Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 1996 Reference No: 18238 Movement No: 7'568'093 Case No: T427896 Model Name: Day-Date Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3155, 31 jewels Bracelet/Strap: 18K yellow gold Rolex President bracelet, max length 195mm Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Rolex concealed folding clasp Dimensions: 36mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed Accessories: Accompanied by undated Rolex guarantee stamped Lotte Pusan Duty Free Shop, South Korea, green card holder, hang tag, product literature, two Rolex notepads, box and outer packaging.
Catalogue Essay
Embraced by collectors, the Day-Date reference 18238 offered a combination of practicality and a new array of aesthetics. Launched in 1988, the reference was the first to incorporate a double quick-set function for its day and date adjustments whilst retaining its classic good looks. The firm elevated it to the zenith by daring to include exotic materials such as rubellite, blood stone, coral, and fossil to cite a few examples, providing an unusual design twist to this already iconic watch.
The present Rolex Day-Date reference 18238 from circa 1996 features an extremely rare and desirable white cacholong dial with diamond-set indexes. Cacholong, also known as white opal, is an incredibly rare stone and to date, only a handful of examples have ever appeared on the auction market. Hardstone dials from Rolex wristwatches have always been a fan favourite due to its due colours, textures, patterns, uniqueness, and rarity. It requires extreme precision and dedication to execute such mesmerizing dial.
This rare variant of reference 18238 is fitted with a most probably unpolished case with clean and sharp edges and a dial that presents no cracks or fissures. All crisp hallmarks are present on the caseback, further underscoring its condition and rarity. Furthermore, it is accompanied by its full set of accessories, retaining its caseback sticker, providing another element of collectability.
Founded 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.
Ref. 18238 An incredibly rare and exquisite yellow gold calendar wristwatch with white cacholong dial, bracelet, caseback sticker, guarantee, presentation box and outer packaging
Circa 1996 36mm Diameter Case, dial, movement, bracelet and clasp signed