1991 Rolex Day Date Platinum Lilac Stella Diamond Dial Ref. 18206 (with Papers)

The Elusive Lilac Stella – Even More Elusive on Platinum

As you might know, we’ve been in the business of rare Day-Dates for more than a decade now, and Stella dials are our very speciality. We take pride — and a lot of joy — in curating collections with some of the most exotic colors. It’s safe to say that we have handled nearly every rare configuration. Earlier this year, we sold a Lilac Stella dial on a yellow-gold Day-Date, but a Lilac Stella on Platinum is a first. Needless to say, Stella dials made for white-metal Day-Dates such as white gold and platinum are multiple times rarer than those made for yellow gold.

To our knowledge, Lilac represents the “Purple” family when it comes to Stella dials and marks, and together with Yellow, it is one of the rarest colors in the entire Stella lineup. The spectrum starts with Oxblood, then Green or Red, Orange, Blue, Turquoise, Salmon, Candy Pink, Coral, Seafoam, Yellow, and finally Lilac. We hope we haven’t forgotten any — but that should conclude it.

Lilac already sounds like an exotic color — a soft, warm hue born in the pastel family. The tone of each Lilac dial varies slightly due to its uniquely artisanal manufacturing process. And when we say “all,” we mean the less than a handful of examples we have ever seen. Stella S.A., the company that produced these dials for Rolex (and was later acquired by Rolex), used to mix the lacquer for each dial by hand, individually — which is remarkable. As a result, some dials differ subtly in tone, and some have developed beautiful nuances over time.

The surface of the dial has the satin gloss that flat-colored Stella dials are famous for. The black print is crisp with no fading or weak areas, and the lume plots have aged to a creamy tone, giving the dial a beautiful contrast.

Now to the watch that this masterpiece of a dial is cased in: here we have a reference 18206 in platinum, paired with a matching President bracelet. The overall condition of the watch is strong, with light signs of wear. This watch has clearly been loved and worn — and the next caretaker will have the privilege of enjoying an absolute marvel on the wrist.

The Lilac is as rare as hen’s teeth — in fact, this is the only Lilac Stella dial on a five-digit white-metal Day-Date that we have ever seen. We are absolutely thrilled to have this watch in hand. It is the only Stella-dial Day-Date we hadn’t handled before… and we can now proudly say that we have seen — and held — them all.