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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex Day-Date}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex Day-Date}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex Day-Date — Production, References, Movements, Provenance | BezelBase
|title=Rolex Day-Date — References and Movements | Rolexopedia
|description=Every pre-2020 Rolex Day-Date reference, from the 1956 originals era (6510 / 6511 / 6611 / 6612 / 6612B) through the modern 6-digit 118238 / 118239 / 118235. Production histories, dial variant taxonomy (Stella, Stern stone, Buckley, Wide-Boy, Underline, Red Quarters, Sigma), movement progression, and presidential / Nasser / Sadat / LBJ / Khanjar provenance.
|description=Rolex Day-Date references from the 1956 launch through the 118xxx generation, plus Day-Date II and Oysterquartz. Case finishes, calendar functions and dated examples.
|keywords=Rolex Day-Date, President, 6510, 6611, 1803, 18038, 118238, 218238, Stella, Stern, Buckley, Wide-Boy, Underline, Red Quarters, Sigma, Khanjar, Tiffany double-signed, Nasser, LBJ, Lyndon Johnson
|keywords=Rolex Day-Date, President, 6510, 6611, 1803, 18038, 118238, 218238, Stella, Stern, Buckley, Wide-Boy, Underline, Red Quarters, Sigma, Khanjar, Tiffany double-signed, Nasser, LBJ, Lyndon Johnson
|image=Ref day-date 1960-ad.webp
|image_alt=Vintage Rolex Day-Date print advertisement
|type=Article
|type=Article
|og_type=article
|og_type=article
|published_time=2026-05-24T20:53:04Z
|modified_time=2026-10-11T11:30:00Z
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
|robots=index,follow,max-image-preview:large
}}
}}


== Rolex Day-Date ==
<small>[[Main Page]] › '''Day-Date'''</small>


The Day-Date is the Rolex reference that spells the day of the week in full at twelve o'clock and shows the date at three. Marc Huguenin's patent for the day-and-date wristwatch complication was filed 23 July 1955; Rolex debuted the watch at the Basel Fair in 1956 as the [[Reference:6510|6510]]. The President bracelet — the bracelet that gives the line its modern shorthand — arrived a year later in 1957 with the [[Reference:6611|6611]]. The line has been in continuous catalogue presence since 1956 and is the only Rolex sport-luxury reference offered in precious metal only (steel and Rolesor have never appeared on a cataloged Day-Date — the marketing-test six-piece steel 6611 from the Geneva Horology School at Antiquorum October 2002 is the only documented exception).
<div class="rp-lead">
[[File:Ref day-date 1960-ad.webp|thumb|center|400px|alt=Vintage Rolex Day-Date print advertisement showing the watch and its calendar displays|Vintage Rolex Day-Date advertisement.]]
</div>


This index covers the pre-2020 Day-Date references in scope on the wiki — the 6510 originals era, the 4-digit 1803 era, the 5-digit 18038 / 18028 / 18048 / 18078 cluster, and the modern 6-digit 118238 generation. The post-2019 Day-Date 40 / Day-Date 36 successors (128238 / 128239 / 128235 / 128236 / 128288 / 128289 / 228235 / 228238 / 228239 with cal 3255 from 2019) sit outside the wiki's pre-2020 scope.
The Day-Date is Rolex's calendar watch with the weekday written in full at twelve o'clock and the date at three. It launched in 1956. Gold and platinum are the regular case materials, and Rolex dates the three-piece-link President bracelet to the same launch.
 
Most vintage and earlier modern Day-Dates have a 36mm case. The 41mm Day-Date II arrived in 2008, followed by the Day-Date 40 in 2015. This guide covers selected references through the 118xxx generation, alongside Day-Date II and Oysterquartz.




[[File:Ref 118238 hero.webp|thumb|center|400px|alt=Rolex Day-Date 118238 18k yellow gold champagne dial President|The modern Day-Date silhouette — fluted bezel, President bracelet, champagne stick-index dial — the configuration the line has carried since the 1957 introduction of the President bracelet on the 6611.]]
== Common entry points ==
== Common entry points ==


{| style="width:100%; border-collapse:separate; border-spacing:8px 0; margin:1em 0 1.5em 0;"
<div class="rp-grid">
|-
<div class="rp-card"><div class="rp-card-body"><div class="rp-card-meta">First generation</div><div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:6510|6510]]</div><div class="rp-card-text">Smooth-bezel Day-Date from the launch period. Early dates, bracelet fitment and caliber descriptions need to be checked against the individual watch.</div></div></div>
| style="width:33%; padding:14px; background:#f8f8f6; border-left:3px solid #555; vertical-align:top;" | ''Identifying the original 1956 Day-Date?''<br/>'''[[Reference:6510|6510]]''' — Marc Huguenin's 1955 patent, Basel 1956 launch, single-year cataloged run, Jubilee bracelet (the President bracelet arrives with the 6611 in 1957).
<div class="rp-card"><div class="rp-card-body"><div class="rp-card-meta">Acrylic crystal, no quickset</div><div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:1803|1803]]</div><div class="rp-card-text">The fluted-bezel reference of the 1960s and 1970s, with calibers 1555 and 1556 and a wide range of dial finishes.</div></div></div>
| style="width:33%; padding:14px; background:#f8f8f6; border-left:3px solid #555; vertical-align:top;" | ''Cross-checking the canonical 4-digit Day-Date?''<br/>'''[[Reference:1803|1803]]''' — eighteen-year run 1959 to 1977-78, cal 1555 then cal 1556, the dial-variant explosion (Stella, Stern stone, Buckley, Wide-Boy, Underline, Red Quarters, Sigma), Nasser and LBJ provenance.
<div class="rp-card"><div class="rp-card-body"><div class="rp-card-meta">36mm with double quickset</div><div class="rp-card-title">[[Reference:118238|118238]]</div><div class="rp-card-text">Yellow-gold Day-Date with caliber 3155. Both calendar displays can be corrected independently of the hands.</div></div></div>
| style="width:33%; padding:14px; background:#f8f8f6; border-left:3px solid #555; vertical-align:top;" | ''Researching a modern 36mm Day-Date?''<br/>'''[[Reference:118238|118238]]''' — nineteen-year run 2000 to 2019, cal 3155 with double quickset, Parachrom Blu mid-run rollout, engraved rehaut from 2006-07, the last 36mm Day-Date before the 128238 took over.
</div>
|}


== Originals era (1956–1959) ==
== Originals era (1956–1959) ==


The 6510 opens the line at Basel 1956 with the cal 1055 — Rolex's first day-and-date caliber. The 6611 follows in 1957 with the President bracelet and the upgraded cal 1055 (Microstella balance, SCOC certification). The cluster runs through 1959 before the 1803 takes over the 4-digit era.
The smooth-bezel 6510 and fluted-bezel 6511 belong to the launch generation. The 66xx references followed during the late 1950s. Auction dates overlap the usual chronology: Phillips catalogues 6511 cases as 1955, Dorotheum gives case 166736 a 1956–57 model period, and another Dorotheum listing dates case 166744 circa 1965. Pergola's unofficial chart places 166744 in its 1956 band. The lot photograph offers no readable serial, leaving the catalogue and chart estimates in conflict. Treat them as individual estimates; they do not define the factory timeline.
 
