Monday, 4 October 2021

Rolex ref 1601 Sigma dial 1970-1976

There are some Rolex watches that are fitted with what we called the sigma dial.  The sigma symbols were proof that the hands and indexes on a watch were made of solid gold. "A watch signed with the sigma is a durable investment," emphasized the APRIOR in marketing campaigns. These Sigma dials were produced for watches from 1970 till 1975/6, a time where the Swiss watch industry was facing the challenge from the Japanese quartz watches. This additional gold indexes were supposed to value add and enhance the values of the watches.

Most of the blue dial Rolex 1601 tends to age badly owing to the lume. This is a rare one where the blue dial is still in a good condition.


During the early years of vintage watch collecting, nobody was aware of such small details as these were relatively cheap watches. However, as the prices of these vintage Rolex Datejust watches start to escalates, such small differences such as Sigma dials, Wide boy dial, Ghost dials started to become important as it could mean asking for a better price by the shop keeper.






Rolex Sigma dials have two σ marks surrounding the “T SWISS T” signature just under 6 o’clock marker on the dial (“T” refers to the use of tritium as luminescence on the dial). Therefore, Rolex Sigma dials denote that the hand-applied indexes and hands are craft from 18k gold. 

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Rolex ref 6050 Bubbleback from 1948

This is a Rolex Bubbleback ref 6050 from the  year 1948 in  its purist format 

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