Rolex Day-Date 1803 'Stella'

First generation "Stella dial" with beloved Salmon colored surface and enhanced by breathtaking brick-bracelet.

The Rolex design team must’ve been dabbling into psychedelic drugs when they came up with the funky Stella dials for their flagship model. These dials weren’t particularly popular. After all, you had to be a gentleman (or lady) of considerable means to be able to afford a Day-Date and it was unlikely that a person of that stature would wear a watch with such a loud dial. As a result, not many were made; and by now you should know that this is a parameter collectors value highly.

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. One of the most sought-after is the Salmon-like tint. It also happens to be one of the least produced.

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. We are excited to conclude this dial features absolutely no flaws whatsoever, the surface remains pristine and the black graphics are unimpaired. Furthermore, the creamy tritium plots are all in tact and present and highlight the legible applied baton markers.

This 1803 dates to 1970. 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.

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 "Brick-bracelet", dating to the late sixties.

This remarkable execution of the 1803 shows you can really still be taken by surprise. Like many special orders, this one was retailed by Asprey, as can be seen by the engraving on the caseback.