Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, Ref. 68278

ROLEX Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch, ref. 68278, serial number W8017XX, from the 1990s.

Round 18k gold case, fluted 18k yellow gold bezel, and screw-down case back with a fluted 18k gold rim. Fluted gold-tone crown featuring the Rolex emblem. White dial with applied gold Roman numerals, a minute track around the perimeter, and straight black hour markers with luminescent dots. Crown emblem at 12 o’clock and inscriptions “ROLEX / OYSTER PERPETUAL / DATEJUST” and “SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER / OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED.” Gold hour and minute hands with luminescent bands and a central seconds hand. Date window at 3 o’clock with a magnifying lens over the sapphire crystal. Three-row “OYSTER” link bracelet in 18k gold. Folding clasp featuring the Rolex emblem. Rolex Caliber 2135 automatic movement. It works. Measurements: 36 mm x 29 mm (excluding the crown).

In the 1990s, as the world was beginning to embrace the digital age, Rolex continued to craft small timepieces designed to defy the passage of time. This Datejust model retains the elegance of that decade: the warm luster of gold, the purity of a white dial, the delicacy of its Roman numerals, and the characteristic sheen of its fluted bezel.

When a watch description states “it works,” it means the watch is functioning. Since collector’s watches typically have delicate and complex mechanisms, the buyer is responsible for any general servicing, inspection, battery replacement, adjustment, or repair that may be necessary. We do not guarantee the perfect functioning of any watch. All photographs of our watches are original and have been taken by our photographers; in other words, we do not use stock photography, which is why the photographs are considered part of the cataloging.