Rolex Day-Date Diamond Dial, c. 1995

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Why We Love It Double-quickset Day-Dates were once a thing of fantasy. Early Day-Date models offered no Quickset functionality, meaning that both the Day and Date functions had to be manually set - with a fair amount of winding, mind you - by the user in order to display the correct information on the calendar complications. by the late 1970s, Rolex had improved the system and began offering S ingle-Quickset versions in the 'five digit' References based on the 18038. These versions allowed easier setting of the Date function, but you still had to crank through all seven days in order to set the Day. It wasn't until the introduction of the 18238 in the late 1980s that things got infinitely easier. This example, a nearly unworn example dating to circa 1995, is the perfect of user-friendly mechanicals with an outstanding look. Finished in 18K yellow gold with a gold sunburst factory diamond set dial, it is in pristine condition throughout with a perfect fluted bezel, intact and lightly aged Tritium lume plots, and even its green factory case back sticker that remains intact on its backside! It even comes with its original punched papers. Clean, crisp, and just a little extra sparkle from that factory gem setting on the indices...perfect. In this case, diamonds are everyone's best friend! The Day-Date Story When you’ve got a good thing going, sometimes you just know . Such is the case with the Rolex Day-Date. At the time of the Day-Date’s release in 1956, it was Rolex’s most complicated wristwatch: all previous attempts had failed to resonate with consumers. But as soon as Rolex secured the patent in July of 1955, production of the Day-Date was rushed for a debut at the Basel Fair the following spring. Although early Day-Dates were plagued by technical problems resulting from the complexity of the automatic movement with dual calendar function, those were soon resolved. After President Eisenhower sported one (a gift from the manufacture), its success was secured. The watch came to be known as the “President,” (due to the fact that several U.S. presidents since Eisenhower have worn one), and it certainly lives up to its dignified nickname. For a brand that has built its reputation on its sports watches, it's perhaps unsurprising that the Rolex Day-Date is amongst the brand's best-sellers. True, the brand has always produced dress watches, but while the brand's more overt dress watch, the Cellini, often seems out of place among the brand's Oyster-cased offerings, the Day-Date is sturdy, solid, and at home alongside the Submariners and GMTs that make up the Oyster Perpetual collection. Rolex has approached continual development of model as they do every other, making quiet improvements over the following decades, ensuring the Day-Date is worthy as the centerpiece of Rolex's Oyster line as horological technology evolves. Whether a simple 36mm yellow gold piece or a Day-Date II 41mm Day-Date in platinum with a gem set dial, the Day-Date is internationally recognized as time timepiece of success and leadership, and of great taste.