Rolex Datejust 16018 "Buckley Dial"

The term "Buckley dial" describes a Datejust or Oyster Perpetual dial that features large printed, rather than applied, Roman numerals. These numerals are elegant, slim, and larger than the applied numerals.

The name comes rather humorously from John Buckley himself, an American vintage dealer, posting on the Vintage Rolex Forums. Upon seeing a younger John Mayer (of Talking Watches fame - amongst his other accomplishments) attempt to name a variant of the Paul Newman Daytona dial after himself, Buckley began jokingly referring to the now-famous Buckley dial after himself.

While the story has been told and retold multiple times, what hasn't changed is the timeless appeal of the watch itself. Buckley's joke ultimately and inadvertently popularised a then-unpopular reference into a highly sought after dial variant which continues to be appreciated today.

This watch is in good condition for its age, with some scratches on the gold case. There are some scratches on the back of the lugs. The dial has a mark between 6 and 7 o'clock, and some of the lume is partially missing. This watch is presented on a Subdial Saffiano strap and a gold-plated buckle.

ROLEX

Known by many simply as "the Crown", Rolex has certainly done much to deserve its reputation. From its founding just over a century ago by a German immigrant in the UK, Rolex has grown to become an international behemoth, recognisable (and indeed visible) across the globe.

Compared to other modern watchmakers, Rolex is in the near-unique position where its vintage watches have developed an almost entirely distinct collector base. It's no surprise, however, given the diversity and iconic status of so many Rolex models. The vintage Rolex community has arguably brought vintage watch collecting into the mainstream by shedding light on the beauty of old, worn watches which had so long been ignored by most.