Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1979 Reference No: 16018 Movement No: 0'434'113 Case No: 6’337’115; inside caseback stamped 16000 Model Name: Datejust Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3035, 27 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: Gold-plated Rolex buckle Dimensions: 36mm diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
Catalogue Essay
Encased in 18K yellow gold and fitted with a deep, cobalt blue Lapis Lazuli dial, the present Rolex Datejust reference 16018 is the perfect embodiment of elegance. Lapis Lazuli has long been treasured by Ancient Egyptian and Roman rulers as well as Renaissance painters for its intense and vibrant hues. The ultramarine pigment was not only Cleopatra’s favorite color, but also an inspiration to the Dutch master Vermeer in painting his masterpiece ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’. With the present timepiece, Rolex exquisitely blends the majestic allure of Lapis Lazuli with a complementary yellow gold case to create a motif of timeless luxury.
Due to the naturally occurring calcite and pyrite deposits inherent in Lapis Lazuli, each dial creation is unique in appearance. The present timepiece is in superb condition, with a flawless dial revealing only hints of pyrite flecks. Its case, with remnants of its original factory sticker remaining on the caseback, is very sharp and shows very few signs of wear. Moreover, stone dials as such are readily seen on the Day-Date model, but rarer to come by on a Datejust.
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.
