Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 15003

Two-tone Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date reference 15003 with silver dial and Jubilee bracelet — A circa-1984 ref. 15003 catalogued by Christie's in 2019.

The 15003 is a 34 mm, steel-and-gold Oyster Perpetual Date powered by Cal. 3035. Auction records place examples in the early-to-mid 1980s and document more than one bezel and bracelet configuration. Several lots report a Chevrolet caseback emblem; Christie's and Farber may have catalogued the same 1984 watch.

Core facts

Detail	Documented specification
Reference	15003
Model	Oyster Perpetual Date
Case	34 mm, stainless steel and gold in the auction records
Movement	Automatic Cal. 3035, as identified by the catalogues
Date	Date aperture with magnifier
Example dates	Circa 1983, 1984 and 1985–86
Documented dials	Silver, silvered, and white with Roman numerals
Documented bracelets	Steel or two-tone Oyster; two-tone Jubilee

Where it sits in the line

The 15003 is a steel-and-gold version of the Oyster Perpetual Date. Catalogued examples date from about 1983 to 1986. These lots anchor the reference in that period; the production start and end remain undated.

Production outline

Noonans dates case 8,110,949 to circa 1983. Christie's dates its watch circa 1984 and includes a Rolex U.S.A. warranty filled in November 1986. Heritage catalogues a 1985 example with case 8,288,898. Farber gives a serial beginning 818 and dates its watch to 1984. The records place the 15003 in use by the early 1980s, though they do not form a complete production sequence.

Movement notes

The auction catalogues identify Cal. 3035 in 15003 examples. Christie's set shows the watch, caseback, and warranty; the third image is a document rather than a movement view. Cal. 3035 has a quick-set date; see the movement guide.

Dial map

The catalogues describe silver, silvered, and white dials. Noonans specifies Roman numerals, while Heritage describes gold baton markers. Christie's calls its watch “Date Chevron” in the title, but its details field describes the dial simply as silvered. The catalogue leaves the meaning of “Chevron” unclear.

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown

The lots document at least two bezel treatments. Heritage describes a fluted gold bezel on its 1985 example; the Christie's photograph shows a smooth, rounded bezel on its circa-1984 watch. The examples establish separate configurations, while their catalogue dates leave the order of introduction open. Heritage identifies sapphire crystal on its lot. Noonans records a screw-down back and crown. The reviewed material gives no reference-wide crystal specification or water-resistance rating.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging

Catalogued watches carry steel Oyster, two-tone Oyster, and two-tone Jubilee bracelets. The Christie's photograph shows a stamp that appears to read 474 on an end link. Each is a watch-specific configuration; original delivery requires evidence tied to that watch. The end-link stamp identifies the bracelet component, not the watch's production date.

Noonans lists a presentation case and two spare links. Christie's records no box and includes the Rolex warranty shown below. These are lot-specific accessory records; a standard 15003 package has not been identified.

Chevrolet casebacks

Christie's and Farber both report a Chevrolet emblem on a 34 mm two-tone 15003 dated circa 1984, with a Jubilee bracelet. Farber gives a serial beginning 818; Christie's omits its serial. Their catalogues and photographs are similar enough that the two sales may concern one watch. Heritage records a Chevrolet emblem on case 8,288,898, a separately numbered example dated circa 1985.

The Christie's warranty carries Chevrolet-Pontiac Canada Group stamps. Christie's documents a separate Diamond Jubilee Chevrolet award watch as Datejust ref. 16018, with a Chevrolet-logo dial and an explicit award engraving on its caseback. The 15003 records describe a logo but no award wording. In the Christie's 15003 photograph, the engraving is not legible.

Christie's caseback and bracelet view; its condition report records a Chevrolet emblem.
Rolex U.S.A. warranty dated November 1986 with Chevrolet-Pontiac Canada Group stamps.

Auction record

Example date / sale	Catalogue	Recorded details
Circa 1983 / 13 June 2023	Noonans, lot 441	Case 8,110,949; 34 mm; steel and gold; Cal. 3035; white Roman dial; steel Oyster bracelet; presentation case and two spare links.
Circa 1984 / 11 February 2019	Christie's, lot 187	34 mm; steel and gold; silvered dial; Cal. 3035; two-tone Jubilee bracelet; Chevrolet caseback emblem reported in the condition report; warranty dated November 1986.
Circa 1984 / 10 August 2023	Farber, lot 614	34 mm; steel and 18K yellow gold; serial beginning 818; Chevrolet caseback emblem. May be the same watch as Christie's 2019 lot 187; the serials cannot be compared.
Circa 1985 / 18 November 2011	Heritage, lot 60267	Case 8,288,898; 34 mm; fluted gold bezel; silver dial with gold batons; Cal. 3035; sapphire crystal; 62523 steel-and-gold Jubilee bracelet; Chevrolet caseback emblem.
Circa 1986 / 26 October 2023	Vintage Auctions, lot 10	34 mm; steel-and-18K-gold case and Oyster bracelet; silver dial; Cal. 3035.

Gallery

Christie's circa-1984 ref. 15003, front view.
Christie's caseback and bracelet view.
Warranty included with the Christie's lot, dated November 1986.

Sources