Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1971 Reference No: 1803 Movement No: DD 928’459 Case No: 2’767’546 Model Name: Day-Date Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 1556, 26 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Alligator Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Rolex buckle Dimensions: 36mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial and movement signed
Catalogue Essay
Commonly known as “President”, the Day-Date is one of Rolex’s most coveted models. Worn by many of the most important figures in the world, very few watch models come close to the stature, eminence and timelessness of the Rolex Day-Date.
During the early 1970s, the “wide boy” dial was introduced. Featuring unusually wide hour markers and hands, this configuration was only seen in examples produced between early 1970s until circa 1973. The variant without luminous on the dial is even rarer.
The present example is a reference 1803 in 18K yellow gold with an excellent “wide boy” non-luminous dial, and comes directly from the original owner who has worn the watch wisely and carefully. The watch is preserved in overall very excellent condition, and the hands are all original. The present lot is fresh to the auction market.
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.