
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Rolex Datejust 16234 with "Crème Brûlée" Dial
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex (maker)
- Date
- c. 1993
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Stock no.
- Product 9549544390932
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Collectors Corner NY (product 9549544390932)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Rolex Datejust 16234 w/"Crème Brûlée" Dial - *Unpolished* (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Collectors Corner NY (dealer), New York (stock number Product 9549544390932), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1993. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Collectors Corner NY
The Rolex Datejust is one of the most significant models in the history of watchmaking. First introduced in 1945, it was the first self-winding wristwatch to display the date on the dial. The Datejust quickly became a symbol of prestige and luxury, and has been worn by some of the world's most influential figures, including US President Eisenhower and Martin Luther King Jr. Over the years, Rolex has continued to refine the design of the Datejust, adding new features and innovations while staying true to its classic look and feel. Today, the Datejust remains one of the most popular and recognizable watches in the world, a testament to its timeless design and enduring appeal. This particular S serial example, circa 1993, falls in the five-digit reference era which benefits from the addition of a quickset date function. It boasts a uniquely aged dial that has turned from silver to a beautiful "cream" tone, adding warmth and character. Overall, this piece remains in fantastic vintage condition with a mint dial and unpolished case/bracelet. A steel/white gold fluted Datejust with Jubilee bracelet is arguably the most classic and dynamic iteration of the model and it's hard not to love the aging process of this dial which brings it to a cut above. Explore more of our vintage Rolex watches .
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Calendar, moon-phase and perpetual calendar watches
Calendar complications range from a simple date to the perpetual calendar, which automatically allows for months of different lengths and leap years until 2100. Pocket watches with perpetual calendars were made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; Patek Philippe made the first perpetual calendar wristwatch in 1925, and series production followed in 1941. The annual calendar (Patek Philippe, 1996) needs correction only once a year.
Moon-phase displays use a disc with two moons and 59 teeth advanced daily, approximating the 29.5-day lunation; more precise trains reduce the error to one day in over a century.
What to look for
- Apertures or subsidiary dials for day, date, month and leap year.
- Moon disc under a 'bosom' shaped aperture.
- Recessed correctors on the case band for setting the calendar.
Dating clues
- Triple-date wristwatches: popular c. 1940–1955.
- Perpetual calendar wristwatches: from 1925 (unique) and 1941 (series).
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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