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Datejust · 1977 to 1988
“Engine-Turned Quickset”
Grade B · 71/100Today's call: Value buy
B: solid, selective. Ranked #86 of 129 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (1982) | $1,050 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $4,200 – $5,500 |
| Vs original retail | +362% |
| 1-year trend | +6% |
First-generation quickset Datejust with the all-steel engine-turned bezel nobody makes anymore.
Painted Roman 'Buckley' dials from this era became a collecting niche of their own.
The engine-turned bezel 16030 is the middle path of the transitional Datejusts: more interesting than smooth, cheaper than fluted white gold, with the machined bezel pattern Rolex has since abandoned entirely.
Abandoned details are collector magnets, and engine-turned bezels are on the shortlist. Still priced like a commodity five-digit Datejust; likely not forever.
Our verdict: Underrated transitional. Vintage face, usable mechanics, and a bezel style with no modern equivalent.
| Sizes | 36mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel (stainless) |
| Factory bracelet | Jubilee or Oyster (Jubilee most common) |
| Factory bezels | Engine-turned steel; Smooth (16000) |
| Notable dials | Silver; Blue; Buckley dials (premium) |
| Caliber | 3035 |
| Production | 1977 to 1988 (discontinued) |
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