The earliest watches also appear with different bracelets. Jake Ehrlich’s Rolex Magazine labels a pictured 6511 “pre-Presidential” and shows it on a Jubilee bracelet; Phillips’s pink-gold 6511 in its 2015 sale has a President bracelet with a clasp stamped 2.57. The stamp dates the clasp; neither record proves which bracelet Rolex delivered with every watch.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Bezel !! Bracelet !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Period !! Bezel !! Notes
|-
|-
| [[Reference:6510|6510]] || 1956–57 || smooth / domed || Jubilee || The original Day-Date — cal 1055, single-year run, Italian-delivered case 134,636 is the earliest documented serial.
| [[Reference:6510|6510]] || Launch period, c.1956 || Smooth or domed || Early 36mm Day-Date
|-
|-
| 6511 || 1956–57 || fluted || Jubilee || Parallel launch with the 6510. Introduces the fluted bezel that becomes the Day-Date signature.
| 6511 || Launch period, c.1956 || Fluted || Phillips also catalogues examples as 1955
|-
|-
| 6611 || 1957–59 || fluted || President || First reference to wear the President bracelet. Upgraded cal 1055 with Microstella and SCOC dial.
| 6611 || Late 1950s || Fluted || Phillips lot 50 is dated 1956 and has German chronometer wording
|-
|-
| 6612 || 1957–59 || smooth || President || Smooth-bezel sibling of the 6611.
| 6612 || Late 1950s || Smooth || Phillips documents a platinum example dated 1958
|-
|-
| 6613 || 1957–59 || gem-set || President || Factory diamond-set bezel sub-reference.
| 6613 || Late 1950s || Gem-set || Gem-set member of the early family
|-
|-
| 6611B || 1958–59 || fluted || President || Late variant of the 6611.
| 6611B || Late 1950s || Fluted || B-suffix designation encountered in cataloguing
|-
|-
| 6612B || 1958–59 || smooth || President || Late variant of the 6612.
| 6612B || Late 1950s || Smooth || B-suffix designation encountered in cataloguing
|}
|}
Caliber 1055 is associated with this generation, but catalogue entries conflict. Phillips lists 1555 for its 2015 lot 40, and Dorotheum lists 1555 for its 2026 lot 255; six other located non-prototype 6511 lots list 1055, including a 2017 Dorotheum lot for case 166744. Phillips dates Cal. 1555 to 1959, later than the dates assigned to the two 1555-labelled cases. Each entry is a catalogue attribution; keep the label tied to its lot pending movement inspection. [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080219/247 Phillips on Cal. 1555]; [https://www.dorotheum.com/en/l/10072651/ Dorotheum, ref. 6511, lot 255]; [https://www.dorotheum.com/de/l/604595/ Dorotheum, 2017, ref. 6511/8]


== 4-digit era (1959–1977/78) ==
== 4-digit era (1959–1977/78) ==


The 1803 anchors the era with an eighteen-year run — the longest single-reference Day-Date production. Catalogue siblings split by bezel finish (1804 gem-set, 1807 bark, 1811 Morellis).
The 1803 is the fluted-bezel model of the acrylic-crystal generation. Monochrome dates its introduction to 1959; Sotheby's uses around 1960. Related references have smooth, engraved or gem-set bezels. Their individual production dates need not match the whole generation.
 
Early examples use caliber 1555, with 1556 appearing in the mid-1960s. The change was not a clean cutoff: Antiquorum catalogues a circa-1967 1811 with 1555. Neither movement has a direct calendar quickset.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Bezel !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period or dated example !! Movement !! Bezel or case finish !! Notes
|-
|-
| [[Reference:1803|1803]] || 1959 to 1977-78 || cal 1555 → cal 1556 || fluted || The dial-variant-densest reference in the modern Rolex catalogue — Stella, Stern stone, Buckley Roman, Wide-Boy, Underline, Red Quarters, Sigma, Khanjar, Tiffany double-signed, Nasser/Sadat provenance.
| [[Reference:1803|1803]] || Around 1960–1977/78 || 1555; later 1556 || Fluted || Lacquer, stone, printed Roman-numeral and other dial variants
|-
|-
| 1804 || 1959 to 1977-78 || cal 1555 / 1556 || gem-set || Diamond-set bezel sub-reference; often paired with diamond dial.
| [[Reference:1804|1804]] || 1960s–1970s || 1555 / 1556 || Gem-set || Gold and platinum examples; Phillips documents a platinum watch with Eastern-Arabic numerals
|-
|-
| 1806 || 1959 to 1977-78 || cal 1555 / 1556 || Florentine || Florentine finish on case, bezel and lugs; often on the rare brick bracelet.
| 1805 || Field Manual lists 1959–1987 || 1555 (Field Manual) || Diamond-and-sapphire (Field Manual) || Attributed textured-bezel examples leave original fitment unresolved
|-
|-
| 1807 || 1959 to 1977-78 || cal 1555 / 1556 || bark || Full bark coverage on bezel + center links.
| [[Reference:1806|1806]] || Documented c.1961 || 1555 / 1556 || Florentine || Engraved texture on bezel and lugs; matching textured bracelets are documented
|-
|-
| 1811 || 1959 to 1977-78 || cal 1555 / 1556 || Morellis || Morellis (moiré) finish on bezel and bracelet center links.
| [[Reference:1807|1807]] || 1960s–1970s || 1555 / 1556 || Bark || Textured bezel, often paired with textured bracelet centre links
|-
| [[Reference:1811|1811]] || Documented c.1967 || 1555 / 1556 || Hammered or Morellis || Decorated bezel; catalogues use differing finish names
|-
| [[Reference:1831|1831]] || Documented 1977 || 1566 in Phillips lot 51 || Platinum, diamond-set || Angular case and integrated bracelet; Phillips example numbered No.5
|}
|}
The Vintage Rolex Field Manual describes ref. 1805 as a yellow-gold Day-Date with caliber 1555 and a diamond-and-sapphire bezel (printed pp. 180–181, 184). The 2025 article “Eastern Arabic Dial 1805 Rolex Day-Date” attributes a pink-gold watch with a textured “piranha” bezel to 1805. Archived item 334103 attributes a yellow-gold watch to the same reference; its photographs show a patterned bezel, though the listing text does not name the finish. Neither page shows a case-reference engraving or original papers, so original bezel fitment remains unresolved.
Phillips describes the 1831's proposed commission for the Shah of Iran's household as apparent. Its catalogue also presents the eight-watch production figure as a belief. Neither claim is a confirmed factory total or delivery record.


