CHF 150'000 .-

The present stainless steel Rolex Day-Date prototype is one of the rarest and most historically important Rolex Day-Date watches to ever surface on the collector market. While the Day-Date has always been produced exclusively in precious metals, a handful of stainless steel prototypes were manufactured internally by Rolex and never intended for commercial sale. To date, only a very small number of examples are known, with several having appeared at major auction houses such as Phillips over the last few years. Our example is powered by movement number DD193XXX, placing it amongst this fascinating group of experimental Day-Date watches. Like the other known prototypes, the watch bears no serial or reference number between the lugs, a characteristic repeatedly observed on documented Rolex prototypes and specifically noted on the steel Day-Date examples sold publicly.  One of the most interesting aspects of these watches is that they are not simply Day-Date movements housed in Datejust cases. While one could initially assume Rolex used a standard Datejust reference 1601 case, the larger Day-Date caliber does not fit inside a Datejust case. As a result, Rolex produced a dedicated steel case that is subtly thicker while retaining the classic Day-Date proportions. According to information gathered from known examples and former Rolex employees, these watches were used internally by Rolex during the development and testing phase of new movements and technical improvements. After retirement, many were reportedly gifted to the watchmakers who had worked on these projects, explaining why so few have survived and why most examples surfaced only decades later. The movement itself is equally fascinating. While engraved caliber 1555, it already incorporates the increased beat rate later found on the caliber 1556. Whereas a standard 1555 operates at 18,000 vibrations per hour, the present movement beats at 19,800 vibrations per hour, exactly matching the specification of the future 1556. Phillips documented a similar prototype Day-Date featuring the same transitional configuration, effectively making the movement itself a prototype. We believe this watch was likely produced around 1964, shortly before the official introduction of the caliber 1556. It therefore represents a unique snapshot of Rolex's research and development process during one of the most important periods in the evolution of the Day-Date. The dial is particularly noteworthy and differs from the few examples previously offered at auction. Like the other known steel prototypes, it features a silver dial with Roman numerals, black hands, black indexes, and an applied yellow gold Rolex coronet. However, unlike the dials seen on the Phillips examples, the lower Roman numerals on the present watch continue to follow the orientation of the dial rather than being reversed for easier reading. This subtle but important difference appears to make the dial unique among the currently documented examples. The tritium plots remain clearly visible and well preserved. The case appears to have never been polished, retaining strong original proportions. The watch is fitted with a Rolex Oyster bracelet reference 78360 with 558B endlinks and clasp code AD6. With perhaps only around ten examples ever produced and fewer than that known today, the present watch represents an extraordinary opportunity to acquire one of the most elusive and historically significant Rolex prototypes in existence. Combining a prototype steel Day-Date case, an experimental high-beat caliber 1555, a unique Roman numeral dial configuration, and direct links to Rolex's internal development programs, this is a true museum-level Rolex that offers a rare glimpse into the secretive world of Rolex research and development.

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