Rolex Day-Date 1803 'Pink, Double-Dash Dial'
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Rolex Day-Date 1803 'Pink, Double-Dash Dial'
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Are our rose-tinted sunglasses deceiving us or is this a minty pink gold Day-Date?
Few Rolex models speak to the imagination like the ref. 1803 Day-Date. With their iconic case design, fine fluted bezel, boxy plexiglass crystals, and characteristic ‘pie-pan’ dials, they combine form and function in a neat and classic 36 mm package.
It’s very difficult to further improve such a classic recipe, but this beauty from 1974 manages to do so. Trading in the classic 18K yellow gold material for a rose gold alloy, it takes on a much warmer tone than the average Day-Date. And rose gold is quite uncommon on a vintage Rolex. For one, it just wasn’t a common material for men to wear until quite recently. Yellow gold and white gold fared much better in yesteryear. Second, perhaps as a result of the first, Rolex stopped the production of rose gold watches in the 1970s and only resumed around the late 1990s. Accordingly, (vintage) rose gold Rolexes are very rare.
Given the rarity of the material, it is even more stunning that a 49-year old watch is in such an impeccable condition. The case is thick and features an sharp fluted bezel. Moreover, the iconic President bracelet is super tight and features a crisp clasp. The slightly contrasting silvered dial is in exceptional condition as well and features beautiful extra thin indices and another uncommon detail: ‘double-dash’ printing, as there is a dash in “Day-Date” and “Oyster-Perpetual”.
Introduction
Rolex Day-DateIn 1956, Rolex introduced one the most iconic watches ever made: the Day-Date. The Day-Date was the first waterproof self-winding chronometer certified wristwatch with a day and date function. And to top it off, it was only available in gold or platinum! Rolex also designed a new three-link bracelet, known as the ‘President,’ to pair with this special watch. With the exception of the most modern executions, the Day-Date comes exclusively in a 36mm case.Ref. 18xxA new era dawned for the Day-Date when the earliest references (65xx & 66xx) were replaced by the 18xx series in 1959, which contained the cal. 1555 and later the cal. 1556 movement. The 18xx Day-Date was produced with a wide variety of dial colors and configurations. Characteristic for this era is the so-called ‘Pie-Pan’ dial that looks like an upside-down pie-pan (a concentric ring that slopes down from the flat center).