has anyone ever seen this day date reference, 18118? need advice...

[BarkMaster]

Originally Posted by sapphire65

yes, I have taken the leather strap off. the reference is 18118.

Please do this again and take pics of both the serial # and ref #.

[freefly]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

I think all on this thread believe this to be a nice looking watch, we are only questioning the reference number?

And what about the "T" marked dial? Isn't that supposed to indicate tritium lume? I don't see any dots at the end of those sticks...

[BarkMaster]

Originally Posted by 777

<snip>
Here's my concern: were there champagne stick dials from that period that are like this one in that it doesn't have the little white dots at the end of the sticks? All the ones I've seen do, but I admittedly have not seen that many and I am by no mean experienced in such matters....

Originally Posted by freefly

And what about the "T" marked dial? Isn't that supposed to indicate tritium lume? I don't see any dots at the end of those sticks...

I guess that is what I meant!

[freefly]

Originally Posted by 777

I guess that is what I meant!

Doh! I missed the last part of your previous post.

[BarkMaster]

Originally Posted by freefly

Doh! I missed the last part of your previous post.

Maybe so, but you said it WAY better!!!

[sapphire65]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Looks like we're not going to see one.

Idle Swede and 777- I will take this watch out of the bank today and post
pictures that will show the reference number between the lugs. I lost my
internet connection last night and could not continue the discussion...

Thanks for trying to help!

sapphire65

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by sapphire65

Idle Swede and 777- I will take this watch out of the bank today and post
pictures that will show the reference number between the lugs. I lost my
internet connection last night and could not continue the discussion...

Thanks for trying to help!

sapphire65

Looking forward to see them.

[sapphire65]

Originally Posted by 777

Are you going to have it opened and peek inside?

Here are pictures that show the reference number and the serial number.

I did have the back off, when I bought it, and the movement is a single-quick 3055.

This should be consistent with the year it was made, around 1980.

regards,

sapphire65

[Idle Swede]

Great pictures sapphire.

Thanks for posting them.

[sapphire65]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Great pictures sapphire.

Thanks for posting them.

It took awhile, but the macro nailed it.

What do you think?

sapphire65

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by sapphire65

Here are pictures that show the reference number and the serial number.

I did have the back off, when I bought it, and the movement is a single-quick 3055.

This should be consistent with the year it was made, around 1980.

regards,

sapphire65

That serial no. dates back to around 1980-1981.

My very first Rolex was a TT DJ and the serial no. was 6308050 purchased brand new in Oct. 1980 from an AD.

JJ

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by sapphire65

It took awhile, but the macro nailed it.

What do you think?

sapphire65

I think it looks perfectly legit specially since you've checked the movement as well.

What puzzles me though is that I can't find any info regarding the ref #.

[freefly]

* No "Original/Registered Rolex Design" case-lug printing for that vintage?

* Any explanation for the no-lume "T" dial?

[Idle Swede]

It bothered me not knowing about this ref # so I decided to send my good friend LarryK in NY, (Who BTW is a living legend when it comes to DD's) an e-mail asking about it.

I figured if he doesn't know about this ref # then it doesn't exist.

I'll just paste his reply here, (with his permission) including a picture belonging to Christian.

Thanks Larry.


"Hi Pal:

Let me start from the beginning ...........

The 1811 was a "moiré " patterned version of a non-quick Day Date.
Not the Morellis finish - just a rough sort of randon finishon the lugs,
bezel, and center links- The Morellis had tiny lines in it- the "moiré "
finish was more just engraved random swirled dots.

18118 is the same watch in single quickset. When Rolex changed to
the 5 digit serial on the Day Date, they used the old four digit numbers
and just added the "8" on the end to signify 18k Gold- so, the regular
1803 became the 18038, diamond bezel 1804 became the 18048,
the Bark 1807 became the 18078, and so on.

Here is a "moiré " patterned 1811 that Christian shoved on VRF a few years ago....

http://www.fototime.com/%7BAD86D712-...gpict/1811.jpg

I have seen an 18118 in person on 47th street, the number is correct.
The watch was made in the late 1970's to the early 1980's.


BTW- The one "Sapphire65" shows on TRF had the finish removed from
the lugs.
It was polished off :)


Hope to see you again soon my friend!

Warm Regards
LarryK "

[BarkMaster]

http://www.fototime.com/%7BAD86D712-...gpict/1811.jpg

O M G

And I thought I liked bark!!

[jeff hess]

Originally Posted by sapphire65

Here are pictures that show the reference number and the serial number.

I did have the back off, when I bought it, and the movement is a single-quick 3055.

This should be consistent with the year it was made, around 1980.

regards,

sapphire65

----------

That is the EXACT watch I was offered about a year ago! I swore it was correct but let a good friend (and an "expert on this board whom I asked about it) talk me out of it. Both said it was fake. I still felt it was right though and I guess I should have followed my sixth sense!

Jeff

Can I ask where you bought it?

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by jeff hess

----------

That is the EXACT watch I was offered about a year ago! I swore it was correct but let a good friend (and an "expert on this board whom I asked about it) talk me out of it. Both said it was fake. I still felt it was right though and I guess I should have followed my sixth sense!

Jeff

Can I ask where you bought it?

You should have asked Larry, he's the only expert I trust when it comes to DD's.

What was the asking price for it Jeff?

[jeff hess]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

It bothered me not knowing about this ref # so I decided to send my good friend LarryK in NY, (Who BTW is a living legend when it comes to DD's) an e-mail asking about it.

I figured if he doesn't know about this ref # then it doesn't exist.

I'll just paste his reply here, (with his permission) including a picture belonging to Christian.

Thanks Larry.


"Hi Pal:

Let me start from the beginning ...........

