THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 18038
YEAR: 1987
BOX/PAPERS: YES/YES
CASE DIAMETER: 36MM
CASE MATERIAL: 18K YELLOW GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

Despite the overwhelming popularity of sports watches, the Day-Date has always been Rolex’s flagship model and top-of-the-range offering. Originally introduced in the 1950s, its iconic design has barely changed over the past seven decades. The 180xx series represents the second execution of the model, featuring the updated calibre 3055 movement and marking the first Day-Date to include a quick-set date function. This small yet significant upgrade makes the watch far easier to adjust when worn sparingly within a collection.

The present example comes from the final stretch of 180xx production in 1987. It features a very rare matte black dial, giving the watch a striking appearance compared to the more common champagne or silver variants. The tritium lume plots are all intact and have aged to a beautifully creamy tone, complemented by the cream day and date wheels. There are minor scratches on the hour markers.

The case has been lightly polished in the past but remains very strong. The movement has been recently serviced and is running beautifully at +3 s/day, with an amplitude of 281° and a beat error of 0.1 ms. It comes with its original box, wallet, and guarantee.

One of the most beautiful Day-Dates to come through the Falco door in recent weeks.