Rolex Day-Date Ref. 1803, circa 1961
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1961
Maker / issuer
RolexThis Rolex Day-Date Reference 1803 is an automatic wristwatch encased in solid rose gold. It features a fluted bezel and is paired with a rose gold rivet-style Oyster bracelet with a blade-style clasp.
The watch is defined by a silver sunburst dial with applied rose-tone 'claw' indices and an alpha-style handset. The dial is marked with 'Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified' and features a day aperture at 12 o'clock displaying an Italian day disc, alongside a date aperture with a cyclops lens. The case is described by the vendor as unpolished, retaining its factory caseback sticker. The watch is dated by the source to circa 1961 and is noted as featuring luminous plots on the dial.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Day-Date wristwatch
- Model
- Day-Date
- Dating
- Circa 1961
- Handset
- Alpha handset
- Bracelet
- Rose gold rivet Oyster
- Reference
- 1803
- Dial Indices
- Applied 'claw' indices
- Case Material
- Rose gold
- Place recorded
- Switzerland
- Day Disc Language
- Italian
- Maker / attribution
- Rolex
Design
- Dial and Hands
- The silver sunburst dial is configured with applied rose-tone 'claw' indices and matching 'alpha' hands. The dial layout includes a day aperture positioned at 12 o'clock and a date window at 3 o'clock, which is magnified by a cyclops lens. The day disc displays the days of the week in Italian. Luminous plots are present on the dial perimeter. The vendor notes that the dial exhibits signs of light surface oxidation consistent with its age, while maintaining the sunburst finish.
- Visible features
- • Applied rose-tone 'claw' indices on silver sunburst dial • Fluted rose gold bezel • Rivet-style Oyster bracelet in rose gold • Italian-language day disc in aperture at 12 o'clock
- Case and Bracelet
- The watch is constructed from solid rose gold, a metal the vendor notes as rarer than the more common white gold variants of this reference. The case features thick, symmetrical lugs and is reported as unpolished. A key detail of the case design is the fluted bezel, which the auction description reports as more finely fluted than those found on subsequent productions of the reference 1803. The timepiece is fitted with a matching rose gold rivet-style Oyster bracelet featuring a blade-style clasp. The endlinks are reported to be correct for this specific reference.
- Condition and Attribution
- The auction description reports the watch to be in outstanding, lightly worn condition for its age. The case and bracelet both exhibit light wear, as noted by the seller. The internal components, including the day disc and luminous applications, are described as correct for this specific configuration and period of production. Attributed to circa 1961, the piece is presented as a collectible example due to the combination of the rose gold construction, the specific dial indices, and the preservation of the original caseback sticker.
Identification
- Reference
- 1803
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The exact year of manufacture is listed as 'circa 1961'
- Research required: Vendor states it is unpolished, which is an assessment of condition rather than a verifiable factory status