Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz 17013

Two-tone Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz reference 17013 with blue dial and fluted bezel — Case 5,446,647, catalogued as made in 1977 and sold in 1978. Antiquorum, lot 200.

Reference 17013 is the two-tone Datejust in Rolex's Oysterquartz line. Rolex's 1977 customer catalogue specifies a steel case and bracelet, fluted gold bezel, sapphire crystal, quick date change and 50 m water resistance. It calls the gold 14 ct. Auction catalogues vary between 14K and 18K, so the catalogue's figure should not be applied to every market or example.

Core facts

Reference	Model	Case	Movement	First documented
17013	Datejust Oysterquartz	Stainless steel and yellow gold; fluted bezel; about 36 mm	Quartz Cal. 5035, 11 jewels	1977 catalogue and dated examples; factory start and end dates not fixed

Where it sits in the line

The 17013 pairs a steel case with a fluted yellow-gold bezel and integrated two-tone bracelet. The steel 17000 has a smooth bezel; the 17014 pairs steel with a fluted white-gold bezel. Oysterinfo places the 17014 after the 1977 launch. Rolex's 1977 catalogue lists the 17000 and 17013 Datejusts alongside the yellow-gold Day-Date 19018. The Datejust uses Cal. 5035; the Day-Date uses Cal. 5055. Rolex 1977 customer catalogue scan Oysterinfo, Oysterquartz history

Production outline

Rolex listed the 17013 in its 1977 customer catalogue. Antiquorum dates case 5,446,647 to 1977 and records its sale in May 1978. Christie's also dates case 5,442,600 to 1977; a sale-room notice corrected the printed reference from 19017/17010 to 17013/17010. Antiquorum, lot 200 Christie's, lot 5493184

The Vintage Rolex Field Manual gives 1977–2001; Oysterinfo says the 17013 remained in the 2003 catalogue. These sources document catalogue dates, not the final production year. Interencheres records a 17013 with a guarantee dated 13 March 1997. Interencheres, lot 445 The Vintage Rolex Field Manual Oysterinfo

Movement notes

The 17013 uses quartz Cal. 5035. Auction catalogues list 11 jewels. Rolex's technical sheet describes the 32,768 Hz resonator and step-by-step motor, and assigns Cal. 5035 to the Datejust and Cal. 5055 to the Day-Date. Sotheby's 2021 catalogue gives Cal. 5055 for a 17013, contrary to Rolex's caliber assignment. Antiquorum's 2001 and 2008 lot descriptions call the watch “self-winding,” though both list quartz Cal. 5035 in the movement field. Rolex Technical Information, calibers 5035 and 5055 Sotheby's, lot 82

Early examples have three-line dials without chronometer wording; later dials carry it. Oysterquartz.watch dates the change to around 1979, Worn & Wound to 1980, and Oysterinfo to 1981. Antiquorum catalogued a 1979 watch with chronometer text, but none of these sources gives a serial cutoff. Oysterquartz.watch, Datejust evolution Worn & Wound, owner review Antiquorum, lot 38 Oysterinfo, Oysterquartz history

Dial map

Antiquorum catalogues blue, silvered and champagne dials; Brad Homes shows a gold-dial example in his owner review. Oysterquartz.watch lists Jubilee diamond and non-textured diamond dials, but gives no dated example or period catalogue citation for either variant. Antiquorum, lot 388 Antiquorum, lot 303 Antiquorum, lot 200 Worn & Wound, owner review Oysterquartz.watch, ref. 17013

Blue Oysterquartz dial with chronometer text in a 17013 service example — Blue dial shown after Rolex replaced the original during a 2021 service. Phillips, lot 8036 (2022).

Case, bezel, crystal, and crown notes

The case has the angular Oysterquartz profile and a fluted yellow-gold bezel. Rolex's 1977 catalogue specifies a sapphire crystal and 165 ft/50 m pressure resistance. Antiquorum, Christie's and Phillips list a 36 mm case. Sotheby's gives 35 mm for one white-dial lot, which also assigns the watch Cal. 5055. Rolex 1977 customer catalogue scan Antiquorum, lot 200 Christie's, lot 5493184 Phillips, lot 8036 Sotheby's, lot 82

The caseback and crown screw down. Antiquorum describes a Cyclops over the date and gives 12 mm thickness for its 1977 example. Brad Homes measured his watch at 13.5 mm. The sources do not explain the difference. Antiquorum, lot 200 Worn & Wound, owner review

Case number 4,495,153 and replacement bracelet stamp. Phillips, lot 8036.
Crown-side view of the watch after the 2021 service. Phillips, lot 8036.

Bracelets, end links, clasps, and packaging notes

Rolex's catalogue describes the bracelet as integral to the watch. Oysterquartz.watch calls it a brushed Jubilee bracelet; Oysterinfo describes the 17013 bracelet as Jubilee-style. Phillips shows a bracelet stamped 17013B and a clasp stamped 17013 B 18; the 2021 service invoice identifies both as replacements. The invoice does not list the original pair. There are no separate end links on the integrated bracelet. Oysterquartz.watch, ref. 17013 Oysterinfo, Oysterquartz history

Antiquorum's 1977-dated lot came with a fitted box and a voided guarantee. Christie's lists a green Oysterdate presentation box with its 1977 example. Both are individual sale records; neither establishes a standard package for the reference.

Documented service example

Phillips's 2022 lot 8036 comes with a Rolex service invoice dated 16 March 2021. It lists replacement of the dial, case middle, caseback, crystal, crown, hands and bracelet; the movement was retained. The invoice identifies the blue replacement dial as ref. 17008. The photographed watch is a post-service assembly. Phillips, lot 8036

Watch and 2021 Rolex service invoice. Phillips, lot 8036 (2022).
Replacement dial identified as ref. 17008 on the service invoice. Phillips, lot 8036.
Caseback and replacement bracelet stamped 17013B. Phillips, lot 8036.
Crown-side profile of the serviced watch. Phillips, lot 8036.

Auction record

Sale	Catalogue date	Record
Antiquorum, New York, lot 388	1980s	Champagne dial; Cal. 5035; sapphire; 36 mm; 14K gold description
Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 303	1979	Silvered dial; case 6,400,670; Cal. 5035; 36 mm
Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 200	Made 1977; sold 1978	Blue satin dial; case 5,446,647; Cal. 5035; box and voided guarantee
Christie's, lot 5493184	1977	Case 5,442,600; Cal. 5035; corrected reference 17013/17010
Antiquorum, New York, lot 38	1979	Blue dial with chronometer text; case 5,486,810; Cal. 5035
Antiquorum, Geneva, lot 109	1979	Blue dial; case 5,273,864; Cal. 5035; catalogue describes 14K gold
Phillips, Hong Kong, lot 8036	c.1977	Case 4,495,153; Cal. 5035; service invoice documents extensive replacement in 2021
Interencheres, lot 445	Guarantee dated 1997	Case N350803; Cal. 5035

For the movement family, see Movements. For general serial-number limits, see Serial numbers.

Gallery

Case 5,446,647, catalogued as made in 1977. Antiquorum, lot 200.
Replacement dial in a 2021 Rolex service assembly. Phillips, lot 8036.
Caseback and 17013B bracelet stamp on the serviced Phillips example.
The watch and its 2021 service invoice.

Sources