My favorite entry point into vintage rolex - the 16030
When one finds themselves headfirst into the rabbit hole that is vintage Rolex, let alone vintage watches - they often crawl into the nest of vintage Datejusts first. Fueled by TikTok hype and cheap deals, it is an obvious and subjectively accessible entry point into this lovely world of collecting.
Wears pretty nice on my manly, yet dainty, wrist.
This little nook, full of vintage Datejusts, has become a bit overcrowded, though. The four numbers, 1601, are likely burned into your brain and retinas by now. Let me offer you the beautiful relief that comes with adding one more digit. The 16030 is, for all intents and purposes, the same watch as the 1601. Same case, dial(s), bracelet, etc. - however, the 16030 went to the barbershop and got itself a fresh new haircut.
You can get a good look at the intricacies of the bezel on the right side of this picture.
What makes the 16030 unique is its engine-turned bezel (not sure if that needs a hyphen). This is a sporty departure from its fluted bezel brothers and sisters. I’ll pretend like I know what engine-turning is and tell you that it is a process that uses machinery to create repetitive and intricate patterns in metal. And repetitive and intricate is that dial. Something about it gives me an almost hand made sterling silver jewelry look? It’s hard for me to explain, but I’m addicted to the look of these rather than the standard fluted bezel. The other thing to note is that this more aggressive, engine-turned bezel design is a bit more resistant to the natural aging and “smoothing” that we commonly see in the fluted bezels.
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