== 5-digit era (1977–1988) ==
== 5-digit era (1977–1988) ==


Sapphire crystal arrives. Caliber 3055 introduces single quickset date. The 18038 is the volume reference; siblings cover bezel and material variations.
The 180xx generation introduced sapphire crystals and caliber 3055. Its quickset corrects the date; changing the weekday still requires moving the hands through midnight. The periods below describe the generation, with individual sale and production dates sometimes overlapping its successors.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Material !! Bezel !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Material !! Bezel !! Notes
|-
|-
| [[Reference:18038|18038]] || 1977–1988 || 18k yellow gold || fluted || First sapphire-crystal Day-Date. Stella third-series dials (T SWISS MADE T marking), Stern stone-dial 1980–1990 expansion, wood-burl revival, the uncatalogued Pleiade diamond-pattern sub-variant (~7,000 CHF factory surcharge).
| [[Reference:18038|18038]] || c.1977–1988 || 18k yellow gold || Fluted || Caliber 3055; lacquer, stone, wood and other dial variants
|-
|-
| 18028 || 1977–1988 || 18k yellow gold || smooth || Rare smooth-bezel President — the dressy outlier.
| [[Reference:18028|18028]] || Late 1970s–1980s || 18k yellow gold || Smooth || Plain polished bezel
|-
|-
| 18048 || 1977–1988 || 18k yellow gold || gem-set || Factory diamond bezel with 44 round brilliants.
| [[Reference:18048|18048]] || Late 1970s–1980s || 18k yellow gold || Gem-set || Diamond bezel; Phillips documents a green lacquered dial with red Omani emblem
|-
|-
| 18078 || 1977–1988 || 18k yellow gold || bark || Bark-finish bezel and bark center links. Limited production.
| [[Reference:18078|18078]] || Late 1970s–1980s || 18k yellow gold || Bark || Textured bezel and bracelet centre links
|-
|-
| 18039 || 1977–1988 || 18k white gold || fluted || White-gold equivalent of the 18038.
| 18039 || Late 1970s–1980s || 18k white gold || Fluted || White-gold version
|-
|-
| 18049 || 1977–1988 || 18k white gold || gem-set || White-gold equivalent of the 18048.
| 18049 || Late 1970s–1980s || 18k white gold || Gem-set || White-gold diamond-bezel version
|-
|-
| 18079 || 1977–1988 || 18k white gold || bark || White-gold equivalent of the 18078.
| 18079 || Documented 1978 || 18k white gold || Bark || Phillips records bark on the bezel and bracelet centres
|-
|-
| 18026 || 1977–1988 || platinum || smooth || Extremely rare platinum 5-digit Day-Date.
| [[Reference:18108|18108]] || Documented c.1985–86 || 18k yellow gold || Bark, diamond-set || Auction records also show lacquer, onyx, and wood dials
|-
| 18026 || Documented c.1979 || Platinum || Smooth || Sotheby’s records caliber 3055 and a platinum President bracelet
|}
|}


== Late 5-digit era (1988–2000) ==
== Late 5-digit era (1988–2000) ==


Caliber 3155 introduces double quickset (day and date both indexed from the crown). The 18238 takes the 36mm Day-Date through the 1990s.
Rolex introduced caliber 3155 in 1988. It adds independent correction of the weekday as well as the date, commonly called double quickset. These references retain the 36mm case.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Movement !! Material !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Movement !! Material !! Bezel
|-
|-
| 18238 || 1988–2000 || cal 3155 || 18k yellow gold || Double quickset on the 36mm President. Transition reference before the 118238 takes the case forward into the 6-digit era.
| 18238 || c.1988–2000 || 3155 || 18k yellow gold || Fluted
|-
|-
| 18239 || 1988–2000 || cal 3155 || 18k white gold || White-gold sibling.
| 18239 || c.1988–2000 || 3155 || 18k white gold || Fluted
|-
|-
| 18248 / 18249 || 1988–2000 || cal 3155 || gem-set || Factory diamond bezel siblings.
| [[Reference:18248|18248]] / 18249 || Late 1980s–1990s || 3155 || Yellow / white gold || Bark finish
|-
|-
| 18078 / 18079 carryover || — || — || — || Bark-finish siblings continued from the 5-digit era.
| [[Reference:18348|18348]] / 18349 || Late 1980s–1990s || 3155 || Yellow / white gold || Diamond-set
|-
| [[Reference:18208|18208]] / 18209 || Late 1980s–1990s || 3155 || Yellow / white gold || Smooth
|}
|}
Bracelet finish and dial material vary within these references. Antiquorum's coral-dial 18208, for example, was sold in September 1996. Its smooth bezel is part of the reference description; the coral dial identifies one configuration.


== 6-digit era (2000–2019) ==
== 6-digit era (2000–2019) ==


The 118 generation refines the case and bracelet — broader lugs, solid centre links, concealed Crownclasp. Parachrom Blu hairspring rolls in from 2005; engraved rehaut from 2006–07. The 118238 closes the 36mm Day-Date era in 2019 before the 128238 takes over with the cal 3255.
The 118xxx generation retained caliber 3155 and the 36mm diameter, with revised lugs and a heavier, solid-link bracelet. Engraved rehauts appeared during the run. Caliber 3255 replaced the 3155 in the 36mm line in 2019. A 118399 BR auction example carries a Rolex guarantee dated 2022; that date establishes the watch's paperwork, not when the reference entered or left production.
 
