106Σ
Rolex
Ref. 18208
Day-Date
A highly rare and very attractive yellow gold calendar wristwatch with centre seconds, coral dial and bracelet
- Estimate
- CHF25,000 - 50,000€21,600 - 43,200$25,800 - 51,700
CHF68,750
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- 1999
- Reference No
- 18208
- Movement No
- 7'790'410
- Case No
- A'207'451
- Model Name
- Day-Date
- Material
- 18K yellow gold and coral
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. 3055, 27 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- 18K yellow gold Rolex President bracelet, max length 180mm.
- Clasp/Buckle
- 18K yellow gold Rolex concealed folding deployant clasp
- Dimensions
- 35.5mm. Diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
Fitted with a smooth bezel, this reference 18208 showcases a beautiful coral dial. Dazzling and eye catching, it is similar to another watch in the book, Day-Date The Presidential Rolex, by Pucci Papaleo that was nicknamed "Gulda" after Friederich Gulda, who often donned a coral Day-Date during his concerts.
Of all natural stone dials, coral dials are by far the hardest to come by, due to the rarity of the material. No two coral dials are the same, as coral is a naturally occurring stone. This particular example boasts a fiery color that is instantly recognizable upon a glance.
The case is furthermore preserved in excellent condition with sharp hallmarks beneath the lugs. Interestingly, after 1995, Switzerland changed their gold hallmark from the Helvetia, to the St. Bernard, which we see crisply punched underneath the lug. The edges of the lugs remain sharp and full in their proportions.
Of all natural stone dials, coral dials are by far the hardest to come by, due to the rarity of the material. No two coral dials are the same, as coral is a naturally occurring stone. This particular example boasts a fiery color that is instantly recognizable upon a glance.
The case is furthermore preserved in excellent condition with sharp hallmarks beneath the lugs. Interestingly, after 1995, Switzerland changed their gold hallmark from the Helvetia, to the St. Bernard, which we see crisply punched underneath the lug. The edges of the lugs remain sharp and full in their proportions.
Literature
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.
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