Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 6301

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date ref. 6301 is an early example of Rolex’s development of the date complication within its robust Oyster Perpetual line. Produced during the early 1950s, the 6301 features a 34mm stainless steel or gold case with a smooth or fluted bezel and domed acrylic crystal. It is equipped with the Rolex Caliber 645, a bi-directional automatic movement offering an approximate 42-hour power reserve and early integration of a date display at the 3 o’clock position. The dial design maintains the clean and restrained Rolex aesthetic of the time, commonly seen in silver or champagne finishes with dauphine hands, applied markers, and radium lume on select models. Its lug-to-lug length is approximately 42mm, and it has a lug width of 19mm. As one of the foundational references incorporating a date function into the Oyster case, the 6301 paved the way for what would become a signature Rolex feature. Though relatively obscure today, it holds historical value for collectors seeking the origins of Rolex’s expansion beyond time-only displays.