, and it does not wear like one~~. The watch reads as a piece of platinum sculpture with a Day-Date dial set into it.		The 1831 is barely a Day-Date in the usual sense. Everything except the dial belongs to a different watch — an angular platinum case at roughly 40mm, a bracelet that grows out of the case rather than clipping into it, and a heft that has nothing to do with a 36mm President. The watch reads as a piece of platinum sculpture with a Day-Date dial set into it.

	It sits apart from the other rare platinum Day-Dates. The platinum Arabic and Khanjar examples of the 1802, 1803 and gem-set 1804 keep the round President case; the 1831 alone moves to the integrated case. That, plus its tiny numbered production, is why specialists treat it as a reference of its own rather than a variant. Some catalogues file it under "Oysterquartz" because of the case shape, ~~but~~ the ~~1831~~ is ~~mechanical, not quartz: it runs~~ an automatic 1556-family ~~movement~~.		It sits apart from the other rare platinum Day-Dates. The platinum Arabic and Khanjar examples of the 1802, 1803 and gem-set 1804 keep the round President case; the 1831 alone moves to the integrated case. That, plus its tiny numbered production, is why specialists treat it as a reference of its own rather than a variant. Some catalogues file it under "Oysterquartz" because of the case shape, though the movement inside is an automatic from the 1556 family.

	==Production outline==		==Production outline==
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	==Movement notes==		==Movement notes==

	~~The 1831 runs a mechanical automatic movement, not the quartz its case shape suggests.~~ The caliber is recorded as the 1556 in the Sotheby's catalogue and as a purpose-built 1566 in most other catalogues and in the specialist literature, a 26-jewel, 19,800 vph movement from the same 1500 family as the 1803's. As with every 4-digit Day-Date it has no quickset, and it dates to the hacking era after 1972. The case is the unusual part; the movement is conventional Rolex mechanical for the period. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage, and the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry covers the 1555-to-1556 family in detail.		The caliber is recorded as the 1556 in the Sotheby's catalogue and as a purpose-built 1566 in most other catalogues and in the specialist literature, a 26-jewel, 19,800 vph movement from the same 1500 family as the 1803's. As with every 4-digit Day-Date it has no quickset, and it dates to the hacking era after 1972. The case is the unusual part; the movement is conventional Rolex mechanical for the period. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage, and the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry covers the 1555-to-1556 family in detail.

	==Dial map==		==Dial map==
	[[File:Ref 1831 stella.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 with burgundy Stella dial\|No. 5 of the series, a burgundy Stella lacquer dial on the integrated platinum bracelet — each numbered Emperor carries a different diamond-set dial.]]		[[File:Ref 1831 stella.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 with burgundy Stella dial\|No. 5 of the series, a burgundy Stella lacquer dial on the integrated platinum bracelet — each numbered Emperor carries a different diamond-set dial.]]

			Each of the numbered 1831s carries a different diamond-set dial. Documented dials include a light-blue sunburst with round-brilliant and baguette diamond markers, a burgundy Stella lacquer with oversized diamond markers, and plain silvered grounds with diamond-set numerals. The markers sit closer to the centre of the dial than on a standard Day-Date, a layout cue of the platinum special orders. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" carries a silvered sunburst dial with diamond markers and the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate at six o'clock. With a run this small and every dial distinct, the dial is part of each watch's identity rather than a catalogue option.
	Each of the numbered 1831s carries a different diamond-set dial~~, which is part of the appeal of the series~~. Documented dials include a light-blue sunburst with round-brilliant and baguette diamond markers, a burgundy Stella lacquer with oversized diamond markers, and plain silvered grounds with diamond-set numerals. The markers sit closer to the centre of the dial than on a standard Day-Date, a layout cue of the platinum special orders. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" carries a silvered sunburst dial with diamond markers and the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate at six o'clock. ~~Because the~~ run ~~is so~~ small and ~~each~~ dial is distinct, the dial is ~~effectively the identity~~ of each ~~individual~~ watch rather than a catalogue option.

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

	The case is the 1831's whole reason for being. It is solid platinum in the angular, integrated-bracelet idiom of the 1530 and 1630, sharp-faceted and brushed, around 40mm and substantially heavier than a President, with one documented example weighing about 290 grams all in. The bezel is factory diamond-set, round brilliants with baguettes at six and nine on the documented examples, and the crystal is acrylic over a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bracelet is integrated, built into the case rather than fitted with end-links, so the watch cannot take a standard President. Some catalogues describe the case as the "Oysterquartz" case because Rolex used the same architecture for the quartz line; on the 1831 it houses a mechanical movement.		The case is the 1831's whole reason for being. It is solid platinum in the angular, integrated-bracelet idiom of the 1530 and 1630, sharp-faceted and brushed, around 40mm and substantially heavier than a President, with one documented example weighing about 290 grams all in. The bezel is factory diamond-set, round brilliants with baguettes at six and nine on the documented examples, and the crystal is acrylic over a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bracelet is integrated, built into the case rather than fitted with end-links.

