Rolex 1803

Rolex Ref. 1803 An exceptional, highly interesting, and very rare pink gold calendar wristwatch with day and date apertures, guilloché dial, and woven mesh bracelet

Manufacturer : Rolex Year : Circa 1967 Reference No : 1803 Movement No : DD’035’793 Case No : 1’761’342 Model Name : Day-Date Material : 18K pink gold Calibre : Automatic, cal. 1556, 26 jewels Bracelet/Strap : 18K pink gold Rolex woven bracelet, max overall length approximately 215mm Clasp/Buckle : 18K pink gold Rolex deployant clasp, stamped 2.68 Dimensions : 36mm Diameter Signed : Case, dial, movement, and bracelet signed The Day-Date needs no introduction – though we have attempted it in myriad other catalogue essays. In the mid-1960s, like every other era in its history, Rolex was using the Day-Date as a blank canvas for aesthetic experimentation. In this era, a selection of finely textured dials were sometimes fitted to this model, though they did not last long and few exist today. Some have more uniform geometric patterns, like the present watch, while others are a bit more playful. The symphony of textures of this example is exquisite: the oversized woven mesh bracelet in pink gold, the classic fluted bezel, and the multi-level, multi-textured dial. The dial is often described as “guilloché”, but it is more akin to a “clous de Paris” texture, with tiny individual pyramids clustered together and raised in a “pie-pan” style step above the minute track. The hour markers are referred to as “door-stop” due to larger, tapered baton indexes at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The color combination of rich pink gold with a smoky, silvery gray dial adds yet another graceful layer to this already fantastical combination. An exceptional offering, the present pink gold Day-Date is a rare find indeed, with an original and extraordinary Rolex mesh bracelet, textured dial, and pink gold livery.