1803 Day-Date (Oxblood Stella / super rare woven bracelet / unpolished case / from my private collection)
68.500,00 €
Brand: Rolex
Model: Day-Date
Reference: 1803
Year: 1977
Serialnumber: 5100XXX
Material: 18 Karat Yellow Gold
Bracelet: 18 Karat Yellow Gold
Diameter: 36 Millimeter
Condition: very good
Box&Papers: no
A „TheWatchGuy“ watch. Straight from my collection to yours? 1803 Day-Date with Oxblood Stella dial and an extremely rare woven bracelet.
Sometimes you have to let things go. I’ve set my sights on a new object of desire, so I am parting with this truly extraordinary Day-Date. I simply can’t keep them all.
The case of this 1803 is unpolished and in fine vintage condition. It shows light signs of wear and some sleeve polish, but overall, the quality is truly outstanding.
One of the highlights of this watch is undoubtedly the dial. It features a wonderful Oxblood-colored Stella dial with diamond indices. With Stella dials, even the same color tone was often applied in varying shades; many Oxblood Stellas are quite dark, but that is not the case here. The lacquer is wonderfully vibrant and leans towards red, giving the watch a magnificent presence in any light.
The condition of the dial is equally wonderful. Unfortunately, many Stella dials develop cracks over the decades, but this one does not! The only imperfection consists of tiny bubbles that formed in the lower section of the dial during production. In person, however, these are only visible from a specific angle; even I only noticed them with a loupe when I bought it 😉
The hands are also in top condition, with a patina that harmonizes perfectly with the dial.
The bezel is beautifully sharp, and the plexiglas is perfect.
Another highlight of this watch is the extremely rare and opulent Rolex woven bracelet. Alongside the well-known President bracelets, Rolex produced a very limited number of special bracelets, and this wonderful example is one of them. As the visual appearance suggests, these bracelets look like they are woven—hence the name. There are various versions and this particular one features the boldest texture. The condition of the bracelet is truly wonderful. It is characterized by a lack of stretch and only minimal signs of wear.
Please note two important details regarding the bracelet: It did not originally come with this watch. I acquired the “Stella” model on a leather strap and a customer offered me a Day-Date with this specific bracelet—which his father had purchased in Zurich in 1968. When I had the Stella watch head and the bracelet sitting together on my watchmaker’s bench, the combination instantly captivated me. The new owner will surely agree.
Furthermore, please note that the bracelet is at full length. If your wrist size is under 18 cm, the bracelet would need to be shortened by a goldsmith. We would be happy to handle this for you, though it does take some time.
Conclusion: I loved this watch and I still do. Nevertheless, I look forward to passing it on to good hands.
