Launched in 1962, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date was Rolex's entry-level watch at the time and was designed for daily use. Most often cased in stainless steel, these watches were true workhorses with their flat steel bezel and rugged design providing protection from daily wear and tear. Similarly specced to the Datejust models of its time, the ref. 1500 featured the same automatic movement, and so boasted a date function and cyclops lens like its more expensive sibling. However, the main point of distinction was that the OP was housed within a slightly smaller 34mm case, as opposed to the Datejust’s 36mm case. Offered with a multitude of dial variants until its discontinuation in the late 1970s, there is certainly a version that would appeal to every taste. A smaller watch by today’s standards but filled with a unique charm, the ref. 1500 was undeterred by its svelte proportions and instead buoyed by the robustness of its design and functionality of its movement, with both elements combining to create a timepiece that will still fit the bill as a daily wearer even for a modern collector to this day.

A great introductory piece for new collectors to set foot into the world of vintage watches, the Oyster Perpetual Date proves that interesting watches may be attained at any price point - including models from Rolex themselves.