1803 With Brown "No-lume Stella dial" and lovely bracelet.

The name derives from the supplier of the lacquer: a Swiss company called Stella S.A. Interestingly enough, “Stella dial” isn’t merely a nickname, Rolex themselves also labelled it as “Lacquered Stella” in internal documents, such as master catalogues. Eventhough the gloss and richness in pigment might remind you of enamel, the proces of creating this surface is way less artisanal and therefore suitable to produce on a bigger scale. Yet, it did require some craftmanship. Firstly, the paint was mixed by hand, hence there is so much variety in tones. If you compare seemingly similar hues side by side, chances are they all differ slightly from one another. At first sight you might think this is a -more common- "oxblood" colored one, however; it is not. Especially noticeable when holding them side by side, it is not burgundy but deep brown. Besides the unusual color, it is cool to notice the dial nor the hands have any luminous material.

The application of the varnish to the metal baseplate is done by a highly trained professional, operating a spray gun. To give the vibrancy these dials are known for and to increase durability, many layers have to be applied. This is quite time consuming, as each coating needs to dry off before it can receive a new one. The last being a transparant layer to seal it, which is then polished by hand. There are some small defects on the surface. Challenging to see without a magnifying loupe, but around the coronet there are some flaws.

This 1803 dates to 1972. The 4-digit Day-Date's are -to many collectors- the prime era for cherished Stella dials; as the "pie-pan" profile gives it a dynamic look. The attractive aesthetics of the glossy and thick lacquer is also greatly enjoyed at the edge of the day and date aperture. Especially during this first-generation Stella dial you can see a Bathtub-like effect here. Therefore, to fully grasp the beauty of the dial, we supplied it with a crystal without cyclops. On request, we can install the original crystal.

If you got bored of the conservative and pragmatically designed Rolex wristcompanions; look into the diversity this vivid depiction of the Day-Dates has to offer. This wilder side of Rolex has proven itself, over the last couple years, to be very captivating to collect. This also includes bracelet options outside the President, Jubilee or Oyster. Here is chosen for an original "mesh-bracelet".