Rolex Datejust "Sigma"

The reference 1601 sits at the heart of the Datejust story. Produced from the late 1950s into the late 1970s, it defined the everyday Rolex for an entire generation. A steel case with a white gold fluted bezel made it the quiet workhorse of the catalogue, formal enough for the boardroom yet robust enough to live on the wrist for decades. This particular example carries a sigma dial: the small Greek letters flanking SWISS indicate precious-metal indices and place production firmly in the mid-1970s, a detail collectors actively seek out.

The silver dial is set with applied onyx baton indices and matching hands, an unusually graphic reading of the otherwise restrained Datejust face. The fluted bezel and signed crown sit above a 36mm steel case, with the date at three read through the cyclops. The watch is presented on its original folded-link Jubilee bracelet with a Rolex folding deployant clasp, driven by the automatic calibre 1575.

The Jubilee bracelet shows the stretch typical of folded links worn over decades, together with light surface marks on the centre links from a watch that was worn rather than stored away. Accompanied by its original Rolex box. The case shows minor signs of wear consistent with regular use.