Pink gold needs a separate date check. Rolex introduced its Everose alloy in 2005, but Christie's records a pink-gold 118205 with a March 2001 guarantee. Sotheby's also catalogues a rose-gold 118235 as circa 2000. Its title calls the watch Everose, which conflicts with Rolex's alloy chronology.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Material !! Key distinction
! Reference !! Period or dated evidence !! Material !! Configuration
|-
|-
| [[Reference:118238|118238]] || 2000–2019 || 18k yellow gold || Volume reference of the 6-digit generation. Cal 3155, fluted bezel, President. The last 36mm yellow-gold Day-Date before the 128238.
| [[Reference:118238|118238]] || c.2000–2019 || 18k yellow gold || Fluted bezel; President bracelet
|-
|-
| 118239 || 2000–2019 || 18k white gold || White-gold sibling on the President.
| 118239 || 2000s–2010s || 18k white gold || Fluted bezel; President bracelet
|-
|-
| 118235 || 2005–2019 || 18k Everose || Everose launches 2005; the 118235 carries it on the President from that point.
| [[Reference:118399|118399]] / 118399 BR || Rolex lists 118399 (2011); 118399 BR (2013, 2015); one example has a 2022 guarantee || 18k white gold || 60 baguette diamonds; Oyster or President options
|-
|-
| 118205 || 2005–2019 || 18k Everose || Smooth bezel + Oyster bracelet — the casual-aesthetic outlier in the President family.
| [[Reference:118208|118208]] || 2000s–2010s || 18k yellow gold || Smooth or domed bezel; Oyster-bracelet examples documented
|-
|-
| 118206 || 2000–2019 || 950 platinum || Smooth domed bezel, President. Ice-blue dial is the platinum signature.
| [[Reference:118138|118138]] || Introduced 2013 || 18k yellow gold || Fluted bezel; leather strap with gold folding clasp
|-
|-
| 118138 / 118135 / 118139 || 2013–2019 || gold || Basel 2013 leather-strap subset (yellow / Everose / white).
| [[Reference:118235|118235]] || Sotheby’s dates an example c.2000; later Everose models || 18k pink gold / Everose || Fluted bezel; President bracelet
|-
| 118205 || Documented sale in 2001; later Everose models || 18k pink gold / Everose || Smooth bezel; Oyster bracelet
|-
| 118206 || 2000s–2010s || 950 platinum || Smooth or domed bezel; President bracelet
|-
| 118135 / 118139 || Introduced 2013 || Everose / white gold || Leather-strap versions alongside the yellow-gold 118138
|}
|}
The leather-strap models appeared at Baselworld 2013. The launch colours included green and cognac for yellow gold, with blue, cherry and chocolate among the other gold versions. The exact end of each configuration is separate from the 2019 movement-generation change.


== Day-Date II (2008–2015) ==
== Day-Date II (2008–2015) ==


The 41mm successor — the only Day-Date to break the 36mm Oyster envelope. Caliber 3156 scales the day-and-date module for the wider case.
The Day-Date II used a 41mm case and caliber 3156, with a Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers. It ran alongside the 36mm models. The 40mm successor arrived in 2015 with caliber 3255.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Material !! Notes
! Reference !! Approximate period !! Material !! Configuration
|-
|-
| 218238 || 2008–2015 || 18k yellow gold || Day-Date II yellow gold, cal 3156, 41mm.
| 218238 || 2008–2015 || 18k yellow gold || 41mm; caliber 3156; fluted bezel
|-
|-
| 218239 || 2008–2015 || 18k white gold || White-gold sibling.
| 218239 || 2008–2015 || 18k white gold || 41mm; caliber 3156; fluted bezel
|-
|-
| 218235 || 2008–2015 || 18k Everose || Everose Day-Date II.
| 218235 || 2008–2015 || 18k Everose gold || 41mm; caliber 3156; fluted bezel
|-
|-
| 218206 || 2008–2015 || 950 platinum || Platinum Day-Date II.
| [[Reference:218206|218206]] || 2008–2015 || 950 platinum || 41mm; caliber 3156; smooth bezel
|}
|}


== Oysterquartz Day-Date (1977–2001) ==
<span id="Oysterquartz_Day-Date_(1977–2001)"></span>
== Oysterquartz Day-Date (1977–early 2000s) ==


The quartz outlier. Cal 5055 quartz movement in the integrated-bracelet OQ case — Rolex's only quartz Day-Date.
The Oysterquartz Day-Date uses battery-powered caliber 5055 in an angular case with an integrated bracelet. Rolex's factory technical manual specifies a quickset for the date only. The weekday advances through the hands, as on caliber 3055.


{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Reference !! Production !! Material !! Notes
! Reference !! Period or dated evidence !! Material !! Configuration
|-
| 19018 || From 1977; listed in 2001 || 18k yellow gold || Fluted bezel; integrated President bracelet
|-
|-
| 19018 || 1977–2001 || 18k yellow gold || Oysterquartz Day-Date, cal 5055, integrated Oyster bracelet.
| 19019 || Listed in 2001 || 18k white gold || Fluted bezel; integrated President bracelet
|-
|-
| 19019 || 1977–2001 || 18k white gold || White-gold Oysterquartz Day-Date.
| [[Reference:19028|19028]] || Documented c.1985; listed in 2001 || 18k yellow gold || Pyramid-faceted bezel and matching integrated bracelet
|}
|}
Gary Frazier's Oysterquartz archive places gold models in the catalogue through 2003. It describes a 2001 manufacture stop as probable, based on the last quartz chronometer certificates. Catalogue presence does not establish the date of manufacture or final retail sale.