	==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==		==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==

	The 1831's platinum bracelet is integral to the case, in the King Midas and Oysterquartz idiom, and cannot take a removable President. That integration is much of why the watch wears so differently from a round Day-Date. Where the original bracelet survives it is part of the watch's value; the Omani "Khanjar No. 9" had its platinum bracelet removed and sold before ~~sale~~, and it appears on a strap. The cross-family bracelet detail sits on [[Reference:Bracelets]].		The 1831's platinum bracelet is integral to the case, in the King Midas and Oysterquartz idiom, and cannot take a removable President. That integration is much of why the watch wears so differently from a round Day-Date. Where the original bracelet survives it is part of the watch's value; the Omani "Khanjar No. 9" had its platinum bracelet removed and sold separately before the watch came to auction, and it appears on a strap. The cross-family bracelet detail sits on [[Reference:Bracelets]].

	==Special branches==		==Special branches==
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	===The Shah of Iran series===		===The Shah of Iran series===

	~~The core of~~ the ~~reference~~ is a numbered ~~set~~, ~~generally cited as eight platinum examples, built for~~ the ~~household of~~ the ~~Shah of Iran around 1977~~. ~~Each carries a different diamond-set dial, from the~~ light-blue sunburst ~~to the~~ burgundy ~~and other~~ Stella ~~lacquers, and each is numbered between the lugs~~. ~~The watches recirculate through~~ the ~~major auction houses~~, ~~where~~ the same ~~numbered examples~~ reappear ~~across sales~~, ~~consistent with so small a production~~.		Each watch in the Shah series is numbered between the lugs, and that number rather than the reference is how the market identifies an individual Emperor: No. 001 with its light-blue sunburst, No. 004 in silvered, No. 5 in burgundy Stella lacquer. Because the run is so small, the same numbers reappear at auction a decade apart carrying the same case and movement numbers, which makes the ownership chain of any given example unusually easy to follow.

	===Khanjar No. 9===		===Khanjar No. 9===
	[[File:Ref 1831 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 Khanjar No. 9 Omani dial\|The Omani "Khanjar No. 9", the ninth platinum Emperor — a silvered dial with the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate, on a strap after its platinum bracelet was removed.]]		[[File:Ref 1831 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 1831 Khanjar No. 9 Omani dial\|The Omani "Khanjar No. 9", the ninth platinum Emperor — a silvered dial with the red crossed-daggers emblem of the Sultanate, on a strap after its platinum bracelet was removed.]]


	A ninth platinum 1831 surfaced at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2018, carrying the red Omani Khanjar emblem. Sotheby's presented it as extending the believed run of eight to nine, the only example made for the Sultanate of Oman, with a serial number sitting alongside the Iranian pieces. Per the consigning owner, and not independently confirmed by the house, the watch may have been gifted by Sultan Qaboos to the first premier of Djibouti at that country's independence in 1977. It is the single most storied 1831.		A ninth platinum 1831 surfaced at Sotheby's in Geneva in 2018, carrying the red Omani Khanjar emblem. Sotheby's presented it as extending the believed run of eight to nine, the only example made for the Sultanate of Oman, with a serial number sitting alongside the Iranian pieces. Per the consigning owner, and not independently confirmed by the house, the watch may have been gifted by Sultan Qaboos to the first premier of Djibouti at that country's independence in 1977. It is the single most storied 1831.
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	==Auction record==		==Auction record==

	The 1831 trades as a blue-chip rarity ~~despite its tiny production~~, and the same handful of watches recirculate through the major houses. Christie's sold No. 004 in Geneva in 2011 for CHF 147,000. Antiquorum sold the burgundy Stella No. 5 in 2013 for CHF 206,500, and Phillips sold the same watch again in 2015 for CHF 305,000, the highest documented result for the reference. The light-blue No. 001 has come to sale three times, identified across all three by its case number 5,055,759 and movement number DD336356. Antiquorum sold it in Geneva in 2014 for CHF 165,750, Phillips in Hong Kong in 2016 for HK$1,750,000, and Phillips in Geneva again in 2021 for CHF 289,800. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" sold at Sotheby's in 2018 with the result not publicly disclosed. The trajectory across the 2010s is steadily upward, and an original, unpolished platinum case with its integrated bracelet is the value driver.		The 1831 trades as a blue-chip rarity, and the same handful of watches recirculate through the major houses. Christie's sold No. 004 in Geneva in 2011 for CHF 147,000. Antiquorum sold the burgundy Stella No. 5 in 2013 for CHF 206,500, and Phillips sold the same watch again in 2015 for CHF 305,000, the highest documented result for the reference. The light-blue No. 001 has come to sale three times, identified across all three by its case number 5,055,759 and movement number DD336356. Antiquorum sold it in Geneva in 2014 for CHF 165,750, Phillips in Hong Kong in 2016 for HK$1,750,000, and Phillips in Geneva again in 2021 for CHF 289,800. The Omani "Khanjar No. 9" sold at Sotheby's in 2018 with the result not publicly disclosed. The trajectory across the 2010s is steadily upward, and an original, unpolished platinum case with its integrated bracelet is the value driver.

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
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	\| CHF 289,800		\| CHF 289,800
	\|}		\|}


	== Related references ==		== Related references ==

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	See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

	==Sources==		== Sources ==

	* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra		* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra

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