Rolex Lady-Datejust

Sodalite is a mineral with royal blue varieties widely used as a decorative gemstone. And here, we see it used as a dial for a Rolex Lady-Datejust! Sodalite is said to have calming properties, while also bringing order to the mind, self confidence to the spirit, and good health to the body. If you’re the type to believe in the healing properties of crystals and stones, you may also like to know that Sodalite is associated with the Sagittarius zodiac sign. If you don’t believe in stuff like that (and you’re not a Sag), it’s still a beautiful piece. The bezel on this watch is made of 18K white gold, which is found also in the Jubilee bracelet rendered two-tone with the addition of stainless steel. Born in 2000, she’s a proper y2k baby.

THE BASICS

DATE OF BIRTH: 2000

MATERIAL: Steel and white gold jubilee bracelet, Sodalite stone dial with diamond markers 

SIZE: 26mm

MOVEMENT: Automatic

CONDITION: Very good, bracelet has light sag

BOX/PAPERS: Yes/no

THE NITTY GRITTY

A very rare take on the smallest Rolex watch from the brand’s y2k collection. When many were wondering if airlines would fall out of the sky and their 401k’s would turn to zero, Rolex was seeking out rare and precious stones to place into the dials of their watch offerings. This was not just limited to the 36mm cases of the Datejust and the Day Date – they also offered them in the smaller 26mm cases of the Datejust. This example features a sapphire crystal, which makes these just a little more durable and water resistant than their earlier plastic/acrylic siblings. With its classic dial offerings, the Datejust is easy to love; but with this stunning stone dial (set with Rolex selected diamonds), it becomes something that is highly covetable.

Rolex selected a number of different hard stones to adorn their cases: coral, tigers eye, malachite, lapis and, in this case, the sodalite. These dials are very eye-catching, adding an extra-special something to the beauty of these iconic watches. The luminous material used on the dial here is tritium (that was used up until the end of the 1990’s). The white printing on the dial stands out beautifully from the mottled blue. “Swiss Made” marks the base of the dial, which is non-luminous with matching non-luminous solid 18K white gold hands. Being that the hours are marked with diamonds, set in white gold surrounds, there is also no place for luminous plots here. The dial is all original and remains untouched in perfect condition, which, sadly, is not always the case with many other stone dials. So fine is the cutting of the stone for the dials that excessive wear – or careless watch makers – can result in hairline cracking. So, it is highly important that they are checked and remain in perfect condition.

The case is in excellent condition throughout and appears to have been lightly polished. This is a “no holes” case, meaning that the lug holes are not drilled and exposed from the sides, making for a cleaner finish. The original Jubilee link bracelet is in excellent condition with some sag, but with no heavy scratching to the deployant buckle. This watch is presented with its full outer box, interior box and all of the brochures. Sadly, however, the original warranty paperwork has been separated from this group. 

This watch really is a fine and very rare example of the classic entry size Rolex Datejust and is increasingly hard to find today. This is a piece for someone who wants something classic in design but with an extra special added detail.