Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz 17000

You could say that Rolex has been known for its mechanical craftsmanship for decades. Anyone with even a slight interest in watches is familiar with quartz movements, which often have differing opinions. However, it is interesting to know that Rolex has also produced quartz watches, the so-called Oysterquartz. These may be the most over-engineered watches ever with a fantastic design! Rolex produced the Oysterquartz for no less than 25 years. The last year in which the Rolex Oysterquartz appeared in the catalog was 2001/2002.

Let's go back to the 1950s, when Rolex was already researching electronic timekeeping. This was well before the Quartz crisis that occurred in the 1970s. In 1952, Rolex obtained its official patent for electromechanical watch designs. In 1970, Rolex's first Quartz watch was introduced, the Rolex Quartz Date 5100. A total of 1000 pieces were produced before Rolex began developing its own Quartz movements. In 1977, Rolex introduced its own Quartz movement, the 5035, which was used for the Datejust Oysterquartz, and the 5055, which was used for the Day-Date Oysterquartz models. We must also not forget the high finishing standards of these watches. The most striking feature is the so-called "Geneva stripes," which are normally only found on high-end mechanical watches. No other Quartz watch is comparable in terms of finishing!

The example we have here dates back to 1979. This Datejust Oysterquartz 17000 is truly in beautiful condition. Many watch enthusiasts compare the design of the Oysterquartz to the Royal Oak design by the famous designer Gérald Genta. The case and the matching 17000B Oyster bracelet, which shows only a slight and acceptable stretch, are beautifully sharp along with the steel smooth bezel, making all the original angles and curves clearly visible. The whole piece creates an impressive sparkle through the reflection of light. A true eye-catcher!

What makes this watch even more special is the unique gray dial surrounded by diamonds. We rarely come across the Oysterquartz in this configuration! The 5035 movement is equipped with a new battery and has been fully checked by our watchmaker. You can confidently say that the previous owner took excellent care of his Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz. The watch comes with the original purchase invoice from the first owner and an extensive record of the complete Dutch service history, which is actually too detailed to capture in a single photo!

Another important point is that all engravings on the back of the watch and on the bracelet are still fully legible. Unfortunately, it often happens that these engravings fade over time, due to the watch or bracelet being polished too often or carelessly. In the case of the Oysterquartz, the engravings are not located on the inside of the watch, making them extra vulnerable.

This beautiful Rolex Datejust Oysterquartz 17000 from 1979 with stunning grey diamond dial comes with a complete Dutch service history, first owner invoice and a 1 year mechanical warranty from 10 over 10.

What you need to know:
- Datejust Oysterquartz 17000
- Sharp case and smooth bezel
- Oyster band with slight acceptable stretch
- Unique gray dial with diamonds (with small spots in the center between the 9- and 12-hour positions that are barely visible to the naked eye)
- Watch equipped with a new battery and fully checked by our watchmakers
- Delivered with a few years of Dutch service history and first owner invoice
- 1 year mechanical warranty
- Free insured shipping within the EU

Datejust

In the year 1945, the first Datejust was introduced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Rolex under reference 4467. This was the first self-winding watch with a waterproof case that also indicated the date and automatically changed after midnight. The Datejust was equipped with a fluted bezel and the famous Jubilee bracelet that was specially designed for the Datejust. The date was displayed at the 3 o'clock position. 10 years later, in 1955, the date window was equipped with a cyclops lens that magnified the date by up to 2.5 times.

Most iconic models of Rolex were produced to be used as tool watches. However, the Datejust had no specific purposes. This model was meant to be a classic, reliable, and everyday watch suitable for any occasion in daily life.