Description

This Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date reference 18238 in 18k yellow gold, presents the maximum-specification diamond configuration available on this reference: a factory full pavé diamond dial and a factory diamond-set bezel, both confirmed as original Rolex production. The day aperture at 12 o’clock displays the days of the week in Chinese characters, a rare and specifically sought variant that was produced in limited numbers for markets across Asia and for collectors worldwide who required this distinctive presentation. The President bracelet is original, the condition is excellent throughout, and the calibre 3155 Double Quickset automatic movement runs with the precision Rolex built into this generation of President. This is the 18238 at its most spectacular, and its rarest.

Reference 18238 – The Modern President at Its Peak

The Rolex Day-Date reference 18238 was produced from the late 1980s through the 1990s, succeeding the ref. 18038 and introducing the Calibre 3155 with its Double Quickset function, allowing independent rapid adjustment of both the day and date complications for the first time. In every other respect, it retained the architecture that had made the Day-Date the most prestigious watch in the world: the 36mm Oyster case crafted entirely from 18k yellow gold, the signature three-link President bracelet with its semi-circular links and concealed Crownclasp, and the sapphire crystal with Cyclops magnifier over the date window.

The 18238 was offered across an extraordinary range of dial and bezel configurations, from the entry-level fluted bezel with champagne baton dial to the full high-jewellery specification of pavé dial and diamond bezel. At the top of that hierarchy sits this example: factory diamonds on every surface that Rolex could set them, the bezel encircled with a single row of brilliant-cut diamonds, the dial is covered in a continuous pavé field that leaves no gold visible between the stones. It is a configuration that Rolex’s gem-setting workshops produced in relatively small numbers compared to standard dial variants, and one that collectors with the means to acquire the finest available example of the reference specifically seek.

Factory Diamonds – Why Provenance Matters

On no other reference is the distinction between factory and aftermarket diamonds more consequential than the Day-Date. The prevalence of aftermarket diamond conversions across the entire Datejust and Day-Date family means that many examples presented as “diamond dial” or “diamond bezel” carry stones that were added by third parties after the watch left Rolex’s workshops, typically set to a lower standard, in non-Rolex mounts, and without the quality control that Rolex applies to its own gem-setting. An aftermarket diamond Day-Date is worth a fraction of a factory example.

Both the pavé dial and the diamond bezel on this watch have been confirmed as factory original Rolex production. This confirmation is the single most important authentication point for this listing, and it underpins the watch’s value entirely. The diamonds are brilliant-cut, individually set in yellow gold pavé mounts across the full dial surface, with the Rolex signature, “Oyster Perpetual” text and “Day-Date” cartouche emerging from the field of stones as the only non-diamond elements visible on the dial face. The bezel stones are set in a single row of precisely matched brilliant-cut diamonds running the full circumference of the bezel, their sizes calibrated to maintain uniform visual weight around the circle.

The Chinese Day Wheel – A Rare and Specific Configuration

The day aperture on this watch displays the days of the week written in Chinese characters, a production variant that Rolex manufactured specifically for markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and mainland China, as well as for individual orders from collectors worldwide who preferred this presentation. Rolex produced Day-Date watches with day wheels in a range of languages, English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic and others, but the Chinese variant is among the more specifically requested and consequently among the rarer configurations to surface on the secondary market in any condition, let alone in the maximum diamond specification of this example.

For collectors in Chinese-speaking markets, the Chinese day wheel is often a deciding factor in acquisition. For international collectors, it represents an additional layer of rarity and specificity that distinguishes this example from the already uncommon full diamond configuration, a watch produced for a specific client community, in the finest available material specification, and preserved in excellent condition across three to four decades.

Calibre 3155 – Double Quickset

The movement inside this watch is the Rolex Calibre 3155: a 31-jewel automatic with the Double Quickset function that allows independent rapid setting of both the day and date, the Kif Paraflex shock absorber, and the Rolex-developed Microstella regulation system. Adjusted to five positions and temperature, it is a Superlative Chronometer certified to Rolex’s in-house standard of negative 2 to positive 2 seconds per day — approximately three times more accurate than the COSC standard required for the Officially Certified Chronometer designation. It is the movement that powers all 18238 examples and has proven over decades of production to be one of the most reliable automatic movements ever fitted to a dress watch.

Specifications

Brand: Rolex

Model: Oyster Perpetual Day-Date – Automatic

Reference: 18238

Year: circa late 1980s-1990s

Case material: 18k yellow gold

Case diameter: 36 mm

Bezel: Factory diamond-set bezel – single row brilliant-cut diamonds, confirmed original Rolex

Dial: Factory full pavé diamond dial – confirmed original Rolex; “Rolex / Oyster Perpetual / Day-Date” text within diamond field

Day wheel: Chinese characters

Hands: Gold hands

Bracelet: Original 18k yellow gold President bracelet with concealed Crownclasp

Movement: Automatic – Calibre 3155, 31 jewels, Double Quickset, Superlative Chronometer

Condition: Excellent condition with minimal wear

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