55
Rolex
Ref. 18078
Day-Date
An incredibly well-preserved and attractive yellow gold calendar wristwatch with wood dial, bark finished bracelet, box and punched guarantee
- Estimate
- CHF20,000 - 40,000€21,000 - 41,900$22,500 - 45,100
CHF27,940
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Rolex
- Year
- Circa 1978
- Reference No
- 18078
- Movement No
- 0'572'989
- Case No
- 5'467'173
- Model Name
- Day-Date
- Material
- 18K yellow gold and wood
- Calibre
- Automatic, cal. 3055, 27 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- 18K yellow gold Rolex President with bark finished centre links, max length 180mm
- Clasp/Buckle
- 18K yellow gold Rolex concealed deployant clasp stamped "8723" and "F"
- Dimensions
- 36mm Diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed
- Accessories
- Accompanied by Rolex punched Guarantee dated 14th September 1981 and stamped Marie Leitner Innsbruck, service papers, product literature, calendar card, green document holder, hangtag, fitted presentation box and outer packaging.
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
- The Rolex Day-Date, with its multitude of exotic variations and wide array of case metals, is considered one of the most recognisable wristwatches today. Originally intended as Rolex’s “luxury proposition” (and indeed originally available exclusively in precious metal, with few prototypes in steel known), it has evolved to incarnate in the mind of nearly every watch enthusiast the conjunction of elegance, precision, exclusivity and mechanical perfection Rolex is famous for.
- The present Rolex reference 18078 with its visually captivating root wood dial, is rendered appealing thanks to its yellow gold markers contrasting against the intense tobacco brown color. Virtually “unique”, as no two piece of wood will feature the exact same grain, the exquisite swirling accents found in this particular example are extremely captivating, known to be painstakingly delicate wood dials require only the most skilled of artisans to perfect.
- Further adding to the rarity and beauty of the dial present on this Day-Date reference 18078, is the bark finished bezel and centre links bracelet. The additional "bark" accents when paired with such a beautiful wood dial give the timepiece an overall appealing and captivating charm.
- Featuring full and strong proportions, the top of the lugs are very sharp with the bottom of the lugs displaying deep hallmarks. Complemented with an English quick-set calendar, the presence of the punched Rolex guarantee adds a final layer of appeal and collectability to this remarkable timepiece.
- The present Rolex reference 18078 with its visually captivating root wood dial, is rendered appealing thanks to its yellow gold markers contrasting against the intense tobacco brown color. Virtually “unique”, as no two piece of wood will feature the exact same grain, the exquisite swirling accents found in this particular example are extremely captivating, known to be painstakingly delicate wood dials require only the most skilled of artisans to perfect.
- Further adding to the rarity and beauty of the dial present on this Day-Date reference 18078, is the bark finished bezel and centre links bracelet. The additional "bark" accents when paired with such a beautiful wood dial give the timepiece an overall appealing and captivating charm.
- Featuring full and strong proportions, the top of the lugs are very sharp with the bottom of the lugs displaying deep hallmarks. Complemented with an English quick-set calendar, the presence of the punched Rolex guarantee adds a final layer of appeal and collectability to this remarkable timepiece.
Rolex
Swiss | 1905Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.
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