Why This Watch Matters A Two-tone Datejust gifted as a safety award by a bakery company? This is a new one for us too. The Full Story Arguably the flagship product of Rolex, the Datejust has been in the company's catalog since 1945, seeing only very minor changes over the years. This watch is most often looked at as a dress watch, but the genius of the Datejust is in its innate versatility. A Datejust works just as well with jeans and a tee shirt as it does with an Italian suit, even in all gold or two-tone cases. Rolex's reputation as one of the most reliable and classic Swiss watch brands of all time hangs its hat on the Datejust more than any other model. It's perfectly simple, comfortable, and robust enough to stand up to whatever you throw at it. The watch was offered in stainless steel, solid gold, or a mix of both, as seen in this example. The patina on the gold gives it a warmer feel that can be found only in vintage pieces that have not been polished for a while. And here, the patinated gold goes amazingly well with the sunburst silver dial, complemented by the black font, gold indexes, and strong date disc. As an earlier ref. 1601, this watch features a set of coveted alpha hands, something collectors really love. A golden watch, in the truest sense. Looking to the caseback, we see a bit of history here. Presumably gifted to an employee of a Pennsylvania-based bakery called, at the time, Stroehmann Brothers Company, the watch has true US roots. This is complemented by the JB Champion, made in the USA Jubilee bracelet. The Fine Print Maker: RolexModel: DatejustReference: 1601Year: 1963Case No: 908704Material: Stainless steel and yellow goldDimensions: 36mm diameter; 11.5mm thicknessCrystal: PlexiglassLume: Yes, tritiumCaliber: Rolex, self-winding, caliber 1575Bracelet/Strap: Rolex, yellow gold and stainless steel, JB Champion Made in the USA Jubilee bracelet (Approximate max wrist size 7in / 178mm)Lug Width: 20mmBox/Papers: No What We Love And What You Should Know Things We Love: - Two-tone motif- Alpha handset- JB Champion made in the USA Jubilee bracelet- Stroehmann Brothers Company caseback engraving Things To Know: - Scratches on case- Light patina on dial This ref. 1601 is in overall great and attractive condition. The case shows some light scratches and nicks. The case appears to have been polished. The back of the lugs and caseback have scratches. The fluted bezel is sharp and has developed patina, particularly between 12 and 3 o'clock. The silver dial is in good condition with light patina throughout. The applied gold hour markers have developed a warm patina over the years. The lume on the dial has turned to an even light buttery yellow color. Most of the lume plots on the dial are full and round. The hands have developed some patina. The lume on the hands has developed patina and aged a bit darker than the lume on the dial. The JB Champion Jubilee bracelet is in overall good condition with some stretch. The inside caseback is marked "I.63," which matches well with the case number dating to 1963. The case, dial, movement, crown, and clasp are signed by Rolex. The crystal has some scratches and a few light nicks around the edge. This watch was photographed on a 175mm/6.9inch wrist.
