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Rolex Day-Date Ref 1803 Super Rare Wooden Dial

The rarest wood dial of them all.

The Rolex Day-Date is and always has been the brand’s flagship model. It was introduced in 1956 and since day one it was a piece radiating luxury and wealth. Throughout its existence, Rolex has only used precious metals for this 36.mm watch, with 18k yellow gold as the most common material used like the piece we’re offering. However, this watch has a few uncommon things going on making it truly something else and more than your regular Day-Date.

Rolex has developed many different dials over the years with interesting materials to keep the brand exclusive and the designs impressive. The meteorite dial is one of the more recent examples, the stone dials are pretty well known too. In the early 1970s, Rolex first started experimenting with wood dials. The first wood dials were introduced to a wider public with the 18038 Day-Date, and the Datejusts of the same era. This is where it gets interesting, the Day-date you’re looking at is the 1803 model, an earlier reference with a different movement; cal. 1556. All regular dials on this movement are pie-pan shaped dials, and no different dials were seen on this in the books or advertisements. Rolex did actually start developing and experimenting with wood dials in this watch, to eventually bring them officially on the market on the next generation, the 18038.

The wood dials in the 1803 reference Day-dates are extremely rare, Stellas and Onyx dials are common compared to this boy. In addition to this story, these wood dials were unlacquered and very prone to cracking. Cracked dials we’re obviously replaced since people don’t wear broken dials and Rolex replaces almost anything when they think necessary, and at Rolex, it’s always necessary. Today, it’s a mad man’s guess to tell how many authentic intact wood dials are still out there in 1803 day-dates. We could find only very little pictures, and at the moment this is one out of two pieces on offer throughout the world.

To top it all off, the original Milanese Rolex bracelet is equipped on this beauty and is like new to make it an even more unique and rare composition. We’re happy to have another rarity by Rolex on offer again. It’s for sale so visit our store or contact us by any means for more information. We’re located in the Reestraat, Amsterdam.

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Brand

Rolex

Year of production (circa)

1971