1803 Day-Date (highlight piece / concentric salmon dial / only six known)

Brand: Rolex
Model: Day-Date
Reference: 1803
Year: 1963
Serial Number: 995XXX
Material: 18 Karat White Gold
Bracelet: 18 Karat White Gold
Diameter: 36 Millimeter
Condition: very good
Box&Papers: no

GRAIL ALERT. An exceptional Day-Date with many highlights.

An absolute highlight of my dealer career. A watch you might not find anywhere else. We’d be happy to guide you through this beauty and its highlights.

The case is in beautiful condition. Day-Dates from the early 1960s have a thinner case than later versions. Therefore, this case has certainly been polished at some point, but the case itself is in excellent condition, with full lugs, sharp edges, and a great matte finish. There are some light signs of wear, but no deep scratches or anything like that.

A highlight of this watch, however, is undoubtedly the exceptional dial. It’s a super rare and truly beautiful salmon dial. These dials are extremely fascinating. In total, I know of only six in the world. All without lume material and from different production years. The lack of lume material suggests that they were originally intended for the Asian market, where dials without lume material were often used.

Furthermore, this dial is the only known SALMON dial with two additional special features. Perfectly matching the watch’s period, it’s a Swiss dial and a so-called “concentric” dial. It doesn’t have a sunray-cut finish but rather a concentric circular brushing pattern. Both of these features are only found in early 1803 models.

The dial’s condition is also top. A super clear, even color tone and only light, superficial signs of age. There’s also a small mark at the dial’s crease between six and seven o’clock, but overall, it’s one of the highest quality early Day-Date dials I know.

The bezel is also a highlight. Early 1803 Day-Dates like this one have a more finely cut bezel with more teeth. Classic, harmonious, and rare.

The hands are a highlight too. Very rare and so called “cigarette hands“ without lume material.

How does one complete a highlight watch? With another highlight: a BIG LOGO President bracelet from Japan (see the K18/WG stamp for 18 karat gold in Japan). Big logo bracelets like this one are typical of early Day-Dates, and therefore this is almost certainly the original bracelet. The condition is truly perfect. Light stretch, minor signs of wear.

Conclusion: A Day-Date highlight. White gold is rare, but here we’re talking about an exceptionally rare vintage beauty.