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Rolex Datejust Silver Dial with Original Papers Ref. 1600, 1968 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Rolex Datejust Silver Dial with Original Papers Ref. 1600, 1968

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Rolex (maker)
Date
1968
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Materials / technique
silver
Dimensions
Case 36 mm
Stock no.
W-3645
Credit line
Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3645)
Catalogue title (original)
Rolex Datejust Silver Dial with Original Papers Ref. 1600 (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-3645), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated 1968. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: silver. Recorded dimensions: Case 36 mm. 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 — Bulang & Sons

The Rolex Datejust debuted in 1945 to celebrate Rolex’s 40th anniversary, becoming the first automatic wristwatch to feature a date displayed in a window at 3 o’clock, changing automatically at midnight. Few watches are as truly timeless and versatile as the classic 36mm Datejust — a watch suitable for any occasion. Here we have exactly that, with a subtle and desirable twist: the rarer reference 1600, distinguished by its smooth bezel. This example features an excellent case, paired with a lovely folded Jubilee bracelet (ref. 6251H) with 55 end links, and a superb pie-pan-style silver dial with a beautiful soleil finish. The dial showcases warm egg-yolk-colored lume plots, exciting and uncommon hour markers, and crisp black printed text, all contributing depth and character. This fine Datejust has been fully serviced by our watchmaker and is ready to be enjoyed for many years to come. Interested in adding this exceptional Datejust to your collection? Get in touch with us today for more information, availability, or to reserve this classic timepiece. Specifications: - Rolex Reference 1600 Datejust - 36mm steel case - Smooth steel bezel - Serial 183xxx dating to 1968 - Silver soleil-finish pie-pan dial with black text - Slow-set movement - Jubilee bracelet 6251H with 55 end links - Rare double-punched papers - Fully serviced by our watchmaker

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

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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