Rolex Day-Date 1811

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Over the course of its long production run, the Day-Date has seen numerous creative executions. Case in point: this lovely ref. 1811 with uncommon ‘moiré’ finish.The Day-Date is, of course, best known for its shiny fluted bezel. But many more bezel variations were made, especially in the famed 18xx series from the 1960s and 1970s.The ref. 1811 is one of the more uncommon variants. This watch sports a so-called moiré (also known as morellis) finish on the bezel as well as on the center link of the iconic President bracelet. The pie-pan dial (named so because it resembles an upside-down pie-pan) is executed in a lovely matte black color with gilt details and creamy tritium lume plots.This ref. 1811 was produced in 1972 and is in great condition. Many Day-Dates from this period that feature special finishes like bark, florentine, and moiré, tend to have lost their lustre due to over polishing. The 36 mm yellow-gold case on this watch is still thick and, more importantly, the moiré finish on the bezel and the bracelet are deep and crisp. The accompanying yellow-gold President bracelet features some stretch, which is to be expected from a bracelet that is nearly half a century old.This watch is only produced for a short period of time, making it an excellent choice if you’re in the market for an uncommon Day-Date without having to break the bank.

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 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 centre).The last two digits of the 18xx references indicate the type of bezel or the bezel/case decoration:

  • Ref. 1802: Domed/polished bezel
  • Ref. 1803: Fluted bezel
  • Ref. 1804: Diamond-set bezel (and dial)
  • Ref. 1806: Florentine-finish bezel and case
  • Ref. 1807: Bark bezel
  • Ref. 1811: Engraved (Morellis or Moiré) bezel and case

Shipping

Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped within the Netherlands by Registered Mail through the Dutch carrier PostNL and for other countries by Fedex. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For most destinations tracking is available.