Vintage 1981 Rolex Day-Date 18038 18K Yellow Gold Champagne Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Definitive Yellow Gold Rolex This 1981 example is the quintessential Day-Date.
Vintage 1980s Wrist Watches
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1981 Rolex Day-Date 18038 18K Yellow Gold Champagne Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Definitive Yellow Gold Rolex This 1981 example is the quintessential Day-Date.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Yellow Gold Day-Date Oyster Perpetual self-winding Wristwatch, circa 1981
By Rolex
Located in Firenze, IT
Oyster Perpetual "Day-Date," Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified, case No. 6582183, Ref. 18038. Made circa 1981. Fine, center seconds, self-winding, water-resistant, 18K ye...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex Day-Date 36mm Yellow Gold Watch, Oxblood Stella Dial 18038, Circa 1981
By Rolex
Located in Mayfair, London, London
A rare yellow gold Day-Date by Rolex. Featuring the highly collectable Oxblood Stella dial which is complemented by a fixed fluted yellow gold bezel. The piece is fitted with a sapp...
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Rolex President Day Date Yellow Gold with Diamond Bezel and Dial
By Rolex
Located in Chicago, IL
Circa 1981 Gents Rolex Day date Presidential, Reference 18038, 36 M.M 18K yellow Gold Case, Caliber 3055 Automatic Self Winding movement, Day and Date windows with single Quick set d...
Diamond, 18k Gold
Rolex President Day Date 18038 Wood Dial Walnut Dial 18K Yellow Gold 36mm
By Rolex
Located in San Diego, CA
Style Number: 18038 Year: 1981 Model: Rolex President Day Date Case Material: 18K Yellow Gold Band: 18K Yellow Gold Bezel: 18K Yellow Gold Dial: Factory ...
Rolex Yellow Gold Tiger's Eye Day Date President Wristwatch Ref 18038 1981
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
A great looking man’s 18K Rolex Day Date President ref 18038 serial# 7.0 million circa 1981 with beautiful factory Tiger’s Eye dial.
18k Gold
Rolex Yellow Gold Day Date President self-winding wristwatch Ref 18038, c 1981
By Rolex
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Rolex ref# 18038 18K YG Day Date President serial# 6.6 million circa 1981.
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1971 Rolex Datejust 1601 Two-Tone Champagne Linen Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Rolex The reference 1601 is the quintessential vintage Datejust. Produced from the late 1950s through the late 1970s, it defined the modern dress watch with a combi...
14k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage Rolex Day Date Ref 18038 80s Champagne Dial 18K Yellow Gold 36mm Case.
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
Here's a vintage Rolex Day Date reference 18038 automatic (single quick) with a champagne sunburst dial in 18K yellow gold from the 1980s. Measurements include a 36mm case, 20mm lug ...
Yellow Gold
Vintage 1987 Rolex Datejust 16013 Two-Tone Champagne Linen Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Two-Tone Rolex The Datejust is the reference that defined the modern wristwatch. For decades, the two-tone 16013 was the benchmark for a watch that could move betwe...
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1979 Rolex Datejust 16013 Two-Tone Champagne Roman Dial Automatic 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Two-Tone Rolex The Datejust is the watch that defined the modern dress watch, and the reference 16013 is a cornerstone of its history. Produced from the late 1970s ...
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1971 Rolex Datejust 1601 Two-Tone Champagne Stick Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Rolex The Datejust is the watch that defined the modern era for Rolex. First released in 1945, it established the template for a robust, everyday dress watch that t...
14k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1984 Rolex Datejust 16013 Two-Tone Champagne Dial Automatic 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Blueprint For The Modern Dress Watch The Datejust is the watch that defined the category. It established the template for a reliable, automatic, water-resistant watch with a dat...
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1976 Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 1503 14K YG Champagne Dial Auto 34mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundation In Solid Gold The Oyster Perpetual Date is a direct descendant of the watches that built Rolex. It combines the brand's two foundational technologies, the waterproof ...
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1984 Rolex Datejust 16013 Two-Tone Champagne Tapestry Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Two-Tone Rolex The Datejust is the benchmark against which all other daily watches are measured. The reference 16013 defined the two-tone aesthetic for a generation...
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1974 Rolex Datejust 1601 Two-Tone Champagne Linen Dial Automatic 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Rolex The Datejust is the watch that defined the modern wristwatch. Introduced in 1945, it was the first automatic chronometer to feature a date window that changed...
14k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1978 Rolex Datejust 1601 Two-Tone Champagne Dial Automatic 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Two-Tone Watch The Rolex Datejust is the benchmark. First released in 1945, it set the standard for a modern dress watch with its automatic movement and date functi...
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1979 Rolex Date 1503 14K YG Champagne Dial Auto 34mm Head Only
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Oyster you may not have heard of before The reference 1503 occupies a unique space in the Rolex archive that many collectors overlook. While the 18K gold Day-Date and Datejust ...
14k Gold
Vintage 1980 Rolex Datejust 16013 Two-Tone Champagne Tapestry Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Rolex, With A Twist The two-tone Datejust is the watch that defines Rolex for millions of people. It is the core of their catalog and the standard by which all othe...
