The Rolex Day-Date is the most fun model to collect because there are so many wonderful options to choose from and the stone dial variations are among the most beautiful ones.

This Day-Date is a bonafide classic with the iconic 36 mm 18K yellow gold Oyster case with a fluted bezel and the matching 18K yellow gold President bracelet with the concealed Rolex folding clasp. 

What makes this classic truly special is the rare stone dial. For this particular dial, Rolex has made use of ferrite, an iron-bearing mineral with a beautiful black and gray striated texture, and adorned it with 18K yellow gold Roman numerals. Stone dials are beautiful due to the natural variation of the stones used, but they’re also quite fragile. Many of them have developed cracks or rips over the years. Therefore, a flawless dial will increase the value greatly as is the case with this flawless example.

The 18xxx series, introduced in 1978, is the fourth generation of Day-Dates. This ref. 18038 dates back to 1982 and houses Rolex’ caliber 3055 self-winding movement with a single quickset function, allowing for the independent adjustment of the date disc

Some of these early 18038s feature a rare extra thick case variant, which is most noticeable in the area between the crown and the bezel. When combined with the solid 18K yellow gold President bracelet, the watch takes on a cool robust aesthetic compared to other Day-Dates from the same period.