THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: ROLEX
MODEL: 1603
YEAR: 1965
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 36mm
CASE MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
BRACELET MATERIAL: STAINLESS STEEL
MOVEMENT: AUTOMATIC

First introduced in 1959, the 16xx range of Datejusts was a Rolex staple for over twenty years, eventually being retired in 1981. While the overall design of these watches remained relatively unchanged throughout its lifespan, Rolex introduced many variations with different dials and subtle design tweaks, giving each piece its own character and making them extremely fun to collect.

What we have here is an early example of the 1603. The steel case with engine-turned bezel gives us the most classic Datejust look. However, what separates this watch from other 1603s is that it comes with an extremely rare "doorstop dial" and "alpha hands"—the 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock markers are three-dimensional wedge shapes resembling doorstops.

This 60-year-old watch is in outstanding condition: the dial has gained an attractive creamy patina over the years, and the lume on both the dial and hands remains completely intact, having also developed a creamy hue. The case is extremely full and sharp, and the original full-link folded Jubilee bracelet has negligible stretch.

The movement came to us in great health, running at +2 s/d, 285 amps, with a beat error of just 0.2 ms. The devil's in the details with these 4-digit Datejusts—and this is one of the ultimate “look closer” watches.