Rolex 1806 Day-Date
Day-Date › 1806
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 1803. The finish and bracelet configuration are the identifying features.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 1806 |
| family | Day-Date |
| production | late 1960s into the 1970s (4-digit era) |
| movement | caliber 1555 (to c. 1965), then caliber 1556; hacking from 1972; no quickset |
| case | 36mm 18k gold President, Florentine-finished case, bezel and lugs : yellow, white, pink/rose gold |
| crystal | acrylic |
| bezel | Florentine finish |
| bracelet | usually the Florentine "brick" flat-link (special order); President also documented |
| dial | the 4-digit Day-Date catalogue, shared with the 1803 (including Stella examples) |
| crown | Twinlock screw-down |
| sibling references | 1803 (fluted), 1804 (gem-set), 1807 (bark), 1811 (Morellis) |
| predecessor | originals-era 6610 / 6611 / 6612 cluster |
| successor | 5-digit 18xxx era |
Where it sits in the line
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 1803 entry holds the full account.
Production outline
The 1806 appears alongside the 1803 in documented 1960s and 1970s examples. 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
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. 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 1803 entry covers the 1555-to-1556 transition.
Dial map
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
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The Florentine cross-hatch and the flat brick-link bracelet up close -
A yellow gold Florentine 1806 with a silvered dial
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.
Bracelets, end links, and clasps
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
The decorated 4-digit references
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
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.
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Florentine 1806 -
Florentine finish and brick bracelet
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Yellow-gold example
Related references
- Day-Date 1803 : Fluted President (1960–1977)
- Day-Date 1804
- Day-Date 1807
- Day-Date 1811
- Day-Date 1831
- Day-Date 6510 : 1956–1957
See also the Day-Date family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.
Sources
- Christie's 1806 Florentine-finish catalogue — case, bracelet, and finish description
- Wikipedia: Rolex Day-Date — family chronology
- Rolex Day-Date technical material — current family terminology
- The Vintage Rolex Field Manual : Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
- Antiquorum, "Rolex Ref. 1806 Day-Date, Florentine-finish lugs and bracelet, 18k yellow gold : Antiquorum lot 353", Antiquorum
- Monochrome editorial, "In-Depth: The History of the Rolex Day-Date, The Presidential Watch", Monochrome Watches
- Sotheby's editorial, "The Rolex Day-Date: A Complete Collector's Guide", Sotheby's
- Fratello editorial, "Rolex Day-Date : Historical Overview Of Rolex's Flagship", Fratello Watches
- WatchBase editorial, "Rolex Day-Date History", WatchBase, 2015-02-21
- Italian Watch Spotter editorial, "The History of the Rolex Day-Date", Italian Watch Spotter
- The Beautiful Watch editorial, "A Brief History of the Rolex Day-Date", The Beautiful Watch
- Ottuhr editorial, "Rolex Day-Date 1803 Reference Report", Ottuhr
- Rolex Forums community, "Rolex Forums : 1803 Presidential Unusual Finishes", Rolex Forums