Rolexopedia

Reference:1806: Difference between revisions

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 1806 Day-Date}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex 1806 Day-Date}}
{{#seo:
{{#seo:
|title=Rolex 1806 Day-Date — Florentine-Finish President | Rolexopedia
|title=Rolex 1806 Day-Date: Florentine finish and bracelet guide | Rolexopedia
|description=The 1806 is the Florentine-finish 4-digit Day-Date: a fine hand-engraved cross-hatch across the case, bezel and lugs, usually on the rare brick bracelet. The most decorated 4-digit President, alongside the bark 1807 and Morellis 1811.
|description=The Rolex 1806 is a four-digit Day-Date with Florentine engraving across the case and bezel; documented examples use both matching brick and President bracelets.
|keywords=Rolex 1806, Day-Date, Florentine finish, brick bracelet, President, 1803, 1807, 1811, caliber 1556
|keywords=Rolex 1806, Day-Date, Florentine finish, brick bracelet, President, 1803, 1807, 1811, caliber 1556
|image=Ref 1806 hero.webp
|image=Ref 1806 hero.webp
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</div>
</div>


The 1806 is the Florentine-finish Day-Date, the most heavily decorated of the 4-digit Presidents. Where the bark [[Reference:1807|1807]] and the Morellis 1811 carry their texture on the bezel and bracelet center links, the 1806 takes the Florentine finish across the bezel, the case and the lugs in a fine hand-engraved cross-hatch. Most examples wear it on the rare "brick" bracelet, a flat brick-link special order that was the most expensive bracelet Rolex offered at the time. It shares the 36mm gold case, caliber 1555/1556 movement and dial catalogue with the fluted [[Reference:1803|1803]]; the Florentine is what sets it apart.
The 1806 is the Florentine-finish Day-Date reference. The finish is a cross-hatch engraving on the bezel, case, and lugs; documented examples also use a matching flat brick-link bracelet. It shares the 36mm gold case, caliber 1555/1556 family, and dial catalogue with the fluted [[Reference:1803|1803]]. The finish and bracelet configuration are the identifying features.
 


==Core facts==
==Core facts==
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|-
|-
| production
| production
| late 1960s into the 1970s (4-digit era)
| documented from the early 1960s into the 1970s (4-digit era)
|-
|-
| movement
| movement
| caliber 1555 (to c. 1965), then caliber 1556; hacking from 1972; no quickset
| caliber 1555 in early examples, then caliber 1556; hacking appears during 1556 production; no quickset
|-
|-
| case
| case
| 36mm 18k gold President, Florentine-finished case, bezel and lugs — yellow, white, pink/rose gold
| 36mm 18k gold President, Florentine-finished case, bezel and lugs : yellow, white, pink/rose gold
|-
|-
| crystal
| crystal
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|-
|-
| bracelet
| bracelet
| usually the Florentine "brick" flat-link (special order); President also documented
| documented with Florentine-finish brick and President bracelets; fitment is individual
|-
|-
| dial
| dial
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==Where it sits in the line==
==Where it sits in the line==


All three decorated 4-digit Presidents replace the 1803's fluting with a worked gold surface, and the 1806 goes furthest of the three. Beyond the bezel, the cross-hatch reaches the case flanks and the lugs, and on brick-bracelet examples the bracelet as well. The finish is a fine geometric hand-engraving borrowed from Italian goldsmithing, thin lines cut at intersecting angles, and it reads nothing like the coarse vertical grain of the bark [[Reference:1807|1807]] or the watered moiré of the Morellis 1811.
The 1806, 1807, and 1811 use different decorative treatments documented on four-digit Day-Date cases and bracelets. On the 1806, intersecting engraved lines cover the bezel, case flanks, and lugs; the 1807 has bark texture and the 1811 has Morellis-style texture. Attribution should start with the reference number and case construction, not finish alone.


Everything else is 1803. The 36mm gold case, the caliber 1555/1556 movement, the quickset-free day-and-date mechanism and the dial catalogue all carry over, and the [[Reference:1803|1803]] entry holds the full account.
The 1806 shares the 1803's 36mm gold case, caliber 1555/1556 family, non-quickset calendar, and four-digit dial catalogue. The finish and bracelet are the points that need separate inspection; the [[Reference:1803|1803]] entry covers the shared platform.


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


The Florentine 1806 ran alongside the plain 1803 through the late 1960s and 1970s, in small numbers. No Rolex production figure has surfaced. Hand-finishing and the optional brick bracelet put it at the top of the gold-Day-Date price list, and like the other decorated references it sold slowly when new. Documented examples cluster in the mid- to late 1960s on the caliber 1555 and run into the 1970s on the caliber 1556.
The 1806 appears alongside the 1803 in documented examples from the early 1960s through the 1970s. Rolex does not publish a production total for the reference. The cited watches span caliber 1555 and 1556 examples; case, movement, and bracelet should be checked on each watch.


