Rolex DayDate (1803 1969)
Understated yet versatile luxury watch
Introduction.
As I mentioned in the GMT-Master section, my journey to purchasing an antique sports Rolex began with a search for a watch to match my vintage 501XX.
The first one I chose would be this Rolex Day Date (1803 1969).
The Day Date has a day of the week on the top of the dial in addition to the date display, a silver dial with 18KWG hands and an extremely solid look, but with an 18KWG case and bracelet, the Day Date is a luxury watch with a lot of charm.
Will the watch the President wears really suit me?
When I think about the fashion to match my blue jeans, I am in my 50s, and while I naturally want to wear American-style outerwear such as military, leather jumpers and stadium jumpers, I also want to enjoy fashion that is a little more elegant and age-appropriate.
SubMariner, Explorer and GMT-Master are great, but I also wanted to enjoy shirts and jackets, so I started to look at watches with a more orthodox design.
The Day Date is available in 18KYG, 18KPG and 18KWG and has a variety of dials, from the traditional silver dial with bar indices to the black dial with special indexes, to the more traditional black dial with bar indices. There are variations in dials, from the orthodox silver dial with bar indices, to black dials, special shell dials and Roman indices, as well as many pieces with a slightly gem-like appearance, such as meteorites and precious woods.
As a side note, DayDate has been loved by American presidents and was the favourite of the emperor Jack Nicklaus, which makes me feel more fearful than attractive.
New watches are expensive, so I start looking for one that I really want and want to use, looking at various second-hand and old antique pieces. I think that an orthodox silver dial with bar indexes is simple and I don’t get tired of it, or the watch doesn’t assert itself too much, so an 18KWG silver dial with bar indexes comes up as a candidate.
If it’s an antique you like, it might work.
The 18KWG silver dial and bar indexes are the basic composition of the Day Date, and there are a few individual pieces, and it becomes clear that the watch has evolved a little bit each year it was made. Among them, I suddenly became interested in an antique Day Date called 1803, made between the 1960s and 1970s.
The reasons why I became interested in this age group are as follows,
- 1803s have rounded edges and a softer look than modern Day Date watches.
- The 36mm diameter was just right (not too assertive)
- Lighter and more balanced fit than the sapphire glass used in the next generation.
- The roundness of the plastic windshield further contributes to the softness of the look and softens the appearance of luxury.
The 1803 Day Date in 18KWG is a luxury watch, but understated, which is why we chose this 1803 Day Date in 18KWG.
When I check the availability on the internet, I notice that there are surprisingly few bracelet pieces and many of them have leather belts. The leather-belted watches are nice, but I look for a while at the stock in various shops to see if there are any bracelet watches that I want at first. This situation continues for a while, but when I am looking for one, I unexpectedly find one, so I contact the shop that has it in stock and decide to go and see it in person.
The person who answered the phone at the shop at that time was very good, so our expectations were also inflated.
We actually go to the shop and are shown the actual product, which is cleaner than described on the shop’s website and in very good condition, so we make an immediate decision to buy it on the spot. The shop is also very attentive in explaining any questions or products that are not clear, and it is a very enjoyable buying experience, not only about the watch, but also about the fashion discussion on what clothes to match it with.
The shop where I bought the watch is introduced at the end of this article.
Example of wear.
Details.
1 Day Date 1803
2 Year 1969
3 Case 18KWG
4 Bezel Fluted bezel 18KWG
5 Bracelet 3-strand President’s bracelet * Japan bracelet
6 Windscreen Plastic windscreen (Plexiglas)
7 Dial Silver dial with bar indexes
8 Automatic winding caliper 1556
Likes.
- Solid 18KWG gold but with a silver dial, discreet appearance.
- Understated appearance, but with a luxurious air.
- Lighter and lighter to wear than current models
- Just the right size at 36mm diameter
- Pleasant feel when setting the time and winding the watch as it has been well maintained and cleaned.
- Very simple design, so although it is a dress watch, it goes very well with jeans and other casual wear.
- The dress watch makes it an excellent combination with jackets and suits.
- That the feel of 18KWG feels softer than stainless steel.
- The rounded edges and the roundness of the plastic windshield, compared to current models, give it a cozier feel
- The way the day and date are aligned is unique but makes sense.
Points of interest.
- The President bracelet requires the bracelet to be cut when adjusting the size if there is too much left in the buckle, and once cut, the bracelet cannot be put back on.
- The bracelet is loose compared to the tight fit of the current watches, so it feels loose.
- Water resistance cannot be expected to be as good as current watches.
- Even considering the above problems, the watch has a unique atmosphere not found in current models, so it doesn’t bother me too much.
Conclusion.
I was looking for a watch to match with blue jeans and I arrived at the Day Date.
Compared to the sport Rolex, the Day Date has a more understated appearance, but it is a versatile watch that can be worn in a wide range of situations, from casual wear with a T-shirt to a tailored jacket.
We are introducing the Day Date in this article, and it will appear in future articles on matching outfits, etc. We hope it will be of help to those who are interested in the Day Date and are considering buying one.
Shop.
My Day Date 1803 was purchased at the Eguchi Watch Shop in Kichijoji, Tokyo.
Eguchi Clock Shop has a stylish website and shop atmosphere, and is a great place for women as well as men to visit. Many antique shops, not just watch shops, are maniacal and have a chaotic atmosphere, for better or worse, but Eguchi Clock Shop is like a European shop where you can look at watches at your leisure.
As well as my Day Date, the watches handled by Eguchi Clock Shop are carefully cared for and thoroughly cleaned, so they are in good condition and can be used from the moment you buy them.
As an aside, the last time I visited Kichijoji was more than 10 years ago, and at that time I visited Vintage Guiters next to Eguchi Clock Shop, where the owner is also a famous and interesting person in the world of vintage guitars.
I didn’t end up buying it at that time, but I was shown a 1954 Telecaster and was able to touch it and talk with the owner about various things, and I have memories of being impressed by his insight and discernment.
Antique watches also have something in common with vintage guitars, and are full of elements that men like, such as connoisseurship and the stories behind them. I think you will enjoy it even more if you can find a shop from which you would like to buy things, and from whom you would like to buy things.
Shop website → Eguchi Watch Shop
