Rolex

Introduced in 1956, the Rolex Day-Date quickly established itself as one of the manufacture’s defining creations. Debuting with the now-iconic President bracelet, a fluted bezel, and the classic 36 mm Oyster case, the model was the first wristwatch to display both the date and the day of the week spelled out in full—an innovation that set a new benchmark for calendar wristwatches.

Its association with global leadership soon followed. President Lyndon B. Johnson was the first U.S. president known to wear the Day-Date while in office, prompting Rolex to lean into the connection with an advertisement describing it as the “President’s watch.” The nickname took hold, and the Day-Date has remained closely linked to influential figures across politics, business, and culture ever since.

Among the early references, the 1803 occupies a particularly important place. Fitted with an acrylic crystal and powered by the calibre 1500-series movement, it marked a notable step forward from earlier Day-Date models that relied on outsourced calibres. The adoption of the new movement family allowed for a slimmer, more refined profile, contributing to the elegant proportions that have made the 1803 one of the most enduring and collectible iterations of the Day-Date lineage.