In the early nineties, Rolex released modern versions of the iconic Stella dials which had made their first appearance in the 1970s. The overall lacquered finish was virtually identical to that of the vintage versions, but the amount produced might be even more scarce than the previous iteration due to a shift in the taste of the market toward much more subdued dial designs - a trend typical of the late 1980s and the 1990s. Now such pieces are considered as collectible as their vintage counterparts.

Alongside the classic monochrome Stella style, Rolex faithfully re-produced also the more rare dégradé versions, such as the one exemplified in this lot, characterized by the color of the dial becoming gradually darker the closer one looks at the edge of the dial. Finding a 1990s Day-Date with degradé dial is in itself occasion for celebration for the connoisseur of fine timepieces, but when it comes in such an unspoiled, diamond-set case and featuring diamond-set numerals, the delight is even stronger. Gem-set pieces were made in extremely low numbers, probably also as consequence of the more understated taste typical of the era.