== Movement progression ==
== Movement progression ==


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
|-
! Caliber !! Era !! Frequency !! Quickset !! Used in !! Notes
! Caliber !! Calendar setting !! References or generation !! Notes
|-
|-
| 1055 (original) || 1956–57 || 18,000 vph || none || 6510, 6511 || First day-and-date caliber. Gradual changeover at midnight. No Microstella balance; no SCOC.
| 1055 || No direct quickset || 6510 / 6511 and 66xx || Early catalogue caliber labels sometimes conflict
|-
|-
| 1055 (upgraded) || 1957–59 || 18,000 vph || none || 6611, 6612, 6613, 6611B, 6612B || Free-sprung Microstella balance and SCOC certification added. Same caliber number.
| 1555 || No direct quickset || Early 1800-series watches || Continues in some watches catalogued in the later 1960s
|-
|-
| 1555 || 1959 to c. 1965 || 18,000 vph || none || 1803 early || Cal 1055-derived. Day-and-date complication carried forward.
| 1556 || No direct quickset || Mid- and late 1800 series || Higher beat rate than 1555; later examples have stop-seconds
|-
|-
| 1556 || c. 1965 to 1977-78 || 19,800 vph || none || 1803 mid-and-late || Higher frequency. Hacking seconds added 1972 (mid-production, not at caliber change).
| 1566 || No direct quickset || 1831 || Identified by Phillips in the numbered platinum example
|-
|-
| 3055 || 1977–1988 || 28,800 vph || single (date only) || 18038 and siblings || First Day-Date with quickset. Sapphire crystal era. Day still requires running hands through midnight.
| 3055 || Date only || 180xx generation || Weekday corrected by moving the hands
|-
|-
| 3155 || 1988–2019 || 28,800 vph || double (day + date) || 18238, 118238 and siblings || Double quickset — both day and date indexed independently from the crown. The longest-running Day-Date caliber.
| 3155 || Day and date independently || 182xx / 183xx and 118xxx || Introduced in 1988
|-
|-
| 3156 || 2008–2015 || 28,800 vph || double || 218238 Day-Date II || 41mm scaled version of the 3155.
| 3156 || Day and date independently || Day-Date II || Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock protection
|-
|-
| 5055 || 1977–2001 || quartz 32,768 Hz || double || 19018, 19019 Oysterquartz || Quartz caliber, integrated-case Oysterquartz.
| 5055 || Date only || Oysterquartz Day-Date || Factory manual, printed pages 5–6
|-
| 3255 || Day and date independently || Day-Date 40 from 2015; Day-Date 36 from 2019 || Approximately 70-hour power reserve
|}
|}
The [[Reference:Movements#cal-3155|movement guide]] gives the detailed caliber notes. A successor's introduction does not establish the last production date of every earlier reference.


== Special branches ==
== Special branches ==


Three institutional and retailer-signed branches drive the headline auction record across the Day-Date line.
Stella is the collector name for the brightly coloured lacquered dials found on vintage Day-Dates. Stone dials form a separate group: the material and configuration need to be identified for each watch. Printed Roman numerals are often called Buckley dials; Wide Boy refers to broad hour markers and hands. Original dial fitment needs evidence beyond a collector nickname.
 
Omani commissioned dials bear the national emblem, commonly called Khanjar by collectors. Phillips documents a red emblem on a green lacquered 18048 dial in its 2015 sale. The emblem alone does not establish a particular recipient or delivery through a named retailer.
 
Tiffany & Co. signatures and other retailer marks require their own evidence. Original delivery, a period-correct replacement and a later service part are different claims. A clasp code dates the clasp; boxes and papers need to be assessed against the watch's sale period.


* '''Khanjar Oman / Sultan Qaboos''' — crossed sheathed khanjar daggers, sometimes under a kuma hat, in red, white, green, or gold (the Omani flag colours). Commissioned through Sultan Qaboos bin Said (reigned 1970–2020). Surfaces on 1803 and later references, frequently with Asprey crossed-swords retailer marks and Khimji Ramdas (KR) Muscat distribution.
== Auction record ==
* '''Tiffany & Co. double-signed''' — production through the late 1970s on the 1803 and into the 1980s and 1990s on subsequent references. Trade premium 2 to 3 times standard equivalents.
 
* '''Nasser–Sadat / presidential provenance''' — the headline lot in the modern Day-Date market. Sotheby's New York Important Watches December 2024 sold Gamal Abdel Nasser's 1803 (yellow gold, champagne "claw" dial with Arabic day-and-date discs, caseback engraved "Mr Anwar El Sadat 26-9-1963" — a gift from Sadat to Nasser) for USD 840,000 against a USD 30,000–60,000 estimate. Other documented presidential / public-figure wearers per Sotheby's collector guide: Lyndon B. Johnson (the president who gave the line its "President" advertising nickname from 1966 onward), Tom Landry, Jack Nicklaus, Chris Evert, Andy Warhol.
Sotheby's offered Gamal Abdel Nasser's yellow-gold 1803 from his family in New York in December 2024. The lot has Arabic calendar displays and a caseback inscription naming Anwar El Sadat and dated 26 September 1963. The catalogue records family provenance and a letter from Nasser's grandson.
 
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|-
! Sale !! Watch !! Reported result !! Source
|-
| 6 December 2024, Sotheby’s New York, lot 19 || Nasser-family 1803, case 880055 || USD 840,000; estimate USD 30,000–60,000 || [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/important-watches-2/reference-1803-day-date-a-yellow-gold-automatic Lot record]; result reported in [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-day-date-a-complete-collectors-guide Sotheby’s collector guide]
|}


== Notable misattributions ==
== Notable misattributions ==


The Marlon Brando "Apocalypse Now" Rolex is a [[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] 1675, not a Day-Date. Phillips New York "Game Changers" December 10 2019 sold it for USD 1.95 million with the bezel removed by Brando on set and "M. Brando" hand-engraved on the caseback. Any source attributing Brando to the Day-Date has the reference wrong.
Phillips identifies Marlon Brando's watch from ''Apocalypse Now'' as a [[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] 1675, with its bezel removed and his name engraved on the caseback.


The Eisenhower-and-Day-Date claim in casual press is similarly misattributed. Eisenhower's documented Rolex is a yellow-gold Datejust ref 6305, gifted to him in 1951 — five years before the Day-Date even existed.
Rolex identifies Dwight D. Eisenhower's yellow-gold watch as a Datejust. Lyndon B. Johnson is the American president associated with the Day-Date in Rolex's own chronology.


== Related families ==
== Related families ==


* [[Reference:submariner|Submariner]] — the dive line. Shares 1500-family movement architecture with the early Day-Date through the cal 1556 era; diverges at the cal 30xx generation.
* [[Reference:submariner|Submariner]]: dive watches with an elapsed-time bezel.
* [[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]] — the pilot line. The 1675 carries the same cal 1575 base movement as the early Sea-Dweller and shares 1500-family lineage with the early Day-Date.
* [[Reference:gmt-master|GMT-Master]]: watches with an additional 24-hour hand.
* [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback]] — the parent Oyster Perpetual line that the Day-Date inherits the rotor automatic from.
* [[Reference:bubbleback|Bubbleback]]: early self-winding Oyster watches.
 
