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RolexDay Date Tridor
on hold
Brand: Rolex
Model: Day Date Tridor
Reference: 18039
Case: 18K yellow, rosé and white gold
Dial: jubilée, silver, original tritium
Hands: original tritium
Year: 1988 (sold 1991)
Movement: automatic
Diameter: 36 mm
Crystal: saphire
Bracelet: 18K yellow, rosé and white gold
Buckle: hidden folding clasp in 18K yellow, rosé and white gold
Bezel: 18K yellow gold
Box: original
Papers: original guarantee certificate
Condition: excellent original condition
Price: On request
Additional Informations: The Rolex Day-Date Tridor reference 18038BIC is one of the most exceptional and elusive models ever produced by Rolex. Manufactured for only about a single year, it stands as a true rarity within the Day-Date line. It is powered by the Caliber 3055, placing it at the very end of the 18xxx generation before the successor, the 18239B, was introduced.
What makes the Tridor so remarkable is its unique construction: the President bracelet is crafted from three different colors of gold: yellow, white, and rose - fused together through an extremely complex lamination process.
This method was so labor-intensive and expensive that the Tridor is often regarded as the most costly Rolex model ever produced in terms of manufacturing effort.
Despite its technical sophistication, the Tridor was surprisingly unpopular at the time of its release. Its unconventional aesthetic did not align with mainstream tastes of the era, resulting in very limited sales. Today, this low production volume is a major factor behind its desirability among collectors.
inding an example in good condition is particularly challenging, as the bracelet cannot be re-pinned or refurbished in the same way as other solid-gold Rolex bracelets.
The example described here is further elevated by its rare three-dimensional Jubilee dial, also known as the “Computer Dial” - a dial variation already scarce on its own and exceedingly uncommon on a Tridor model.
Completing the watch is its full set of box and papers. A Tridor 18038 in this condition, with this dial and complete documentation, is without doubt one of the most desirable and hardest-to-find Day-Date models ever made - a true artifact from Rolex’s most ambitious and experimental era.
What makes the Tridor so remarkable is its unique construction: the President bracelet is crafted from three different colors of gold: yellow, white, and rose - fused together through an extremely complex lamination process.
This method was so labor-intensive and expensive that the Tridor is often regarded as the most costly Rolex model ever produced in terms of manufacturing effort.
Despite its technical sophistication, the Tridor was surprisingly unpopular at the time of its release. Its unconventional aesthetic did not align with mainstream tastes of the era, resulting in very limited sales. Today, this low production volume is a major factor behind its desirability among collectors.
inding an example in good condition is particularly challenging, as the bracelet cannot be re-pinned or refurbished in the same way as other solid-gold Rolex bracelets.
The example described here is further elevated by its rare three-dimensional Jubilee dial, also known as the “Computer Dial” - a dial variation already scarce on its own and exceedingly uncommon on a Tridor model.
Completing the watch is its full set of box and papers. A Tridor 18038 in this condition, with this dial and complete documentation, is without doubt one of the most desirable and hardest-to-find Day-Date models ever made - a true artifact from Rolex’s most ambitious and experimental era.