This week is all about the Rolex that moved the brand from tool watches to luxury: the Day-Date. We cover the beginnings, chronology, famous wearers, advertising, interesting dials, and everything down to the Oysterquartz Perpetual Calendar (you read that right). It’s a more granular episode than most, but if you’ve been looking to get up to speed with the President, here’s a quick download. Plus, what should a successful private mountaineering guide spring for at 75k?

Links Mentioned:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/jean-claude-killy-6236-rolex-datocompax

https://hairspring.com/products/8171-padellone-yellow-gold_43285

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/stelline-dial-6062-rolex-triple-calendar-moonphase

6510:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/HK080116/293

6511:

https://www.phillips.com/detail/rolex/CH080115/40

Steel Prototype:

https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6394633

Eisenhower Datejust at Auction:

https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ikes-rolex-doesnt-sell-rr-auction

Kennedy Omega:

https://www.omegawatches.com/en-us/chronicle/1960-to-a-future-president

Kennedy Day-Date:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=115058

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2008/07/history-of-rolex-president-part-9.html#gsc.tab=0

LBJ:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/msolomon/2016/10/04/a-brief-history-of-the-rolex-president-watch/

The 1803 (Just a Great Example of the Breed):

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/doorstop-dial-1803-rolex-day-date-pink-gold

1803 Castro (Lol at the ‘Freedom Fighter’ title on the Monochrome article):

https://monochrome-watches.com/fidel-castro-1926-2016-sportsman-freedom-fighter-rolex-wearer/

https://quillandpad.com/2019/02/27/wrist-watching-fidel-castro-and-his-gold-rolex-submariner/

Brezhnev:

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2011/12/rolex-communists-leonid-brezhnev-and.html#gsc.tab=0

Saddam Hussein:

https://www.rolexmagazine.com/2019/09/rolex-tool-watching-middle-east-rolex.html#gsc.tab=0

Stella:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/burl-wood-dial-18039-rolex-day-date

Stone:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/bloodstone-dial-18239-rolex-day-date

Sequoia Wood:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/sequoia-wood-dial-1803-rolex-day-date

Burl/Birch:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/burl-wood-dial-18039-rolex-day-date

Khanjar:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/khanjar-rolex-day-date-1803-in-blue-wg

Rolex 1530:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/1530-rolex-oyster-perpetual-date-4

Oysterquartz:

https://hairspring.com/products/17000-oysterquartz-tropical-purple-pre-cosc-dial-steel

Oysterquartz Day-Date:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/birchwood-dial-19018-rolex-oysterquartz-day-date

Oysterquartz QP:

https://revolutionwatch.com/rare-finds-rolex-perpetual-calendar-oysterquartz/

Only Wrist:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/well-preserved-black-16570-rolex-explorer-ii

https://hairspring.com/products/25730st-royal-oak-dual-time-steel

Dual Time Everest:

https://hairspring.com/products/7910v-everest-overseas-dual-time-titanium

Chronograph:

https://hairspring.com/blogs/finds/everest-vacheron-constantin-overseas-chronograph

6542:

https://hairspring.com/collections/exclusives/products/6542-gmt-master-steel

Day-Date Ad that Doesn’t Track:

https://www.adpatina.com/products/1969-rolex-day-date-ref-1803-taming-oil-well-fires-advertisement