1965 Rolex Day Date Morellis Finish Ref. 1811

Morellis Finish - A reference 1811 might as well be described as a piece of art. Let us elaborate. This reference belongs to the family of the hand- decorated Day Dates such as 1806 (Florentine), 1807 (Bark) and the elusive 1810 (Wave). The production for these models started somewhere in the 1960s but didn't end in the same period. White the 1806, 1807 and 1811 were discontinued in the four digit plexi era, the Bark finish still continued for another two generations. Let us go back to where we started. The 1811 is defined by the 'Morellis' or 'Moiré' finish, a specialized technique that involves a meticulous hand-engraving process. Craftsmen skillfully etch intricate patterns in the form of fine dots on the bezel and bracelet center links. The fact that each watch has hand-engraved decorations, makes each example a unique piece. Given the fine patterns on the case the engravings are delicate and fade with wear and polishing. Naturally first the bracelet links fade as there is more friction from clothing hence the number of well preserved examples with intact bracelets is very very small. We have here a mint example from 1964 with matching bracelet. The Moiré finish is still well preserved and crisp on both, bezel and bracelet. The Silver dial with Baton indexes is equally in excellent condition and retains original Tritium dots and matching hands. This watch is a truly rare find and a feast for collectors of rare four digit Day Dates