Glossy Black Gilt Dial
Datejust 1601 — Glossy Black Gilt Dial
Early glossy black lacquer dial with gilt printing, from before Rolex switched to tritium. Fragile and prone to cracking, so soon replaced. Examples: yellow gold c. 1963 with spade numerals and sword hands (Phillips, case 937,768); two-tone c. 1966 (Antiquorum); steel c. 1968 (Sotheby’s).
Case suffixes (per Wristler): /4 steel with white-gold bezel, /3 steel and yellow gold, /8 yellow gold, /9 white gold, /5 rose gold.
Identifying details
Variants of 1601
Reference overview →| Variant | Production |
|---|---|
| Pie-Pan Dial, Luminous Plots | Undated |
| Glossy Black Gilt DialCurrent | Undated |
| Glossy Black Gilt Dial · Tropical | Undated |
| Linen Dial | Undated |
Case & movement
- Reference
- 1601
- Production
- Undated
- Case diameter
- 36 mm
- Water resistance
- 100 m
- Crystal
- Acrylic with Cyclops lens
- Movement
- Automatic
- Chronometer
- Yes
- Date
- Yes
More specifications (1)
- Caliber
Movement
Rolex 1560
Added KIF shock protection and a free-sprung hairspring. The Submariner chronometer caliber through the late gilt and early era.