170
Rolex
Ref. 18038
Day-Date
A very rare and sought-after yellow gold wristwatch with day, date, bracelet, diamond-set indexes, burgundy dial and fitted box
Full-Cataloguing
- Day and date indications
- Featuring a rare burgundy lacquered “Stella” dial
- Applied indexes set with baguette-cut diamonds
Few Rolex watches have attracted the same level of fascination as the “Stella” Day-Date. Created during the 1970s and 1980s, these colorful lacquered dials represented a rare moment of experimentation for Rolex, introducing a vivid palette of unusual colors that stood apart from the more traditional dials normally associated with the Maison.
Introduced in 1978, reference 18038 represented an important evolution of the Day-Date, replacing the acrylic crystal of the earlier generation with sapphire and introducing the practical quickset date function through the calibre 3055. While maintaining the unmistakable design of Rolex’s flagship model, it offered a more modern and refined experience.
The present reference 18038 is fitted with a beautiful burgundy “Stella” dial, a color particularly admired by collectors for its deep appearance. Combined with baguette-cut diamond indexes and a yellow gold case, the watch achieves a rare balance between elegance and individuality. Unlike more common diamond-set Day-Dates, examples featuring exclusively baguette-cut diamond markers are far less frequently encountered.
This example showcases everything that makes the “Stella” Day-Date so desirable today. The rich burgundy lacquer, rare diamond configuration and classic yellow gold construction come together to create a distinctive and highly collectible expression of one of Rolex’s most iconic watches.
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.