== Shared references ==
 
* [[Reference:Serial-numbers|Serial numbers by year]]: serial systems and dating limits.
* [[Reference:Movements|Movement reference]]: caliber identification and technical details.
* [[Reference:Bracelets|Bracelet and clasp guide]]: bracelet types, end links and clasp codes.
 
== Sources ==
 
=== Primary and specialist ===
 
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/day-date/those-who-shape-the-world Rolex, Day-Date chronology]
* [https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/0b5fdf83/files/uploaded/1.0%20RolexBook-23Mar.pdf The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, Day-Date section and reference table, printed pp. 180–184]
* [https://assets.rolex.com/api/brochure/en/day-date/m128345rbr-0053.pdf Rolex, Day-Date brochure, President bracelet and Everose gold]
* [https://minus4plus6.com/RolexPricelist/2011/2011_usa_price_list.pdf Rolex, US price list effective 10 May 2011]
* [https://www.thewatch.co.il/image/users/190146/ftp/my_files/ROLEX/rolex-2013.pdf?id=13691453 Rolex, Day-Date “Sertie” Baselworld 2013 product material]
* [https://www.rolexforum.nl/prijslijst-rolex-NL2015.pdf Rolex, Netherlands price list, February 2015]
* [https://newsroom.rolex.com/watches/new-watches-2024/day-date Rolex, 2024 Day-Date announcement, caliber 3255 chronology]
* [https://www.vrfm.io/Scans/CALIBER-5035-5055-TECHNICAL-INFORMATION.pdf Rolex, Technical Information for calibers 5035 and 5055, printed pages 5–6]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/40 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 40, reference 6511]
* [https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2008/06/original-yellow-gold-rolex-day-date.html Jake Ehrlich, RolexMagazine.com, pictured 6511 with Jubilee bracelet]
* [https://www.dorotheum.com/en/l/10072651/ Dorotheum, 2026, ref. 6511, lot 255]
* [https://www.dorotheum.com/de/l/604595/ Dorotheum, 2017, ref. 6511/8, case 166744]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080219/247 Phillips, Cal. 1555 context]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/41 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 41, pink-gold 6511]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/50 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 50, German-dial 6611]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/ROLEX/CH080115/43 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 43, platinum 6612]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/24 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 24, platinum 1804]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/51 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 51, platinum 1831 No.5]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/11 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 11, Omani-emblem 18048]
* [https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/56 Phillips, Glamorous Day-Date lot 56, bark-finish 18079]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-1806-1803-oyster-perpetual-day-date-superlative-chronometer-officially-certified-lot-353-162 Antiquorum, Monaco 2022 lot 162, Florentine-finish 1806]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-1811-1601-oyster-perpetual-day-date-superlative-chronometer-officially-certified-lot-351-211 Antiquorum, Hong Kong 2022 lot 211, hammered 1811]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/important-watches-4/day-date-reference-18026-a-platinum-wristwatch Sotheby’s, 2022 platinum 18026, circa 1979]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/fine-watches-5/reference-18348-day-date-a-yellow-gold-and-diamond Sotheby’s, Fine Watches 2025 lot 105, reference 18348]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-18208-day-date-lot-333-546 Antiquorum, Geneva 2020 lot 546, coral-dial 18208]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/important-watches-2/reference-118208-day-date-a-yellow-gold-automatic Sotheby’s, New York 2024 lot 131, garnet-dial 118208]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/_day-date-reference-a-rose-gold-automatic-wristwatch-with-day-and-date-circa-2000-139e Sotheby’s, rose-gold 118235 catalogued circa 2000]
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/single-owner-watches-online-important-private-asian-collection-part-vi/rolex-pink-gold-day-date-meteorite-diamond-set-dial-ref-118205-1/113790 Christie’s, sale 19859 lot 1, pink-gold 118205 with 2001 guarantee]
* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/21934/lot/158/rolex-a-fine-18ct-gold-quartz-calendar-bracelet-watch-oysterquartz-day-date-ref19028-serial-no915-movement-no012-circa-1985/ Bonhams, London 2014 lot 158, pyramid-bezel 19028]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/important-watches-2/reference-1803-day-date-a-yellow-gold-automatic Sotheby’s, New York 2024 lot 19, Nasser-family 1803]
* [https://www.phillips.com/article/44804111/phillips-to-offer-marlon-brandos-long-lost-rolex-gmt-master-worn-in-apocalypse-now Phillips, Brando GMT-Master announcement, 2019]
* [https://www.rolex.com/en-au/watches/datejust/big-dates Rolex, Datejust chronology and Eisenhower’s watch]
 
=== Editorial and market ===
 
* [https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/the-rolex-day-date-a-complete-collectors-guide Sotheby’s, Day-Date collector guide]
* [https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/eastern-arabic-dial-1805-rolex-day-date 2025 article, “Eastern Arabic Dial 1805 Rolex Day-Date”]
* [https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/watches/rolex/day-date/rolex-day-date-watch-in-yellow-gold-ref-1805-circa-1969-334103.html Archived Collector Square item 334103]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-day-date-1956-present-president-watch-in-depth-review/ Monochrome, Day-Date history]
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/rolex-day-date-2013-collection/ Robert-Jan Broer, Fratello, Day-Date 2013 Collection]
* [http://www.oysterquartz.net/faq.htm Gary Frazier, Oysterquartz.net FAQ]
* [http://www.oysterquartz.net/prices.htm Oysterquartz.net, 2001 price-list transcription]


[[Category:Day-Date]]
[[Category:Day-Date]]
[[Category:Family Index]]
[[Category:Family Index]]

Latest revision as of 04:24, 18 October 2026


Main Page › Day-Date

Vintage Rolex Day-Date print advertisement showing the watch and its calendar displays
Vintage Rolex Day-Date advertisement.

The Day-Date is Rolex's calendar watch with the weekday written in full at twelve o'clock and the date at three. It launched in 1956. Gold and platinum are the regular case materials, and Rolex dates the three-piece-link President bracelet to the same launch.

Most vintage and earlier modern Day-Dates have a 36mm case. The 41mm Day-Date II arrived in 2008, followed by the Day-Date 40 in 2015. This guide covers selected references through the 118xxx generation, alongside Day-Date II and Oysterquartz.


