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Rolex Day-Date 36
Ref. 1803/8
The Day-Date arrived in 1956 as the first watch to show the day of the week spelled out in full, and the 1803 generation — running through the 1960s and into the 1970s — is where that idea settled into its most considered form. The "/8" suffix marks this example as solid 18ct yellow gold throughout, case and all, which gives the champagne dial a warmth that plated versions simply cannot match. What distinguishes the 1803 from later Day-Dates is the pie-pan dial: the outer chapter ring slopes downward at a shallow angle, so the dial has a subtle concavity that gathers light differently from the centre outward. Under the domed acrylic crystal, which deepens that effect further, the result reads as a quiet complexity rather than surface glitter. The calibre 1556 inside runs at 19,800 bph — a lower beat than anything Rolex produces today — and setting the day and date means turning the hands past midnight, as there is no quickset. That is a small tax on a movement with a 44-hour reserve and a reputation, across half a century of examples, for running without complaint. Any tritium plots on a dial of this age will have aged to a warm cream, which sits in easy harmony with the gold and champagne — a patina that factory dials cannot reproduce and that locates the watch precisely in the period it came from.
- Reference
- 1803/8
- Brand
- Rolex
- Collection
- Day-Date
- Case size
- 36mm
- Case thickness
- 12mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Gold
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Grey
- Crystal
- Acrylic
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 1556
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 50m
- Strap colour
- Gold
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Vintage
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 44mm
- Power reserve
- 44 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
Learn more about Rolex
Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf & Davis in London in 1905 with his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, importing Swiss movements and casing them in England. He registered the name Rolex in 1908 — short, pronounceable in any language, and easy to fit on a dial.
Wilsdorf's conviction was that the wristwatch, then regarded as a woman's ornament and hopelessly fragile, could be made accurate and durable. He proved the first half in 1910 by obtaining the first chronometer certification for a wristwatch, and the second in 1926 with the Oyster case, sealed by a screw-down crown and caseback. Mercedes Gleitze swam the Channel wearing one in 1927, and Wilsdorf bought the front page of the Daily Mail to say so — arguably the first modern watch marketing campaign.
The Perpetual rotor followed in 1931, giving automatic winding in a form the whole industry eventually copied. The company relocated to Geneva during the First World War to escape British wartime duties.
The professional models arrived in a compressed burst in the 1950s: Submariner, Explorer, GMT-Master, Milgauss, and later the Daytona. Each was built for a specific job — diving, exploration, aviation, laboratory work, racing — and each became a design template.
Wilsdorf left his shares to a private foundation on his death, so Rolex answers to no shareholders. It remains the largest producer of certified chronometers in Switzerland by a wide margin.
- 1905
- Hans Wilsdorf founds Wilsdorf & Davis in London.
- 1908
- The Rolex name is registered.
- 1926
- The Oyster case introduces genuine water resistance.
- 1931
- The Perpetual rotor brings modern automatic winding.
- 1953
- The Submariner and Explorer launch.
- 1963
- The Cosmograph Daytona arrives.
Also in 7 collections
This watch appears in the Rolex Day-Date range (9), Watches Under 37mm (1,793), Automatic Watches (1,742), Gold Watches (706), Dress Watches (555), Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (318) and Champagne & Cream Dial Watches (191).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 36mm suits most wrists
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 50m suits rain and handwashing, not swimming
- Acrylic crystal marks easily, though it polishes out
Rolex Day-Date 36 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 1803/8 | 15450ST.OO.1256ST.03 | 7300/1200R-001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £37,950 | £37,950 | £43,550 |
| Case size | 36mm | 37mm | 36mm |
| Water resistance | 50m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | — | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet |
| Power reserve | 44 hours | 60 hours | 45 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Showering yes, swimming no. 50m covers splashes and brief immersion, but a swimming stroke generates well above the pressure that figure describes.
Will the glass scratch?
Yes, but it polishes out. Acrylic marks easily and a scratch can be buffed away at home, which is why vintage-style watches still use it.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 44 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 44mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's, though at 36mm it sits in the range that suits anyone.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £37,950. There is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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