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Datejust · 1977 to 2001
“Oysterquartz”
Grade B · 76/100Today's call: Value buy
B: solid, selective. Ranked #61 of 129 references in The Crown Index vault.
| Original retail (1985) | $1,900 |
|---|---|
| Market today | $6,500 – $9,000 |
| Vs original retail | +308% |
| 1-year trend | +7% |
Rolex's integrated-bracelet quartz experiment: only about 25,000 made across 24 years. The angular case the Land-Dweller quietly references.
Once the cheap oddball, now a certified collector niche, and the Land-Dweller launch pointed a spotlight straight at it.
The Oysterquartz is the Rolex heresy that became a cult: when quartz threatened to kill mechanical watchmaking, Rolex built its own, an 11-jewel thermocompensated movement in an angular integrated-bracelet case straight out of 1977.
Rolex made only about 25,000 across 25 years, then quit quartz forever. Genta-era styling, legitimate rarity, and the best 'actually, let me tell you about this one' story in the catalog.
Our verdict: The hipster pick with receipts. Scarce, strange, and newly relevant.
| Sizes | 36mm |
|---|---|
| Case & bracelet material | Oystersteel, 18k white gold bezel |
| Factory bracelet | Jubilee or Oyster (Jubilee most common) |
| Factory bezels | Fluted white gold; Smooth |
| Notable dials | Silver; Blue; Champagne |
| Caliber | 5035 quartz |
| Production | 1977 to 2001 (discontinued) |
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