Common entry points

First generation
6510
Smooth-bezel Day-Date from the launch period. Early dates, bracelet fitment and caliber descriptions need to be checked against the individual watch.
Acrylic crystal, no quickset
1803
The fluted-bezel reference of the 1960s and 1970s, with calibers 1555 and 1556 and a wide range of dial finishes.
36mm with double quickset
118238
Yellow-gold Day-Date with caliber 3155. Both calendar displays can be corrected independently of the hands.

Originals era (1956–1959)

The smooth-bezel 6510 and fluted-bezel 6511 belong to the launch generation. The 66xx references followed during the late 1950s. Auction dates overlap the usual chronology: Phillips catalogues 6511 cases as 1955, Dorotheum gives case 166736 a 1956–57 model period, and another Dorotheum listing dates case 166744 circa 1965. Pergola's unofficial chart places 166744 in its 1956 band. The lot photograph offers no readable serial, leaving the catalogue and chart estimates in conflict. Treat them as individual estimates; they do not define the factory timeline.

The earliest watches also appear with different bracelets. Jake Ehrlich’s Rolex Magazine labels a pictured 6511 “pre-Presidential” and shows it on a Jubilee bracelet; Phillips’s pink-gold 6511 in its 2015 sale has a President bracelet with a clasp stamped 2.57. The stamp dates the clasp; neither record proves which bracelet Rolex delivered with every watch.

Reference Period Bezel Notes
6510 Launch period, c.1956 Smooth or domed Early 36mm Day-Date
6511 Launch period, c.1956 Fluted Phillips also catalogues examples as 1955
6611 Late 1950s Fluted Phillips lot 50 is dated 1956 and has German chronometer wording
6612 Late 1950s Smooth Phillips documents a platinum example dated 1958
6613 Late 1950s Gem-set Gem-set member of the early family
6611B Late 1950s Fluted B-suffix designation encountered in cataloguing
6612B Late 1950s Smooth B-suffix designation encountered in cataloguing

Caliber 1055 is associated with this generation, but catalogue entries conflict. Phillips lists 1555 for its 2015 lot 40, and Dorotheum lists 1555 for its 2026 lot 255; six other located non-prototype 6511 lots list 1055, including a 2017 Dorotheum lot for case 166744. Phillips dates Cal. 1555 to 1959, later than the dates assigned to the two 1555-labelled cases. Each entry is a catalogue attribution; keep the label tied to its lot pending movement inspection. Phillips on Cal. 1555; Dorotheum, ref. 6511, lot 255; Dorotheum, 2017, ref. 6511/8

4-digit era (1959–1977/78)

The 1803 is the fluted-bezel model of the acrylic-crystal generation. Monochrome dates its introduction to 1959; Sotheby's uses around 1960. Related references have smooth, engraved or gem-set bezels. Their individual production dates need not match the whole generation.

Early examples use caliber 1555, with 1556 appearing in the mid-1960s. The change was not a clean cutoff: Antiquorum catalogues a circa-1967 1811 with 1555. Neither movement has a direct calendar quickset.

Reference Approximate period or dated example Movement Bezel or case finish Notes
1803 Around 1960–1977/78 1555; later 1556 Fluted Lacquer, stone, printed Roman-numeral and other dial variants
1804 1960s–1970s 1555 / 1556 Gem-set Gold and platinum examples; Phillips documents a platinum watch with Eastern-Arabic numerals
1805 Field Manual lists 1959–1987 1555 (Field Manual) Diamond-and-sapphire (Field Manual) Attributed textured-bezel examples leave original fitment unresolved
1806 Documented c.1961 1555 / 1556 Florentine Engraved texture on bezel and lugs; matching textured bracelets are documented
1807 1960s–1970s 1555 / 1556 Bark Textured bezel, often paired with textured bracelet centre links
1811 Documented c.1967 1555 / 1556 Hammered or Morellis Decorated bezel; catalogues use differing finish names
1831 Documented 1977 1566 in Phillips lot 51 Platinum, diamond-set Angular case and integrated bracelet; Phillips example numbered No.5

The Vintage Rolex Field Manual describes ref. 1805 as a yellow-gold Day-Date with caliber 1555 and a diamond-and-sapphire bezel (printed pp. 180–181, 184). The 2025 article “Eastern Arabic Dial 1805 Rolex Day-Date” attributes a pink-gold watch with a textured “piranha” bezel to 1805. Archived item 334103 attributes a yellow-gold watch to the same reference; its photographs show a patterned bezel, though the listing text does not name the finish. Neither page shows a case-reference engraving or original papers, so original bezel fitment remains unresolved.

Phillips describes the 1831's proposed commission for the Shah of Iran's household as apparent. Its catalogue also presents the eight-watch production figure as a belief. Neither claim is a confirmed factory total or delivery record.

5-digit era (1977–1988)

The 180xx generation introduced sapphire crystals and caliber 3055. Its quickset corrects the date; changing the weekday still requires moving the hands through midnight. The periods below describe the generation, with individual sale and production dates sometimes overlapping its successors.

Reference Approximate period Material Bezel Notes
18038 c.1977–1988 18k yellow gold Fluted Caliber 3055; lacquer, stone, wood and other dial variants
18028 Late 1970s–1980s 18k yellow gold Smooth Plain polished bezel
18048 Late 1970s–1980s 18k yellow gold Gem-set Diamond bezel; Phillips documents a green lacquered dial with red Omani emblem
18078 Late 1970s–1980s 18k yellow gold Bark Textured bezel and bracelet centre links
18039 Late 1970s–1980s 18k white gold Fluted White-gold version
18049 Late 1970s–1980s 18k white gold Gem-set White-gold diamond-bezel version
18079 Documented 1978 18k white gold Bark Phillips records bark on the bezel and bracelet centres
18108 Documented c.1985–86 18k yellow gold Bark, diamond-set Auction records also show lacquer, onyx, and wood dials
18026 Documented c.1979 Platinum Smooth Sotheby’s records caliber 3055 and a platinum President bracelet

Late 5-digit era (1988–2000)

Rolex introduced caliber 3155 in 1988. It adds independent correction of the weekday as well as the date, commonly called double quickset. These references retain the 36mm case.

Reference Approximate period Movement Material Bezel
18238 c.1988–2000 3155 18k yellow gold Fluted
18239 c.1988–2000 3155 18k white gold Fluted
18248 / 18249 Late 1980s–1990s 3155 Yellow / white gold Bark finish
18348 / 18349 Late 1980s–1990s 3155 Yellow / white gold Diamond-set
18208 / 18209 Late 1980s–1990s 3155 Yellow / white gold Smooth

Bracelet finish and dial material vary within these references. Antiquorum's coral-dial 18208, for example, was sold in September 1996. Its smooth bezel is part of the reference description; the coral dial identifies one configuration.

