Rolex Datejust Pink Gold

Why We Love It “This is gold, Mr. Bond.” The Reference 1601 Datejust, which ran from the 1960s to the 1970s, is many collectors’ go-to Datejust, for its clean lines and elegant simplicity. But it’s most often seen in steel, or in a mixture of stainless steel and gold. And rarely—very, very rarely—it’s seen in pure 18k gold. Such is the case with this particular 1601. In our five years of business we’ve come across one other like it. Dating from 1972, this is a collector grade piece if we’ve ever seen one. The gold gives the Oyster case, though still as sturdy as ever, an extra presence on the wrist. The black dial is a deep pool of mystery that draws the eye right in. It’s so easy to get lost in it. The Story The Datejust is the linchpin of Rolex’s vintage watch collection, forming a bridge between its sports watches like the Submariner and dressier watches like the Cellini (and, yes, the Day-Date). Since 1945 it’s been the most Rolex of Rolexes, beloved of generals, presidents, and prime ministers. The stainless steel variants, such as the Reference 1601 dating from the 1960s to 1970s, are perennial favorites of collectors, able to be worn in any environment with just a change of clothes. And yet Rolex has always experimented with the Datejust… and has always offered it in gold.  In fact, upon the debut of the Datejust Reference 4467 in 1945, it was only offered in 18k gold. It wasn’t until the 1950s that Rolex started offering it in stainless steel. So that means that, alongside the presidential Day-Date, Rolex offered solid-gold Datejusts as less expensive—but no less refined—dress watches.