186
Rolex
Ref. 1803
Day-Date
A fine and rare pink gold automatic wristwatch with Eastern Arabic numeral dial and day and date in Arabic with bracelet
Full-Cataloguing
- Center seconds, day and date display
- Presented with an exceptional Eastern Arabic calendar dial
- Featuring a personalized engraving on the caseback
Ever glamorous, the Day-Date captivates with its myriad of dial, bracelet, bezel and gold-finished designs. Since its inception in 1956, it has remained one of the most surprising and diverse flagship models Rolex has ever produced. Aside from prototype models, the Day-Date has only been cased in precious metals, underscoring its glamour and prestige. Launched in 1959 and produced until 1977, the Rolex reference 1803 represents the classic vintage Day-Date design, with its balanced 36 mm case, signature fluted bezel, and enduring elegance.
A highly unusual and elegant example of Rolex’s iconic Day-Date, the present reference 1803 is distinguished by its rare pink gold configuration and exceptional Eastern Arabic calendar dial. Created for the Middle Eastern market during the 1960s and 1970s, these special dials featuring Eastern Arabic numerals are among the most desirable and collectible variations of the vintage Day-Date. In addition, the case is engraved E.M. Nelson, a nod most likely to the original owner.
Fitted with its original pink gold President bracelet, this watch combines rarity, historical significance, and the timeless appeal of Rolex’s most prestigious model. The warm-toned dial, regional calendar indication, and precious metal construction make it a particularly distinctive example within the reference 1803 family.
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.