==Movement notes==
==Movement notes==


The 1806 uses the standard 4-digit Day-Date movement: caliber 1555 from the start, replaced by caliber 1556 around 1965, which raised the rate to 19,800 vph through a gear-train change while carrying over the 1555's free-sprung Microstella balance. Hacking seconds were added to the 1556 mid-production in 1972, and no 4-digit Day-Date has quickset. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage; the [[Reference:1803|1803]] entry covers the 1555-to-1556 transition.
The 1806 uses the 4-digit Day-Date movement family. Reference material places caliber 1555 before caliber 1556, with 19,800 vph on the later movement; hacking was added during 1556 production, but the exact fitment year is not a clean reference cutoff. Four-digit Day-Date references do not have a quick-set day/date mechanism. The exact fitment year should be checked from the movement and case evidence. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage; the [[Reference:1803|1803]] entry covers the 1555-to-1556 transition.


==Dial map==
==Dial map==


The 1806 drew on the standard 4-digit Day-Date dials and, as a catalogue sibling of the 1803, on the same special dials. Green Stella lacquer over Florentine gold is among the documented combinations. Dial choice is shared inventory across the group rather than an 1806 trait, and the [[Reference:1803|1803]] entry carries the variant taxonomy.
The 1806 uses dials from the four-digit Day-Date catalogue. Auction and specialist records document Stella and other dial configurations, but dial choice is not unique to the 1806; the individual dial and its provenance need inspection.


==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
[[File:Ref 1806 florentine detail.webp|thumb|right|250px|alt=Florentine cross-hatch finish and brick bracelet on a Rolex 1806|The Florentine cross-hatch and the flat brick-link bracelet up close]]
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:Ref 1806 florentine detail.webp|alt=Florentine cross-hatch finish and brick bracelet on a Rolex 1806|The Florentine cross-hatch and the flat brick-link bracelet up close
File:Ref 1806 yellow gold example.webp|alt=Yellow gold Florentine 1806 with a silvered dial|A yellow gold Florentine 1806 with a silvered dial
</gallery>


The case is the 36mm gold Oyster shared across the 4-digit Day-Date, with a Twinlock screw-down crown, screw-down caseback and acrylic crystal. The gold itself is what changes. The Florentine cross-hatch covers the bezel, the case flanks and the lugs in fine intersecting engraved lines, and the reference came in yellow, white and pink gold.
The case is the 36mm gold Oyster shared across the 4-digit Day-Date, with a Twinlock screw-down crown, screw-down caseback and acrylic crystal. The gold itself is what changes. The Florentine cross-hatch covers the bezel, the case flanks and the lugs in fine intersecting engraved lines, and the reference came in yellow, white and pink gold.
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==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==
==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==


The characteristic 1806 bracelet is the "brick," a flat brick-link bracelet finished to match the Florentine case. It was a special-order option, the most expensive bracelet Rolex listed at the time, and it is rare. A Florentine 1806 on its original brick bracelet is the complete expression of the reference. Some 1806s also turn up on the President. As ever, a clasp date code dates the bracelet, which may be older or newer than the head, and the [[Reference:Bracelets]] page holds the cross-family detail.
Documented 1806 examples use a flat brick-link bracelet finished to match the case. The bracelet appears to have been an option or special order; original fitment should be supported by the bracelet, case, clasp, and provenance. A President bracelet on an 1806 requires the same check because replacement or reconfiguration is possible. A clasp date dates the bracelet, not the watch head.


==Special branches==
==Special branches==
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===The decorated 4-digit references===
===The decorated 4-digit references===


The decorated 4-digit group is the Florentine 1806, the bark [[Reference:1807|1807]] and the Morellis 1811. The three textures are easy to confuse, so attribution rests on the reference number engraved between the lugs rather than on the finish. A full-Florentine 1806 still wearing its brick bracelet is the rarest configuration in the group.
The decorated four-digit group includes the Florentine 1806, bark 1807, and Morellis 1811. Because finishes can be altered or confused, attribution should use the reference number between the lugs, case construction, bracelet, and provenance. A matching brick bracelet is part of the individual configuration, not a universal requirement.


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


The Florentine 1806 reaches the major houses occasionally; Antiquorum has catalogued a yellow-gold example with Florentine lugs and a brick bracelet. Most trade through specialist dealers, where full-Florentine examples on the brick bracelet command the strongest prices and green Stella over Florentine gold sits at the top. The bracelet carries much of that value, since service replacement to plain President links is common and breaks the set.
Antiquorum and Christie's have catalogued individual 1806 examples with Florentine casework and brick bracelets. Auction and dealer descriptions show different dial, metal, and bracelet configurations; they do not establish a current price hierarchy. Bracelet originality and service history should be assessed with each watch.
 
<gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
Ref 1806 hero.webp|Florentine 1806
Ref 1806 florentine detail.webp|Florentine finish and brick bracelet
Ref 1806 yellow gold example.webp|Yellow-gold example
</gallery>


== 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]]
* [[Reference:1807|Day-Date 1807]]
* [[Reference:1807|Day-Date 1807]]
* [[Reference:1811|Day-Date 1811]]
* [[Reference:1811|Day-Date 1811]]
* [[Reference:1831|Day-Date 1831]]
* [[Reference:1831|Day-Date 1831]]
* [[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]].


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/watches-online-dubai-edit/rolex-rare-gold-oyster-perpetual-day-date-florentine-finish-case-86/115989 Christie's 1806 Florentine-finish catalogue] — case, bracelet, and finish description
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolex_Day-Date Wikipedia: Rolex Day-Date] — family chronology
* [https://www.rolex.com/watches/day-date Rolex Day-Date technical material] — current family terminology


* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' : Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-1806-1803-oyster-perpetual-day-date-superlative-chronometer-officially-certified-lot-353-162 Antiquorum, "Rolex Ref. 1806 Day-Date, Florentine-finish lugs and bracelet, 18k yellow gold — Antiquorum lot 353", Antiquorum]
* [https://catalog.antiquorum.swiss/en/lots/rolex-ref-1806-1803-oyster-perpetual-day-date-superlative-chronometer-officially-certified-lot-355-455 Antiquorum, "Rolex Ref. 1806 Day-Date, Florentine-finish lugs and bracelet, 18k yellow gold : Antiquorum lot 353", Antiquorum]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-day-date-1956-present-president-watch-in-depth-review/ Monochrome editorial, "In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Day-Date, The Presidential Watch", Monochrome Watches]
* [https://monochrome-watches.com/history-rolex-day-date-1956-present-president-watch-in-depth-review/ Monochrome editorial, "In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Day-Date, The Presidential Watch", Monochrome Watches]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/ Sotheby's editorial, "The Rolex Day-Date: A Complete Collector's Guide", Sotheby's]
* [https://www.sothebys.com/ Sotheby's editorial, "The Rolex Day-Date: A Complete Collector's Guide", Sotheby's]
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/rolex-day-date-historical-overview-of-rolexs-flagship/ Fratello editorial, "Rolex Day-Date — Historical Overview Of Rolex's Flagship", Fratello Watches]
* [https://www.fratellowatches.com/rolex-day-date-historical-overview-of-rolexs-flagship/ Fratello editorial, "Rolex Day-Date : Historical Overview Of Rolex's Flagship", Fratello Watches]
* [https://watchbase.com/blog/2015/02/21/rolex-day-date-history WatchBase editorial, "Rolex Day-Date History", WatchBase, 2015-02-21]
* [https://watchbase.com/blog/2015/02/21/rolex-day-date-history WatchBase editorial, "Rolex Day-Date History", WatchBase, 2015-02-21]
* [https://italianwatchspotter.com/the-history-of-the-rolex-day-date/?lang=en Italian Watch Spotter editorial, "The History of the Rolex Day-Date", Italian Watch Spotter]
* [https://italianwatchspotter.com/the-history-of-the-rolex-day-date/?lang=en Italian Watch Spotter editorial, "The History of the Rolex Day-Date", Italian Watch Spotter]
* [https://www.thebeautifulwatch.com/blogs/news/a-brief-history-of-the-rolex-day-date The Beautiful Watch editorial, "A Brief History of the Rolex Day-Date", The Beautiful Watch]
* [https://www.thebeautifulwatch.com/blogs/news/a-brief-history-of-the-rolex-day-date The Beautiful Watch editorial, "A Brief History of the Rolex Day-Date", The Beautiful Watch]
* [https://ottuhr.com/index/rolex/day-date-president/rolex-day-date-1803/ Ottuhr editorial, "Rolex Day-Date 1803 Reference Report", Ottuhr]
* [https://ottuhr.com/index/rolex/day-date-president/rolex-day-date-1803/ Ottuhr editorial, "Rolex Day-Date 1803 Reference Report", Ottuhr]
* [https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=679606 Rolex Forums community, "Rolex Forums — 1803 Presidential Unusual Finishes", Rolex Forums]
* [https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=679606 Rolex Forums community, "Rolex Forums : 1803 Presidential Unusual Finishes", Rolex Forums]


[[Category:Day-Date]]
[[Category:Day-Date]]
[[Category:References]]
[[Category:References]]
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