This 1975 reference 1807 shows the Day-Date at its most expressive, without tipping into excess. The bark-finished bezel and matching center links give the watch a sculptural quality that feels deliberate rather than decorative. The engraving is deep and consistent, catching light unevenly and giving the gold a lived-in richness that polished surfaces simply cannot achieve.

The anthracite dial is the counterweight. Dark, calm, and beautifully proportioned, it carries fine gold printing that remains crisp and legible, with a tone that sits perfectly against the warmth of the case. The lume has aged into a soft eggshell yellow, evenly distributed and visually coherent, adding character without distracting from the dial’s balance.

The case remains sharp, with the bark texture intact across bezel and bracelet, and the President bracelet shows some minimal stretch, entirely consistent with careful wear over time and appropriate for a watch of this age.

A Day-Date from a period when Rolex still experimented with surface and texture, and when gold was treated as a material rather than a mirror. Examples that retain this level of definition have quietly thinned out.