The Rolex Datejust may, in a sense, be the perfect watch. The archetypical watch. The watch you steel off the wrist of your grandfather without feeling all that badly about it.
Featuring an in-house Rolex movement with date that turns over exactly at midnight and the iconic Jubilee bracelet (or, in its more modern guise, occasionally an Oyster bracelet), the Datejust is simple, well proportioned, handsome and versatile — you can take the bracelet off and throw it on any number of aftermarket straps to dress it up or down, and it’ll still look killer.
Check out the three different examples of pre-owned Datejusts below, from vintage through modern, to get a taste of the aesthetic (and be sure to read our exhaustive guide to the model).
Datejust 1601 “Linen” Dial
What We Like:
Though the ref. 4467 is the first Datejust from 1945, it’s the 16XX series that has become perhaps the most well known reference. This example has a beautiful “linen” pie-pan dial with tritium markers and a white gold fluted bezel, a 36mm steel case, and a matching Jubilee bracelet. Dating from the late 1970s, it’s guaranteed to never go out of style.
From the Seller: This watch is in overall very good condition for its age. The linen dial is clean, has some blemishes around the edge. The case doesn’t seem to have been polished heavily, scratches from everyday wear can be seen.
