A Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust in stainless steel with a factory sodalite and diamond dial reference 16234 model. This is a very rare take on the classic Rolex Datejust watch from the brand’s y2k collection. When many were wondering if airlines would fall out of the sky and their 401k’s would turn to zero, Rolex was seeking out rare and precious stones to place into the dials of their watch offerings. This was not just limited to the 36mm cases of the Datejust and the Day Date – they also offered them in the smaller 26mm cases of the Datejust. This example features a sapphire crystal, which makes these models more durable and water resistant than their earlier plastic/acrylic siblings. With its classic dial offerings, the Datejust is easy to love; but with this stunning stone dial (set with Rolex selected diamonds), it becomes something that is highly covetable.
Rolex selected a number of different hard stones to adorn their cases: coral, tigers eye, malachite, lapis and, in this case, the sodalite. These dials are very eye-catching, adding an extra-special something to the beauty of these iconic watches. This is a non luminous dial as was common with the majority of stone dials. The white gold hands also have no space for the luminous material. The white printing on the dial stands out beautifully from the mottled blue. “Swiss Made” marks the base of the dial, which is non-luminous with matching non-luminous solid 18K white gold hands. Being that the hours are marked with diamonds, set in white gold surrounds, there is also no place for luminous plots here. The dial is all original and remains untouched in perfect condition, which, sadly, is not always the case with many other stone dials. So fine is the cutting of the stone for the dials that excessive wear – or careless watch makers – can result in hairline cracking. So, it is highly important that they are checked and remain in perfect condition.
The watch was made circa 2000 with serial number P953XXX The case is in excellent condition throughout and appears to have never been polished. This is a “no holes” case, meaning that the lug holes are not drilled and exposed from the sides, making for a cleaner finish. The original Jubilee link bracelet is in excellent condition with very little sag, and no heavy scratching to the deployant buckle. This watch is presented with its original Rolex plastic tag with serial number sticker and wax seal tag. Sadly, however, the original warranty paperwork has been separated from this group.
This watch really is a fine and very rare example of the classic Rolex Datejust and is increasingly hard to find today. Not to mention, the stone selected for this case is particularly special. This is a piece for someone who wants something classic in design but with an extra special added detail. The sodalite stone dials are also interesting in that they only ever came in white cases. Either white gold or stainless steel and white gold. They never appeared in yellow gold cases. Along with this, according to the hue of the stone and the particular striations, either white or black printing was chosen. That makes this version of the stone dial Rolex watches quite interesting.
