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66

Rolex

Ref. 118238

Day-Date

A superlative and highly attractive yellow gold wristwatch with day, date, mother-of-pearl dial with diamond and ruby-set chapter ring, and guarantee

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• The Day-Date was the first wristwatch ever to include the full name of the day at 12 o’clock and a date aperture at 3 o’clock. The semi-circular link bracelet, officially named “President,” is as iconic as the watch itself. The original references 6510 and 6511 were replaced by the famed reference 1803 in 1959 with a sporty 36mm diameter case, fluted bezel, and gold President bracelet, and offered in yellow, white, and rose gold, and platinum. In 1977, Rolex introduced a new generation model with the caliber 3055 with quickset date, which was upgraded again in 1988 with the caliber 3155, allowing quick set for both the date and day. Rolex released the 118xxx series in 2000 in a variety of design types with different dial types and available in gold and platinum, making the Day-Date one of the most diverse Rolex models.

• The present reference 118238 is a highly collectible and sought after version of the model. The yellow gold case and bracelet have a luxurious, refined, and sophisticated appearance. The watch retains the classic 36mm diameter with fluted bezel along with a stunning mother-of-pearl dial highlighted by the diamond and ruby-set chapter ring. Accompanied with its original Rolex guarantee, the watch is well-preserved in excellent overall condition and is highly sought after for its luxurious appeal.

Rolex

Swiss | 1905

Founded 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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