Yellow Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1969 Rolex Datejust 1601 18K Yellow Gold Mocha Stick Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Gold Standard Of Its Era The reference 1601 is a cornerstone of any vintage Rolex collection, but the solid 18K yellow gold 1601 elevates the watch to a different level. Produce...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1973 Rolex Datejust 1601 Two-Tone Champagne Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Foundational Rolex The Datejust is the watch that defined the modern Rolex catalog. Introduced in 1945, it set the standard for a practical yet refined daily watch by combining ...
18k Gold, Stainless Steel
Vintage 1969 Rolex Day-Date 1803 18K Yellow Gold Champagne Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Definitive Statement Watch The Day-Date has been Rolex's flagship model since its introduction in 1956, and for good reason. It was the first watch to display both the day and d...
18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Vintage 1984 Rolex Day-Date 18038 18K YG Champagne Dial Auto 36mm
By Rolex
Located in New York, NY
The Perfect Transitional Day-Date The reference 18038 marks a pivotal moment for the Rolex Day-Date. Produced from 1977 to 1988, it was the first to feature a sapphire crystal and t...
18k Gold
While the rise in popularity of vintage Rolex watches is of no surprise to aficionados, collectors and industry experts, when it comes to contemporary luxury wristwatches, Rolex is also often the first brand that springs to mind. Not only is the company revered for its precision timekeeping and impeccable craftsmanship, but its name was designed to be memorable.
Rolex's enviable worldwide recognition can be credited in part to the genius of company founder Hans Wilsdorf. When the German-born watch dealer and his brother-in-law, Alfred Davis, set up their London enterprise, in 1905, they called it Wilsdorf & Davis, according to the traditional formula.
But Wilsdorf was determined to come up with another name that was short, would look good on a watch dial and was easy to say and remember in several languages. In 1908, he trademarked the name Rolex, and by 1920, he had moved the company to Geneva and redubbed it as Montres Rolex S.A.
But the main reasons for the brand’s success are its aforementioned commitment to precision and unflagging pursuit of innovation. In 1926, the company introduced the aptly named Oyster model. With a screw-down crown and case back, both fitted with rubber gaskets, this was the first truly waterproof watch.
Five years later, Rolex upped the ante with the Oyster Perpetual. That model’s patented Perpetual movement contained a rotor mechanism enabling it to self-wind. In another trendsetting move, in 1945, the brand debuted the Datejust, with a date window prominently displayed on the dial.
The company’s two most iconic models are sports watches. Although the Submariner, which debuted in 1953, was developed as a dive watch, its waterproof case, solid construction and good looks made it a favorite of adventurers and urbanites alike, including James Bond, who wore it in classics like Dr. No and Goldfinger. The Daytona, the racing chronograph made famous by Paul Newman, is especially sought after by collectors. Newman’s personal Daytona, which hit the auction block in 2017, sold for $17.8 million.
Find vintage Rolex watches, bracelets and more on 1stDibs.
Antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches have captured the hearts and minds of all manner of watch collectors as well as the watchmakers themselves — it's time you found your own.
Certain vintage watches for men and iconic watch designs for women are sought after not only because of their graceful proportions or innovative materials but also because of the illustrious histories of the houses that created them, histories that they stylishly embody.
Bulgari’s legendary Serpenti watch was on everyone’s list after the collection’s bold bracelet, which technically debuted after the timepiece, graced the wrist of actress Elizabeth Taylor. If anything, elaborately crafted timepieces — the unmistakably boxy silhouette of Cartier Tank watches, the elegant and minimal Calatrava designed by legendary Swiss house Patek Philippe — are even more effective than the shape we associate with traditional wristwatches.
Form watches — the all-encompassing moniker bestowed upon non-round watches — are making headlines and completing contemporary fashionable ensembles the world over. At the same time, both casual fans and careful collectors are drawn to the unbeatable charm of vintage styles, such as the icons designed by Omega that even James Bond can’t resist.
In the early days of watchmaking, watches were fragile enough that they necessitated protection from the elements. Now, wristwatches made of gold and steel can withstand the harshest climates — even 100 meters underwater, in the case of Rolex’s Submariner. Designer Gérald Genta, whose range of clients included Rolex, created for Audemars Piguet the first luxury sports timepiece to be made from stainless steel. First introduced in 1972, the Royal Oak was a perfect choice for blending the form and function that are now synonymous with sports watches.
Are you shopping for a wristwatch? It’s good to keep your needs as well as your specific personal style in mind: A smaller, subtle timepiece is a good fit for small wrists. When will you be wearing your new accessory? There’s a versatile model out there for everyday wear, while a rugged, feature-heavy watch is a safe bet if you’re prone to embarking on all-weather activities in the great outdoors.
Find antique, vintage and luxury wristwatches for sale on 1stDibs.
A fresh palette of dial colors and technological advances have elevated this classic watch model.
The watch has transformed several times over, but it’s still undeniably a classic.
This is perhaps the least subtle version of the Submariner.
If you think this looks like the Rolex Kermit, you're correct.
This model was designed for lefties.
Learn the devious techniques that counterfeiters use to sell inauthentic pieces at authentic prices. Of course, you don't have to worry about that on 1stDibs, where every seller of Rolex watches is highly vetted.
From understanding the models to choosing among vintage, pre-owned and new watches, here’s our expert advice on finding the best Rolex for you.
As the cache goes on display at London’s Design Museum, we speak to its enigmatic owner about some of his rarest acquisitions.