Why We Love It

“This is gold, Mr. Bond. All my life, I have been in love with its color, its brilliance, it's divine heaviness.”

If you, like Auric Goldfinger, have a taste for gold and want to feel its "divine heaviness" on your wrist, then we have the watch for you. 

More than simply 'just another' solid gold Day-Date, this particular example has a rarely seen lapis lazuli dial. Made from a slice of the precious stone which is then imprinted with Rolex text. Up close, the dial appears very deep and lustrous unlike anything else from the brand with the crown.

Complete with boxes and papers, this is truly one of the most unique Day-Dates to leave Geneva.

The Story

When you’ve got a good thing going, sometimes you just know. Such is the case with the Rolex Day-Date. At the time of the Day-Date’s release in 1956, it was Rolex’s only complicated wristwatch: all previous attempts had failed to resonate with consumers.

But as soon as Rolex secured the patent in July of 1955, production of the Day-Date was rushed for a debut at the Basel Fair the following spring.

Although early Day-Dates were plagued by technical problems resulting from the complexity of the automatic movement, those were soon resolved. After President Eisenhower sported one (a gift from the manufacture), its success was secured. The model would be tweaked and improved throughout the 1950s and on into the 60s, which ultimately leads to the later version of the model, the Reference 18XXX from the mid 1980s.

For a watch known as the “President,” (due to the fact that several U.S. presidents have worn one), it certainly lives up to its dignified nickname. In warm yellow gold, it resonates with style. Elegant and sophisticated, it remains a classic worthy of its reputation.