Rolex Datejust 1607

Datejust → 1607

The Datejust 1607 is a four-digit reference with a textured bezel collectors and auction catalogues call “bark.” Case-numbered sale records document yellow-gold watches; Loupe This also catalogs a rose-gold example with a black gilt dial. Other photographed examples have champagne or tiger’s-eye dials, and two carry a Sultan Qaboos signature. The dated records apply to individual watches, not the full production run.

Core facts

Detail	Evidence
Reference	1607; auction catalogues also write 1607/1601.
Family	Datejust
Documented dates	Case-numbered auction examples are dated circa 1964, circa 1965, circa 1972 and 1976. These are dates assigned to individual watches.
Case	Case-numbered sale records describe 18K yellow gold and usually give 36 mm. Loupe This catalogs a rose-gold example; the complete material range is unknown.
Bezel	Textured, described as bark-finish by the auction houses and collectors.
Movement	Catalogues use 1560, 1570 or 1575. Loupe This lists Cal. 1550 for lot 4441, but its photo shows a 1570-marked bridge. Rolex parts sheets show 1560 and 1570 markings on bridges for date calibers 1565 and 1575.
Dials	Black baton, black gilt, champagne baton, and tiger’s-eye examples are catalogued. Two separate catalogues record red Sultan Qaboos signatures.
Bracelets	President and Jubilee examples are documented, including bark-finish center links. Sale records do not establish a bracelet option list or original delivery across the reference.
Caseback stamp	Several catalogues identify a 1601 stamp inside the caseback of a watch whose between-lug reference is 1607. Artcurial calls this common on 1607 examples.

Where it sits in the line

The 1607 belongs to the four-digit Datejust generation. The catalogued examples have a bark-finish bezel; several also have matching textured center links on the bracelet. “Bark” is collector and catalogue language rather than a Rolex finish term found in the sources cited here.

The 1607 sits before the five-digit, quickset-date generation. Fratello’s account of the 1601 describes the earlier Datejust date as non-quickset and places the move to Cal. 3035 in 1977. The auction catalogues for 1607 do not report date-setting tests on individual watches. Fratello’s 1601 guide

Production outline

The dated catalogue examples run from circa 1964 through 1976. Artcurial and Phillips list separate case numbers 1,098,865 and 1,098,860 at circa 1964; Antiquorum dates case 1,098,996 to circa 1965. Two watches around case number 2,909,xxx are dated 1972, and Phillips dates case 4,043,797 to 1976. The catalogues date individual specimens; the reference’s factory start and end remain unverified.

The early case numbers 1,098,860 and 1,098,865 belong to separate watches. Antiquorum’s 2006 lot and Christie’s 2013 lot share case number 2,909,347 and describe one watch reoffered. The catalogues give it different movement labels, discussed below.

Movement notes

Auction catalogues assign Cal. 1560 to several early 1607 examples. Later records use Cal. 1570 or 1575. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual also lists 1570 against the 1607. Rolex’s parts sheets show 1560-marked bridges on date Cal. 1565 and 1570-marked bridges on date Cal. 1575. The manual’s table does not explain whether its 1570 means a complete movement or the bridge marking. The Vintage Rolex Field Manual, p. 174; Rolex Cal. 1565 parts sheet; Rolex Cal. 1575 parts sheet

Loupe This catalogs its circa-1963 rose-gold lot 4441 as Cal. 1550, but the open-case photo shows a bridge engraved 1570. The photo appears to show 1607 stamped inside the caseback, though no between-lug serial is visible. The complete caliber remains unidentified from this record. Loupe This lot 4441

For the 1972 watch with case 2,909,347, Antiquorum calls the movement Cal. 1575 and Christie’s calls the same watch Cal. 1570. Since the 1575 parts sheet shows a 1570-marked automatic bridge, the two labels may reflect different naming conventions. The auction record does not identify the complete movement independently. Early 1607 examples are catalogued as Cal. 1560; later examples carry 1570 or 1575 labels. These lots show a sequence, but they do not date the factory changeover.

Automatic movement inside a gold Rolex Datejust 1607 — Movement photographed by Antiquorum for its circa-1965 ref. 1607; the catalogue identifies it as Cal. 1560.

Dial map

Case-numbered auction catalogues and the photographed Loupe This lot show several dials:

Black baton dial: Artcurial’s circa-1964 case 1,098,865 has applied baton markers and a “T Swiss T” signature. Its condition report notes a small loss of material at the 10 o’clock index.
Black gilt dial: Loupe This catalogs lot 4441 as a rose-gold 1607 with gilt printing and applied markers. Its gallery does not show a readable between-lug serial; the reference is also stamped inside the caseback in the auction photo.
Tiger’s-eye: Phillips records case 1,098,860 circa 1964; Antiquorum records case 1,098,996 circa 1965. Both describe a tiger’s-eye dial, and their photos show the stone’s horizontal banding. These are separate watches.
Champagne baton: Christie’s describes the circa-1972 case 2,909,347 with applied gold batons and luminous accents.
Sultan Qaboos signature: Christie’s records a red signature on case 2,909,296, circa 1972. Phillips records another red-signed dial on case 4,043,797, dated 1976. The catalogues document two separate Oman-related watches; they do not state how many were made.