The 1811 was a "moiré " patterned version of a non-quick Day Date.
Not the Morellis finish - just a rough sort of randon finishon the lugs,
bezel, and center links- The Morellis had tiny lines in it- the "moiré "
finish was more just engraved random swirled dots.

18118 is the same watch in single quickset. When Rolex changed to
the 5 digit serial on the Day Date, they used the old four digit numbers
and just added the "8" on the end to signify 18k Gold- so, the regular
1803 became the 18038, diamond bezel 1804 became the 18048,
the Bark 1807 became the 18078, and so on.

Here is a "moiré " patterned 1811 that Christian shoved on VRF a few years ago....

http://www.fototime.com/%7BAD86D712-...gpict/1811.jpg

I have seen an 18118 in person on 47th street, the number is correct.
The watch was made in the late 1970's to the early 1980's.


BTW- The one "Sapphire65" shows on TRF had the finish removed from
the lugs.
It was polished off :)


Hope to see you again soon my friend!

Warm Regards
LarryK "

--------------

Oh great. Now I get it... I searched and searched the web, auction catalogues and every book I could find for that reference number! When I search for Moire on teh net I DO FIND a couple of references....but they put a slash mark after the first four number! doh!

This has to be one of the rarest day-dates on the planet.

Hey Sapphire, wanna sell it???

Jeff

[jeff hess]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

You should have asked Larry, he's the only expert I trust when it comes to DD's.

What was the asking price for it Jeff?

----------

Well, cr*p. I usually do not ask for advice and trust my own research.

To top it off, I always err on the side of a watch being correct when it looks correct even when the "experts" diss it. As you saw on this board, several said the ref number did not exist. (Any comments Springer? (just kidding)

And to really top it off, it was offered to me for 3k. Freaking 3k.

This watch must be worth a small fortune as they must have made very very few of them.

Swede, any idea of how many?

Jeff (dang)

As I said in an earlier post, one should never say never in the world of research. Rolex made a lot of watches that never caught on and therfore few exist. And Rolex, especially in the early years would mix and match jsut about anything to sell a watch. So those who say "never" are, as a friend once told me "intellectually lazy". (and boy do I feel dumb...)

[Idle Swede]

No idea Jeff, I think I read in your book that they never tell.

Hey Larry, chime in.

[onkyo]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

It bothered me not knowing about this ref # so I decided to send my good friend LarryK in NY, (Who BTW is a living legend when it comes to DD's) an e-mail asking about it.

I figured if he doesn't know about this ref # then it doesn't exist.

I'll just paste his reply here, (with his permission) including a picture belonging to Christian.

Thanks Larry.


"Hi Pal:

Let me start from the beginning ...........

The 1811 was a "moiré " patterned version of a non-quick Day Date.
Not the Morellis finish - just a rough sort of randon finishon the lugs,
bezel, and center links- The Morellis had tiny lines in it- the "moiré "
finish was more just engraved random swirled dots.

18118 is the same watch in single quickset. When Rolex changed to
the 5 digit serial on the Day Date, they used the old four digit numbers
and just added the "8" on the end to signify 18k Gold- so, the regular
1803 became the 18038, diamond bezel 1804 became the 18048,
the Bark 1807 became the 18078, and so on.

Here is a "moiré " patterned 1811 that Christian shoved on VRF a few years ago....

http://www.fototime.com/%7BAD86D712-...gpict/1811.jpg

I have seen an 18118 in person on 47th street, the number is correct.
The watch was made in the late 1970's to the early 1980's.


BTW- The one "Sapphire65" shows on TRF had the finish removed from
the lugs.
It was polished off :)


Hope to see you again soon my friend!

Warm Regards
LarryK "

Great info from a great local guy!!

Thanks for posting Swede!

ps.... this is all new to me.

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by onkyo

Great info from a great local guy!!

Thanks for posting Swede!

ps.... this is all new to me.

Don't feel bad Pav, it was all new to all of us.


BTW, you can call me by my first name.........Mr.

[Wolfgang427]

I had one of these back in 83. The hard part is finding one thats not altered with the matching bracelet. Even back then it was a tough sell and many were modernized (ex; Polished lugs and replaced bezel and bracelet ala regular President).

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

BTW, you can call me by my first name.........Mr.

Sure!! How the hell are you, Mr. BT??!!

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Sure!! How the hell are you, Mr. BT??!!

Hey MT, are you feeling better?

[LarryK]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

No idea Jeff, I think I read in your book that they never tell.

Hey Larry, chime in.

But with Rolex, you never know for sure

I have seen 2 or 3 1811's and 18118's in the last 15
years, and I am always on the lookout for odd Day Dates.

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by LarryK

But with Rolex, you never know for sure

I have seen 2 or 3 1811's and 18118's in the last 15
years, and I am always on the lookout for odd Day Dates.

I know Larry, I was just teasing Jeff.

Thanks again for helping us amateurs with this mystery.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Hey MT, are you feeling better?

Thanks for asking, Leo. It's been exactly 2 weeks since the Shingles attack; but I'm feeling better now. The Herpes has not gone yet.........some of them are beginning to turn into scabs and itching like hell, but there's still some pain as this has to do with the nerves.

JJ

[jeff hess]

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

I know Larry, I was just teasing Jeff.

Thanks again for helping us amateurs with this mystery.

-----------

Thanks is correct!


And thanks Swede for rubbing it in...

Jeff

[Idle Swede]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Thanks for asking, Leo. It's been exactly 2 weeks since the Shingles attack; but I'm feeling better now. The Herpes has not gone yet.........some of them are beginning to turn into scabs and itching like hell, but there's still some pain as this has to do with the nerves.

JJ

And your wife still believes you got it from a public bath room?