Rolex - The Geneva Watch Auction: XIV Geneva Friday, November 5, 2021 | Phillips

Create your first list.

Select an existing list or create a new list to share and manage lots you follow.

  • Manufacturer: Rolex
    Year: Circa 1977
    Reference No: 1804
    Movement No: DD284933
    Case No: 5'210'595
    Model Name: Day-Date
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. 1556, 26 jewels
    Bracelet/Strap: 18K yellow gold Rolex President bracelet stamped "53" to the endlinks, max length 200mm
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Rolex concealed deployant clasp stamped "8385" and "B"
    Dimensions: 36mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by embroidered Rolex presentation box, product literature and Rolex leather wallet

  • Catalogue Essay

    If we look at Rolex's entire production, many truly iconic timepieces can be found but most of them are sport's timepieces.

    The Day-Date instead was (and is, and most likely will be for the foreseeable future) the icon of Rolex's luxury proposal - and indeed it was devised since its dawn with this concept in mind. Reference 1804 is one of the longest-lived representative of the model, and it is the diamond-set bezel counterpart to the classic ref. 1803. As immediately obvious, this specimen features a non gem-set bezel. This is because, incredibly, Rolex accepted to modify the piece during a service on request of a VIP client. Given how rarely Rolex accepts such kind of requests, one can immediately surmise the importance of the previous owner.

    Furthermore, this piece is adorned with an immensely attractive green "degradé" lacquered dial, going from a vibrant green in the centre to a dark forest green in the periphery, making it an extremely uncommon and collectible specimen.

  • Artist Biography

    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.

    View More Works

28

Ref. 1804
An eclectic and uncommon yellow gold automatic wristwatch with center seconds, day, date, green degrade' dial, diamond-set numerals, bracelet and box

Circa 1977
36mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
CHF20,000 - 30,000 
€18,700-28,000
$21,800-32,600

Sold for CHF32,760

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East Director
AGhotbi@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XIV

Geneva Auction 5 & 7 November 2021