
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Rolex Day-Date 1803, White Gold with Grey Dial
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex (maker)
- Date
- c. 1971
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- white gold
- Stock no.
- Product 10388181254420
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Collectors Corner NY (product 10388181254420)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Rolex Day-Date 1803 - White Gold w/Grey Dial - Very Rare (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Collectors Corner NY (dealer), New York (stock number Product 10388181254420), this is a wristwatch by Rolex, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1971. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: white gold. 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
Introduced in 1956, the Rolex Day-Date was the first wristwatch to display both the date and the day of the week spelled out in full on its dial. Beyond this practical complication, it became associated with influential figures in the decades that followed, from celebrities to leaders of industry. After adorning the wrists of U.S. Presidents and other world leaders, the model earned its famous nickname, the "President." Today, the Day-Date stands among the most recognizable vintage Rolex watches and represents a tradition of Swiss watchmaking excellence, as well as Rolex's unwavering commitment to quality, precision, and enduring style. This four-digit example, circa 1971, comes in a rarer white gold case and houses a highly desirable non-luminous grey dial, making for a beautiful, under-the-radar combination. It has remained in excellent vintage condition, with a dial that is mint under magnification. The bezel remains sharp with minimal wear, and the case is also very nice, with evenly proportioned lugs and very strong hallmarks. The proportions of the ref. 180X are tough to beat for charm, especially on a variety of straps, and we'd argue they remain an excellent value in today's market. Please note that the date wheel is currently being adjusted by our watchmaker and will be correctly aligned shortly.
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
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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