Admin: Publish researched Day-Date II reference 218399

2026-10-28T23:39:36Z

Publish researched Day-Date II reference 218399

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex Day-Date II 218399}}
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 218399 — White-Gold Day-Date II
|description=Rolex reference 218399: the white-gold Day-Date II with an 80-baguette bezel, Cal. 3156 and documented diamond-dial variants.
|keywords=Rolex 218399, Day-Date II, 218399BR, 83219, Cal. 3156
|image=Ref 218399 hero.webp
|image_alt=White-gold Rolex Day-Date II 218399 with a baguette bezel and pavé dial with green enamel markers
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}

<small>[[Reference:day-date|Day-Date]] → '''218399'''</small>

<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref 218399 hero.webp|thumb|center|640px|alt=White-gold Day-Date II with baguette bezel, pavé dial and green enamel markers|Sotheby's lot 8001, case 167610Z6.]]
</div>

Rolex listed reference 218399 as a 41 mm white-gold Day-Date II with an 80-baguette bezel and President bracelet 83219.

==Core facts==

{| class="wikitable"
! Detail !! Specification
|-
| Reference || 218399; a 2015 Netherlands list prints 218399 BR
|-
| Family || Day-Date II
|-
| Documented dates || Exact-reference examples dated circa 2009, circa 2012 and circa 2014; Rolex lists from 2011, 2012 and 2015
|-
| Case || 41 mm, 18 ct white gold
|-
| Bezel || 80 baguette diamonds; the 2015 list gives approximately 3.48 ct
|-
| Crystal || Synthetic sapphire
|-
| Movement || Cal. 3156, automatic, 31 jewels, chronometer
|-
| Bracelet || White-gold President, reference 83219
|}

==Where it sits in the line==

The Day-Date II arrived in 2008; Rolex replaced it with the 40 mm Day-Date in 2015.

==Production outline==

Poly Auction dates one 218399 to circa 2009. Rolex lists the reference in 2011 and 2012, then includes it in a 2015 Netherlands catalogue. Sotheby's dates case 167610Z6 to circa 2012; Phillips dates a separate case to circa 2014. The exact production start and end remain unknown.

==Movement notes==

Rolex's Day-Date II timeline pairs the 41 mm model with Cal. 3156. The period list and exact-reference auction catalogues identify a 31-jewel movement.

==Dial map==

Rolex's 2012 list names a pavé dial with enamel markers and a gem-set option with eight baguette diamonds and two baguette sapphires. Its 2015 list includes eight diamond markers with two baguette diamonds, and a pavé dial with enamel indices. A 2010–11 Rolex dial sheet groups the 218399 with three other Day-Date II references and pictures black, blue and green enamel-marker pavé dials. Auction records identify black and green markers on two 218399 examples.

Poly's circa-2009 example has black enamel markers on a pavé dial. Sotheby's and Christie's describe the same circa-2012 watch, case 167610Z6, with green enamel markers. Phillips records a separate circa-2014 watch with a silver sunburst dial and diamond indexes.

[[File:Ref 218399 dial.webp|thumb|right|240px|alt=Silver sunburst dial with diamond indexes on white-gold Day-Date II reference 218399BR|Phillips lot 844, case 4P5D5782, circa 2014.]]

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

On its circa-2009 example, Poly describes a screw-down crown and caseback.

Rolex and Sotheby's give 41 mm; Christie's gives 42 mm for the same case, 167610Z6.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 218399 angle.webp|Sotheby's, lot 8001, three-quarter view of case 167610Z6
File:Ref 218399 caseback.webp|Sotheby's, lot 8001, caseback and bracelet of case 167610Z6
</gallery>

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

Rolex specifies the white-gold President bracelet 83219. Its 2015 list describes that bracelet as 21 mm wide, with 24 links and a Crownclasp, and names 218399 BR among its applications.

Poly records a Rolex certificate and presentation box with its circa-2009 example.

==Special branches==

The 2011 and 2012 U.S. lists print 218399; the 2015 Dutch list and Phillips's 2022 catalogue use 218399 BR. These catalogues leave the suffix unexplained.

==Auction record==

{| class="wikitable"
! Sale !! Watch and catalogue record
|-
| Poly Auction Hong Kong, 1 October 2018, lot 2332 || Ref. 218399, case not stated; catalogued circa 2009, pavé dial with black enamel markers, certificate and box. Estimate HKD 620,000–900,000.
|-
| Sotheby's Fine Watches 2021, lot 8001 || Ref. 218399, case 167610Z6, catalogued circa 2012; pavé dial with green enamel markers.
|-
| Christie's, lot 6002879 || Same case 167610Z6 and circa-2012 configuration as Sotheby's. Christie's reports 42 mm; Sotheby's reports 41 mm.
|-
| Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction XIV, 27 May 2022, lot 844 || Ref. 218399BR, case 4P5D5782, catalogued circa 2014; silver sunburst dial with diamond indexes; guarantee dated 22 April 2014. Sold for HKD 554,400 including buyer's premium.
|}

== Gallery ==

<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 218399 hero.webp|Sotheby's, lot 8001, case 167610Z6; pavé dial with green enamel markers
File:Ref 218399 angle.webp|Sotheby's, lot 8001, three-quarter view of case 167610Z6
File:Ref 218399 dial.webp|Phillips, lot 844, case 4P5D5782; silver sunburst dial with diamond indexes
File:Ref 218399 caseback.webp|Sotheby's, lot 8001, caseback and bracelet of case 167610Z6
</gallery>

== Sources ==

* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/day-date/those-who-shape-the-world "Day-Date: Those who shape the world", Rolex]
* [https://www.minus4plus6.com/RolexPricelist/2011/2011_usa_price_list.pdf Rolex USA, "Rolex USA price list, effective 10 May 2011 — Day-Date II ref. 218399", Rolex USA; scan hosted by Minus4Plus6, 2011-05-10]
* [https://www.thewatch.co.il/image/users/190146/ftp/my_files/ROLEX/Rolex-Price-List%20-June-2012%20-usa.pdf?id=13123753 Rolex USA, "Rolex USA price list, June 2012 — Day-Date II ref. 218399", Rolex USA; scan hosted by The Watch, 2012-06]
* [https://www.rolexforum.nl/prijslijst-rolex-NL2015.pdf Rolex, "Rolex Netherlands price list, 2015 — Day-Date II ref. 218399 BR", Rolex; scan hosted by RolexForum.nl, 2015]
* [https://pics.r-l-x.de/picserv/files/3/Kataloge/Dial2010-2011.pdf Rolex, "Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date II dial catalogue, 2010–2011", Rolex; scan hosted by R-L-X.de, 2010]
* [https://cdn.polyauction.com.hk/public-default/auction/sale/hkf2618-2_e6c0aae6-6a83-418a-b1fb-f0cbe20d9ac5.pdf "Poly Auction Hong Kong, Autumn Auctions 2018, lot 2332 — ref. 218399", Poly Auction, 2018-10-01]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/fine-watches-7/day-date-reference-218399-a-white-gold-and-diamond "Sotheby's Fine Watches 2021, lot 8001 — ref. 218399, case 167610Z6", Sotheby's, 2021]
* [https://www.christies.com/lot/rolex-a-large-and-rare-18k-white-6002879/ "Christie's, lot 6002879 — ref. 218399, case 167610Z6", Christie's]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/164957 "Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction XIV, lot 844 — ref. 218399BR, case 4P5D5782", Phillips, 2022-05-27]

[[Category:Day-Date]]

Reference:218399 - Revision history

Admin: Publish researched Day-Date II reference 218399