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Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 - Champagne Dial - 1987

£12,950.00

  • Year: 1987.

  • Movement: Rolex 3055 Automatic movement with quickset date.

  • Case: 18K Yellow gold 36mm case.

  • Dial: Original champagne dial with tritium lume.

  • Crystal: Sapphire crystal.

  • Bezel: Gold fluted bezel.

  • Bracelet: 18K Yellow gold 8385 bracelet.

  • This watch is sold as watch only, which is typical for vintage timepieces. We place greater value on condition, originality, and overall integrity than on whether a box or papers happen to be present. Many vintage watches have lost their packaging over time, and we don’t believe in inflating prices with non-original extras.

    If a watch does include genuine box and papers, this will always be clearly noted in the description. All purchases come with bespoke Watts On Watches packaging and full purchase documentation.

  • Every watch we sell is fully inspected and professionally serviced to meet our exacting standards. We stand by the quality of our stock, which is why every purchase comes with a 12-month warranty as standard.

  • Year: 1987.

  • Movement: Rolex 3055 Automatic movement with quickset date.

  • Case: 18K Yellow gold 36mm case.

  • Dial: Original champagne dial with tritium lume.

  • Crystal: Sapphire crystal.

  • Bezel: Gold fluted bezel.

  • Bracelet: 18K Yellow gold 8385 bracelet.

  • This watch is sold as watch only, which is typical for vintage timepieces. We place greater value on condition, originality, and overall integrity than on whether a box or papers happen to be present. Many vintage watches have lost their packaging over time, and we don’t believe in inflating prices with non-original extras.

    If a watch does include genuine box and papers, this will always be clearly noted in the description. All purchases come with bespoke Watts On Watches packaging and full purchase documentation.

  • Every watch we sell is fully inspected and professionally serviced to meet our exacting standards. We stand by the quality of our stock, which is why every purchase comes with a 12-month warranty as standard.

The Rolex Day-Date Ref. 18038 is one of the most iconic solid-gold watches produced by Rolex, and this 1987 example captures everything that makes the model so special. Crafted from 18K yellow gold, the 36mm case, fluted bezel and matching 8385 President bracelet present the unmistakable presence and weight that only a full-gold Day-Date can offer.

The watch features its original champagne dial with warm, matching tritium lume plots and tritium hands — a detail collectors actively look for, as many examples from this era have been replaced with service dials or later luminova variants.

Powered by the Rolex Calibre 3055, the 18038 is the first Day-Date to feature the quickset date mechanism, making it significantly more practical than earlier non-quickset models while still maintaining all the classical appeal of the vintage Day-Date line.

This example is offered as watch only, but with full reassurance of originality and integrity — and with all purchases supported by our documentation, packaging and 12-month Watts On Watches warranty.

Key Features

  • Reference: 18038

  • Year: 1987

  • Movement: Rolex Calibre 3055 automatic with quickset date

  • Case: 36mm solid 18K yellow gold

  • Dial: Original champagne tritium dial

  • Crystal: Sapphire

  • Bezel: 18K fluted bezel

  • Bracelet: Solid 18K yellow gold 8385 President bracelet

  • Provenance: Sold as watch only with WOW documentation and packaging

A Word on Condition

The case remains in excellent vintage condition, with the correct factory lines and strong proportions throughout. The fluted bezel retains sharp definition, and the original champagne tritium dial shows warm, even patina with matching tritium hands.

The bracelet is in very good condition for its age, retaining strong links and excellent structural integrity — far better than typically seen on 1980s President bracelets. The sapphire crystal is clean, and the watch runs exactly as it should following full inspection.

Why Buy This Watch

The 18038 is the quintessential vintage Rolex Day-Date, combining true 1980s character with modern wearability and the practicality of the Calibre 3055 quickset date.

A clean, original champagne tritium dial on an unmolested 18K case and bracelet represents one of the strongest expressions of the classic President aesthetic. With prices of high-quality gold Rolex references continuing to rise, finding an honest, well-preserved 18038 is becoming increasingly difficult.

This is a superb opportunity to acquire a timeless, investment-grade solid-gold Day-Date in beautifully preserved condition.

Every watch we sell is fully inspected and professionally serviced to meet our exacting standards. All purchases include bespoke Watts On Watches packaging, full purchase documentation and a 12-month Watts On Watches warranty.