The 1601 is the reference most people picture when they hear 'Datejust': 36mm Oyster case, fluted white-gold bezel, pie-pan dial with applied indices, and a Jubilee bracelet. Produced for 18 years, it spans an enormous range of dial variants—silver, champagne, blue, grey 'ghost,' the beautiful 'linen' texture dials, 'sigma' dials with gold-index credits, and factory diamond dials on precious-metal variants. It remains the best-value entry point into vintage Rolex ownership and one of the most versatile watches ever made.
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Reference
1601
Datejust
1959–1977
The fluted-bezel Datejust that defined the postwar dress-sport watch.
- Case
- 36mm
- Caliber
- 1565 / 1575
- Years
- 1959–1977
What to watch for
Refinished dials (especially silver), stretched Jubilee bracelets, and 'wedding band' aftermarket bracelets sold as OEM.