6-digit era (2000–2019)

The 118xxx generation retained caliber 3155 and the 36mm diameter, with revised lugs and a heavier, solid-link bracelet. Engraved rehauts appeared during the run. Caliber 3255 replaced the 3155 in the 36mm line in 2019. A 118399 BR auction example carries a Rolex guarantee dated 2022; that date establishes the watch's paperwork, not when the reference entered or left production.

Pink gold needs a separate date check. Rolex introduced its Everose alloy in 2005, but Christie's records a pink-gold 118205 with a March 2001 guarantee. Sotheby's also catalogues a rose-gold 118235 as circa 2000. Its title calls the watch Everose, which conflicts with Rolex's alloy chronology.

Reference Period or dated evidence Material Configuration
118238 c.2000–2019 18k yellow gold Fluted bezel; President bracelet
118239 2000s–2010s 18k white gold Fluted bezel; President bracelet
118399 / 118399 BR Rolex lists 118399 (2011); 118399 BR (2013, 2015); one example has a 2022 guarantee 18k white gold 60 baguette diamonds; Oyster or President options
118208 2000s–2010s 18k yellow gold Smooth or domed bezel; Oyster-bracelet examples documented
118138 Introduced 2013 18k yellow gold Fluted bezel; leather strap with gold folding clasp
118235 Sotheby’s dates an example c.2000; later Everose models 18k pink gold / Everose Fluted bezel; President bracelet
118205 Documented sale in 2001; later Everose models 18k pink gold / Everose Smooth bezel; Oyster bracelet
118206 2000s–2010s 950 platinum Smooth or domed bezel; President bracelet
118135 / 118139 Introduced 2013 Everose / white gold Leather-strap versions alongside the yellow-gold 118138

The leather-strap models appeared at Baselworld 2013. The launch colours included green and cognac for yellow gold, with blue, cherry and chocolate among the other gold versions. The exact end of each configuration is separate from the 2019 movement-generation change.

Day-Date II (2008–2015)

The Day-Date II used a 41mm case and caliber 3156, with a Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers. It ran alongside the 36mm models. The 40mm successor arrived in 2015 with caliber 3255.

Reference Approximate period Material Configuration
218238 2008–2015 18k yellow gold 41mm; caliber 3156; fluted bezel
218239 2008–2015 18k white gold 41mm; caliber 3156; fluted bezel
218235 2008–2015 18k Everose gold 41mm; caliber 3156; fluted bezel
218206 2008–2015 950 platinum 41mm; caliber 3156; smooth bezel

Oysterquartz Day-Date (1977–early 2000s)

The Oysterquartz Day-Date uses battery-powered caliber 5055 in an angular case with an integrated bracelet. Rolex's factory technical manual specifies a quickset for the date only. The weekday advances through the hands, as on caliber 3055.

Reference Period or dated evidence Material Configuration
19018 From 1977; listed in 2001 18k yellow gold Fluted bezel; integrated President bracelet
19019 Listed in 2001 18k white gold Fluted bezel; integrated President bracelet
19028 Documented c.1985; listed in 2001 18k yellow gold Pyramid-faceted bezel and matching integrated bracelet

Gary Frazier's Oysterquartz archive places gold models in the catalogue through 2003. It describes a 2001 manufacture stop as probable, based on the last quartz chronometer certificates. Catalogue presence does not establish the date of manufacture or final retail sale.

Movement progression

Caliber Calendar setting References or generation Notes
1055 No direct quickset 6510 / 6511 and 66xx Early catalogue caliber labels sometimes conflict
1555 No direct quickset Early 1800-series watches Continues in some watches catalogued in the later 1960s
1556 No direct quickset Mid- and late 1800 series Higher beat rate than 1555; later examples have stop-seconds
1566 No direct quickset 1831 Identified by Phillips in the numbered platinum example
3055 Date only 180xx generation Weekday corrected by moving the hands
3155 Day and date independently 182xx / 183xx and 118xxx Introduced in 1988
3156 Day and date independently Day-Date II Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock protection
5055 Date only Oysterquartz Day-Date Factory manual, printed pages 5–6
3255 Day and date independently Day-Date 40 from 2015; Day-Date 36 from 2019 Approximately 70-hour power reserve

The movement guide gives the detailed caliber notes. A successor's introduction does not establish the last production date of every earlier reference.

Special branches

Stella is the collector name for the brightly coloured lacquered dials found on vintage Day-Dates. Stone dials form a separate group: the material and configuration need to be identified for each watch. Printed Roman numerals are often called Buckley dials; Wide Boy refers to broad hour markers and hands. Original dial fitment needs evidence beyond a collector nickname.

Omani commissioned dials bear the national emblem, commonly called Khanjar by collectors. Phillips documents a red emblem on a green lacquered 18048 dial in its 2015 sale. The emblem alone does not establish a particular recipient or delivery through a named retailer.

Tiffany & Co. signatures and other retailer marks require their own evidence. Original delivery, a period-correct replacement and a later service part are different claims. A clasp code dates the clasp; boxes and papers need to be assessed against the watch's sale period.

Auction record

Sotheby's offered Gamal Abdel Nasser's yellow-gold 1803 from his family in New York in December 2024. The lot has Arabic calendar displays and a caseback inscription naming Anwar El Sadat and dated 26 September 1963. The catalogue records family provenance and a letter from Nasser's grandson.

Sale Watch Reported result Source
6 December 2024, Sotheby’s New York, lot 19 Nasser-family 1803, case 880055 USD 840,000; estimate USD 30,000–60,000 Lot record; result reported in Sotheby’s collector guide

Notable misattributions

Phillips identifies Marlon Brando's watch from Apocalypse Now as a GMT-Master 1675, with its bezel removed and his name engraved on the caseback.

Rolex identifies Dwight D. Eisenhower's yellow-gold watch as a Datejust. Lyndon B. Johnson is the American president associated with the Day-Date in Rolex's own chronology.

Related families

  • Submariner: dive watches with an elapsed-time bezel.
  • GMT-Master: watches with an additional 24-hour hand.
  • Bubbleback: early self-winding Oyster watches.

Shared references

Sources

Primary and specialist

Editorial and market

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