The Loupe This and Omega Forums listings may show the same rose-gold watch, so I count one example. The forum seller's originality claim is unverified.

Artcurial, case 1,098,865, circa 1964
Phillips, case 1,098,860, circa 1964

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

The case-numbered sale examples are round 18K yellow gold and generally measure 36 mm. Loupe This catalogs a rose-gold 1607 and its photographs show a hallmark on the upper lug. The lot's inner caseback appears stamped 1607, while Artcurial and Phillips identify 1601 inside the caseback of separate watches whose between-lug reference is 1607. Artcurial calls the 1601 stamp common on 1607 examples. Artcurial lists a screw-down crown and caseback; Christie’s uses the same description for its 1972 examples.

Collectors and auction houses call the bezel texture “bark” or “bark-finish.” The same treatment appears on center links in the documented President and Jubilee bracelets. The auction pages describe a magnified date window. They do not specify the crystal material, so this page does not assign acrylic or sapphire to the 1607 from these records.

Artcurial’s lot images show serial 1,098,865 between the lugs at 6, reference 1607 between the lugs at 12, and 1601 inside the caseback. This is one watch’s marking set; other cases need their own inspection.

Between-lug serial 1,098,865, Artcurial lot 83
Between-lug reference 1607, Artcurial lot 83
Inside caseback stamped 1601, Artcurial lot 83

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

The case-numbered records show both President and Jubilee bracelets with bark-finish center links. Artcurial describes a President bracelet on case 1,098,865 and its condition report calls that bracelet original to the lot. The French condition report dates it to the second quarter of 1965; the English text says the second half of 1965. The year is consistent, but the quarter is not. The bracelet date applies to that bracelet, not the watch head.

Phillips lists a President bracelet with 55B end links and a clasp stamped 8723 on case 1,098,860. Antiquorum lists a Jubilee bracelet numbered 8210 on case 1,098,996. These records document two bracelet configurations on individual watches; they do not establish universal fitment or original delivery. Phillips gives a maximum length of 180 mm, while Antiquorum gives an approximate total length of 160 mm. The catalogues do not explain how they measured the bracelets.

Underside of a gold Datejust bracelet, clasp, and caseback — Underside view of the Artcurial lot’s bracelet and case.

Special branches

Two auction records document Sultan Qaboos-signed 1607 dials. Christie’s calls case 2,909,296 a watch made on special order for the Sultanate of Oman and dates it circa 1972. Phillips describes case 4,043,797, dated 1976, with a red Qaboos signature and a caseback engraving marked “KR.” Phillips also lists a box and an accompanying letter from the Sultanate of Oman. These are details of the two catalogued watches; the number of signed 1607s remains unknown.

Red Sultan Qaboos signature on the champagne dial of a Rolex Datejust 1607 — Christie’s case 2,909,296, circa 1972; the red Qaboos signature is visible below the hands.

Historical market and auction record

Sale record	Catalogue details
Artcurial, M1093, lot 83 (18 July 2022)	Case 1,098,865; circa 1964; black baton dial; Cal. 1560; President bracelet with bark-finish center links. Sold for €10,496.
Phillips, The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XIX, lot 862 (23 November 2024)	Case 1,098,860; circa 1964; tiger’s-eye dial; Cal. 1560; President bracelet, 55B end links, clasp 8723. Sold for HK$177,800.
Antiquorum, Hong Kong, lot 139 (30 November 2025)	Case 1,098,996; circa 1965; tiger’s-eye dial; Cal. 1560; Jubilee bracelet 8210. Sold for HK$162,500.
Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 361 (13 May 2018)	Case 1,481,394; patinated dial; Cal. 1560; 18K yellow-gold Rolex buckle. The catalogue gives no production date.
Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 108 (14 May 2006) / Christie’s, lot 5731600 (2013)	Same case 2,909,347, dated 1972. Antiquorum lists Cal. 1575; Christie’s lists Cal. 1570. Christie’s describes a champagne baton dial. Count this as one watch, not two.
Christie’s, lot 5841900 (2014)	Case 2,909,296; circa 1972; Cal. 1570; champagne baton dial with red Sultan Qaboos signature. The special-order story is Christie’s attribution.
Phillips, The Hong Kong Watch Auction: TWO, lot 218 (31 May 2016)	Case 4,043,797; dated 1976; Cal. 1570; red Qaboos signature, “KR” engraving, President bracelet, box and accompanying Oman letter. Sold for HK$200,000 including buyer’s premium.

Antiquorum, circa-1965 tiger’s-eye example, lot 139
Artcurial, circa-1964 black-dial example, lot 83
Phillips, circa-1964 tiger’s-eye example, lot 862
Christie’s case 2,909,296, circa 1972, with red Sultan Qaboos signature
Antiquorum lot 139, movement view
Artcurial lot 83, serial 1,098,865
Artcurial lot 83, reference 1607
Artcurial lot 83, inside caseback 1601
Artcurial lot 83, bracelet and case underside

Sources

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