Rolex Datejust, Stainless Steel Wristwatch, Ref. 1601, w/Original Box & Papers, Circa 1986 Rolex

Chances are if someone says the word “Rolex,” it’s a Datejust that pops into your mind’s eye. It’s a design that’s on-par with the Fender Stratocaster and the Porsche 911 as being nearly perfected at its inception, instantly recognizable, and timeless in all of its iterations. The Datejust is the ultimate do-it-all watch and while it’s considered the ideal starting place and a powerful gateway drug for many watch collectors, it’s also the undisputed king of the “one-watch-collection” concept: Elegant, sporty, iconic, and at home in any sartorial scenario.

With a ridiculously long production run that began in the late-1940s and continues today, the variation available within the Rolex Datejust form factor is incredible. It’s a watch that’s been rendered in steel, two-tone, and full gold, it’s had bezels crafted with several different designs, and it’s had dials made in many different colors using many different finishing materials and techniques. There’s a unique Datejust for every taste, and the stunning blue dials seen on this reference 16014, which was made around 1980, have become increasingly desirable.
This Datejust is in great condition, with a case that’s both sharp and thick and does not appear to have been polished in the past (and if it was, it was done extremely lightly). The rare blue dial is absolutely flawless, with no damage to speak of, and the original tritium lume that is present on both the dial and hands has aged to a stunning and highly collectible pumpkin color. The watch comes fitted on a Rolex Swiss 62510H Jubilee band, with 50 endlinks/550 endpieces, and shows only light stretch. This watch comes complete with its original box and warranty certificate, which when combined with its sharp case, blue dial, and pumpkin lume, puts it over-the-top as a Datejust with a lot of extra sauce.