876
Rolex
Ref. 18238
Day-Date
A fine and rare yellow gold wristwatch with center seconds, day, date, grossular garnet rubellite dial, diamond-set indexes and bracelet
- Estimate
- HK$120,000 - 200,000€14,300 - 23,800$15,400 - 25,600
HK$327,600
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- Circa 1999
- Reference No
- 18238
- Movement No
- 8’022’225
- Case No
- A635’909
- Model Name
- Day-Date
- Material
- 18K yellow gold
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. 3155, 31 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- 18K yellow gold Rolex President bracelet, max length 175mm
- Clasp/Buckle
- 18K yellow gold Rolex concealed folding clasp
- Dimensions
- 36mm diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
The present Rolex Day-Date ref. 18238 features a rare and desirable grossular garnet rubellite dial. Combining timeless elegance with a unique hint of flare, hardstone dials have always been a fan favourite due to its colours, textures and patterns that differ across each individual species and specimen. Every hardstone dial requires personalised attention during its creation due to its hardness, composition and natural inclusions. Further adorned with 11 diamond-set indexes, it further elevates the luxurious appeal for such a special timepiece complimenting against its burgundy red hue of the rubellite dial. Offered in excellent overall condition boasting a crisp case and a well-preserved dial, the present example will surely impress collectors of the iconic President’s watch.
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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