Think Pink: A Handful of Vintage Men’s Rose Gold Datejust Models

In terms of materials used on Rolex watches, rose gold is often overlooked since it’s much less common than stainless steel or yellow gold. However, rose gold offers a beautiful shade of gold that’s warm and luxurious. Today we take a look at three key vintage men’s rose gold Datejust watches from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Men’s Rose Gold Datejust Ref. 6305

Sometimes referred to as “Ovettone,” which is Italian for “big egg” in reference to the watch’s bubble-like caseback to accommodate the movement’s rotor, the men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 6305 was manufactured from 1953 until 1957. The 36mm rose gold Oyster cases are topped with a more restrained fluted bezel style, common to the era. Depending on the production date, some men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 6305 watches come equipped with the Cyclops lens above the date window and some don’t. Remember, Rolex only introduced the Cyclops magnification lens in 1954—nine years after the 1945 debut of the Datejust model.

These particular vintage Datejust models run on the chronometer-certified Caliber A296 automatic movement with 18 jewels.

Men’s Rose Gold Datejust Ref. 6605

While the production of the men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 6305 and the ref. 6605 overlapped a little, the Datejust ref. 6605 was introduced a little later and continued into the very early 1960s.

Stylistically, the men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 6605 was similar to its predecessor with its 36mm pink gold Oyster case, fluted bezel, and Jubilee bracelet, yet most (if not all) examples came with a Cyclops lens on the acrylic crystal. It was common for the earlier ref. 6605 watches to have a roulette date wheel with alternating red and black numerals. These were eventually replaced with date wheels with black numerals in later examples.

Powering the men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 6605 is the Rolex Cal. 1065 automatic movement with 25 jewels. Due to this new movement, the caseback of the Datejust ref. 6605 became flat, unlike the preceding bubble backs.

Men’s Rose Gold Datejust Ref. 1601

The men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 1601 enjoyed a longer manufacturing run from the early 1960s to the late 1970s. Design wise, the rose gold versions of the Datejust ref. 1601 retained the traditional 36mm rose gold Oyster case, matching rose gold fluted bezel, Cyclops lens on the acrylic crystal, and a date window with exclusively black numerals.

Depending on the production dates, either the Caliber 1560 or the Caliber 1570 sits within the case of the men’s rose gold Datejust ref. 1601. The Rolex Cal. 1560 operates at a frequency of 18,000 beats per hour while Rolex Cal. 1570 beats at 19800 bph. Furthermore, from 1972 onwards, the Caliber 1570 was equipped with the hacking feature, which halts the seconds hand when the crown is pulled out for more precise time setting.

Vintage men’s rose gold Datejust timepieces are simply beautiful. Elegant and refined, these would be a fantastic addition to any luxury watch collection. So if you already own watches in stainless steel, yellow and white gold, next time think pink and go for a rose gold Rolex.