Description

A stunning Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date reference 1811 in 18k yellow gold, presented in excellent condition on its original President bracelet with tight links and minimal signs of wear. The reference 1811 is the rarest of the original Day-Date 1800 series, produced for a shorter period than any of its siblings, and distinguished by the handcrafted Morellis finish that covers both the bezel and the centre links of the President bracelet. This example adds a further layer of rarity: a factory champagne dial set with ten original Rolex diamonds, eight brilliant-cut round stones, and two baguette-cut diamonds at 6 and 9 o’clock, set in individual yellow gold mounts. The combination of Morellis finish and confirmed factory diamond dial on a tight, original bracelet in excellent condition represents the 1811 in the form most sought after by serious Day-Date collectors.

Reference 1811 – The Rarest Day-Date of the Original Series

When Rolex introduced the Day-Date in 1956, it established a system of reference numbers in which the last digit identified the bezel treatment. Reference 1803 wore the fluted bezel; 1804 the diamond bezel; 1802 the smooth bezel. The 1807 carried a tree-bark surface. The 1806 featured the textured linen Morellis finish on the bezel and lugs. And in 1966, the last of the original series, came the reference 1811, with Florentine crosshatch Morellis detailing extending across both the bezel and the centre links of the President bracelet, creating a unified textured composition across the entire watch.

The 1811 was manufactured for a shorter period than any of its sibling references, making it significantly rarer on the secondary market today. Where a well-preserved 1803 or 1802 surfaces with some regularity, an 1811 in excellent condition with its original bracelet intact is a find that Day-Date collectors wait years for. The Morellis or Moire finish, handcrafted by Rolex artisans and distinct from both the smooth and bark-finish variants, creates a tactile, visually complex surface that photographs differently in every light and reads as something between hammered metal and woven textile. It is not a stamped pattern. It was hand-applied, and no two examples are identical in precisely the same way.

The Morellis Finish – Handcrafted at Industrial Scale

The distinction between the Morellis finish and the bark finish that appears on other Day-Date references is one that confuses even experienced collectors at a glance, but becomes immediately clear under close inspection. The bark finish is a random, organic texture mimicking the surface of tree bark, irregular ridges and furrows applied without a repeating pattern. The Morellis finish is a structured crosshatch: a regular, geometric weave of fine lines applied in opposing directions, creating the effect of a textile or woven surface in solid gold.

What makes the Morellis finish on the 1811 particularly striking is that it covers not just the bezel but the centre links of the President bracelet, so the texture runs continuously from the top of the bezel, across the face of the watch, and down each side of the bracelet to the clasp. The result is a watch that reads as a single coherent object rather than a case fitted with a bracelet: the Morellis surface unifies case and bracelet into one composition, and the alternating brushed and textured surfaces of the outer links provide a visual counterpoint that gives the whole piece its depth and rhythm.

The Dial – Factory Diamonds on Champagne

The champagne pie-pan dial is the quintessential Day-Date configuration, warm in tone, shifting between pale gold and cream depending on the light, with the outer edge sloping gently downward in the characteristic profile that gives the dial its architectural depth. In this example, the hour positions are occupied by ten factory Rolex diamonds: eight brilliant-cut round stones at the even hour positions and two baguette-cut diamonds at 6 and 9 o’clock, their rectangular geometry providing a contrast in cut that gives the dial visual rhythm without introducing any visual clutter. The stones are set in individual yellow gold mounts and have been confirmed as factory original, not aftermarket replacements, which are common on Day-Date dials of this era and which lack both the setting quality and the collector value of genuine Rolex factory configuration.

The gold baton hands, day aperture at 12 o’clock, and date window at 3 are all original and in excellent condition. The acrylic crystal with the Cyclops magnifier is clear and unscratched.

Specifications

Brand: Rolex

Model: Oyster Perpetual Day-Date – Automatic

Reference: 1811

Year: circa 1966-1977

Case material: Gold-tone (18k yellow gold)

Case diameter: 36 mm Bezel: Morellis (Florentine crosshatch) textured yellow gold bezel

Dial: Champagne pie-pan dial with factory diamond hour markers (8 brilliant-cut round, 2 baguette at 6 and 9)

Hands: Gold baton hands

Bracelet: Original 18k yellow gold President bracelet with Morellis-finish centre links and Crownclasp

Movement: Automatic – Calibre 1555

Condition: Excellent condition with minimal wear; bracelet tight throughout

Accessories: Watch and original President bracelet only (no box or papers)

Warranty: 1 year warranty

Availability

This vintage day-date automatic watch is available through Vintage Times Amsterdam.

For further information or high-resolution images, please feel free to contact:

Vintage Times

Vintage Times Amsterdam is a small watch boutique who mainly deals online and with a select group of private collectors. We are constantly looking for rare vintage timepieces and try to present the best condition available. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact for more information about this watch or other timepieces from our collection. We ship worldwide and also welcome you for a visit at our office in Amsterdam.

Vintage Times

email: [email protected]

tel / app: +31 6 4 1111 044