Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803 - Rare Linen Dial
Year: 1970.
Movement: Rolex Automatic Calibre 1556 Superlative Chronometer Certified, day and date complication.
Case Size: 36mm.
Dial and Case: Rare linen pie pan dial with a solid 18k yellow gold case.
Complete with original box, all paperwork including original guarantee document dated to 1971 and swing tags.
As with all watches purchased through Watts on Watches, this watch comes with a 12 month warranty.
Year: 1970.
Movement: Rolex Automatic Calibre 1556 Superlative Chronometer Certified, day and date complication.
Case Size: 36mm.
Dial and Case: Rare linen pie pan dial with a solid 18k yellow gold case.
Complete with original box, all paperwork including original guarantee document dated to 1971 and swing tags.
As with all watches purchased through Watts on Watches, this watch comes with a 12 month warranty.
Year: 1970.
Movement: Rolex Automatic Calibre 1556 Superlative Chronometer Certified, day and date complication.
Case Size: 36mm.
Dial and Case: Rare linen pie pan dial with a solid 18k yellow gold case.
Complete with original box, all paperwork including original guarantee document dated to 1971 and swing tags.
As with all watches purchased through Watts on Watches, this watch comes with a 12 month warranty.
Many watches can be described as iconic, but not many are as iconic as this. The Day-Date was first released back in 1956 and was the first wristwatch to display the date and the day spelled out in-full in a window on the dial. Just a few years later, Rolex would introduce us to the ref. 1803, one of the very earliest Rolex Day-Date watches ever released.
The reference you see here was part of the second series of Day-Dates released in 1959, this particular model is from 1970 which offers some additional upgrades such as an improved 1556 movement. The 1803 can be identified by the iconic fluted bezel. The 1803 also has been seen on the wrists of U.S. Presidents such as President Johnson and more controversially, JFK.
Look closely and you’ll also notice that one of the other unique features is the “pie pan” dials of the Day-Date 1803 – a unique dial shape where the outer edge angles downwards, giving the dial the shape of an inverted pie pan. This dial also has the benefit of being a much rarer linen dial finish which is very sought after in the vintage community. This watch also comes with box and papers, a rare commodity in the vintage watch market.