Rolex Day-Date President 1802

The Rolex Day-Date reference 1802 shares the same prestigious lineage and production era as the more common 1803, running from the late 1950s to the late 1970s. Its defining and most significant feature is the use of a smooth, polished bezel. This singular design choice distinguishes it from the iconic fluted bezel of the 1803 and the textured bezels of other references in the 180x series. The historical context of the 1802 is identical to its brethren; it was one of the references that cemented the Day-Date’s reputation as the “President’s watch,” a symbol of success and influence. The significance of the 1802 lies in its relative rarity and its understated aesthetic. The smooth bezel imparts a cleaner, more formal look, appealing to those who prefer a less ostentatious expression of luxury. Variations of the 1802 mirror those of the 1803 in all other aspects. It was crafted exclusively in 18k gold (yellow, white, and rose/pink) and shared the same wide array of “pie-pan” dial options, including various colors and applied markers. It housed the same sequence of calibers, starting with the Rolex 1555 and transitioning to the higher-beat Rolex 1556 around 1965, with a hacking seconds function added in 1972. All case specifications, including the 36mm diameter, acrylic crystal, and non-quickset day/date function, are identical to the 1803, making the smooth bezel the sole point of differentiation and the reference’s unique claim to fame.