Rolex Datejust 1601 'Rose Gold'
SoldRolex Datejust 1601 'Rose Gold'
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Imagine a gentleman of considerable means strolling into a Rolex retailer in the early 1960s and ordering an 18k rose gold Datejust with matching Jubilee bracelet. That would be an uncommon occurrence, wouldn’t you agree? Now imagine that very watch survived the next 60 years all the while remaining in near perfect condition. That’s the watch you’re looking at right now.There are three reasons rose-gold Rolexes, let alone, Datejusts are rare. For one, rose gold just wasn’t a common material for men to wear until quite recently. Third, and perhaps as a result of the first, Rolex stopped the production of rose gold watches somewhere in the 1970s and only resumed around the late 1990s. Finally, gold Datejusts, in any color, weren’t all that popular back in the day. If you had the money, you’d likely spring for a ‘Presidential’ Day-Date. Take these three factors together and you’ll understand why a rose Datejust from the early 1960s is such a special appearance.What makes this 18k rose gold ref. 1601 Datejust all the more special is that it’s like a time capsule from the early 1960s. It features quintessential mid-century details like elegant leaf-shaped hands and bold applied door stop markers. Such stylings would soon disappear from Rolex watches as the company adopted a more minimalist aesthetic in the mid-1960s. Besides these lovely details, the watch is in excellent condition as well. The 36 mm Oyster case features sharp lines and thick lugs, a nearly flawless rose gold dial, and a rare 18k rose gold Jubilee bracelet with plenty of life left. This is quite remarkable, given that the watch is nearly 60 years old and with rose gold spare parts extremely hard to come by.
Introduction
Rolex DatejustIn 1945 Rolex created the flagship Datejust to mark the company’s 40th anniversary. This model was the world’s first self-winding wristwatch with a date indication. With the Datejust, Rolex also introduced the iconic 5-piece jubilee bracelet, first in solid gold and later in bicolor and stainless steel. On the tenth anniversary of the Datejust in 1955, the magnifying ‘cyclops lens’ was introduced on the Datejust.Ref. 16xxThe Datejust 16xx series was produced in the 1960s and the 1970s. These affordable and user-friendly Datejusts are the perfect vintage ‘daily beaters’ that can be combined with any outfit and worn on every occasion. The Datejust is usually fitted with a Jubilee bracelet, but the ref. 1600 could also be ordered on an Oyster bracelet. This reference came with a smooth bezel (domed bezel) and was available in either (white, yellow, or rose) gold or in stainless steel. The ref. 1601 came with a fluted bezel in gold and was available with a steel, bicolor, or (white, yellow and rose gold) case and bracelet. The ref. 1603 was only made in steel and featured an engine turned bezel in steel.The dial colors and configurations varied among the 16xx series Datejusts. Characteristic for this era of production is the so-called ‘Pie-Pan’ dial where the dial looks like an upside-down pie-pan (a concentric ring that slopes down from the flat centre).
Specifications
- SKU 6420
- Bezel material
- Bracelet
- Caliber
- Case Dimensions
- Case Material
- Clasp
- Dial
- Glass
- Index
- Model
- Movement
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Reference
1601
- Year