Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date
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ℹ️ 1-month trend
Price change over the past 30 days. Shows the short-term market movement — relevant if you want to buy or sell soon.
ℹ️ 4-month trend
The central metric behind the momentum score. It filters out short-term swings and shows the true, medium-term market trend of this reference.
ℹ️ Volatility
Annualised price fluctuation. Below 10 % = very stable, 10–20 % = normal, above 20 % = volatile. With high volatility the price can change quickly — in both directions. Be cautious about buying without checking the current price.
ℹ️ Momentum score
ChronoCheck's own indicator from 0 to 100, calculated from the 4-month trend, volatility and market direction.
- Above 60 — Upward trend. Good time to sell, prices are rising.
- 40 – 60 — Neutral. Stable price level, no pressure to act.
- Below 40 — Downward trend. Wait or enter at a good price.
ℹ️ Investment Grade A/B/C/D
ChronoCheck's own rating for each reference. A 0–100 point scale, made up of four weighted components:
- Momentum (40 pts) — trend strength from the momentum score.
- Liquidity (25 pts) — number of active live listings.
- Stability (20 pts) — inverse volatility — the calmer, the better.
- Source robustness (15 pts) — number of independent market sources.
- A · 75+ Trend is right, liquidity good, data broad.
- B · 55–74 Solid, but one component weaker.
- C · 35–54 Average, volatility or market breadth weigh on it.
- D · below 35 Downward or too little data — a collector's piece.
Not investment advice. Pure data analysis from aggregated market sources.
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Technical data
Lift angle 52° — important for timing-machine diagnosis: with this value a watchmaker can correctly measure rate deviation, amplitude and beat error. ChronoCheck verifies such technical details directly from the manufacturers' factory specifications.
Rolex Ref. 1500 — Variants and collector names
Known as: OPD 1500, Oyster Date 34, Mini-Datejust, Poor Man's Datejust, Sigma Date, Kuwait Date, UAE Date, Gilt Date
Production phases and changes
- 1962: Introduction of Ref. 1500 as successor to the 65xx series
- 1965: Caliber change: Cal. 1560 → Cal. 1575 (engraving '1570')
- 1966: Phase-out of Gilt dials, introduction of Matte and Sunburst silver dials
- 1969: Riveted Bracelet 7205 replaced by Folded-Link 7835
- 1970: Introduction of Sigma dials with 18k gold indices and hands
- 1979: Phase-out of Sigma dials, Sigma symbol disappears from the dial
- 1977: Introduction of Solid-Link Bracelet 78350 toward end of production
- 1980: End of production for Ref. 1500
Movement variants
- 1560 (1962–1965) · 28800 bph
- 1570 (1965–1980) · 28800 bph
Bezel variants
- Smooth Steel Bezel "Plain Bezel / Smooth Bezel"
Dial variants
- Gilt Explorer — EXPLORER (gilt) / OYSTER PERPETUAL / Superlative Chronometer / 'T Swiss T' or 'Swiss T<25' below 6h / no Chapter Ring
- Silver Pie-Pan — ROLEX / OYSTER PERPETUAL / DAY-DATE
- Sigma Linen — ROLEX / OYSTER PERPETUAL / DAY-DATE / σ T SWISS T σ
- Blue Mosaic Dial / Long Index Dial — White printed text, applied baton indices
- Taupe Sigma / Tropical Sigma — σ T Swiss T σ, applied baton indices
- Gray Sigma / Ghost Dial — σ T Swiss T σ at 6 o'clock
Crystal variants
- Plexi 25-127 (Top Hat)
Bracelet variants
- Jubilee Ref. 62510H
- Oyster Riveted Ref. 7205
- Oyster Solid Ref. 78350
Serial numbers
- 643'000 – 949'999 (1962–1962) — Reused range following the Rolex reset of 1954. Serial numbers in this range require cross-referencing with the caseback dating code (Roman numerals/quarter+year inside).
- 950'000 – 1'289'726 (1963–1965) — Reused range up to ~985'000 (1963), followed by fresh 7-digit numbers from ~985'015 onward. Cal. 1560 era.
- 1'289'727 – 2'504'210 (1966–1969) — Cal. 1575 already established. Transition from Gilt to Matte/Sunburst dials.
- 2'504'211 – 4'267'099 (1970–1974) — Sigma dial era. Most common serial range for well-preserved Ref. 1500 examples on the market.
- 4'267'100 – 5'000'000 (1975–1976) — Note: Rolex reserved serial range 4'300'000–4'800'000 for service replacement cases. Serial numbers in this range may be service cases. Production jumped to ~5'000'000 circa 1976.
- 5'000'800 – 6'433'999 (1977–1980) — Late phase of Ref. 1500. Phase-out of Sigma dials, introduction of Solid-Link bracelet 78350.
The Ref. 1500 ran from 1962 to 1980 — 18 production years during which Rolex steadily refined its 34mm Oyster case. The starting configuration: Caliber 1560, acrylic crystal with Cyclops magnifier, and the smooth steel bracelet 7205 with riveted links. In 1965, the Geneva manufacture pushed the oscillation frequency to 19,800 vibrations per hour. The successor movement carries the internal engraving "1570" — three caliber codes for what are essentially two distinct movements, a distinction that still causes confusion today.
The dial is the real time capsule here. Gilt dials with their lacquer-bright indexes disappear around serial number 1,500,000, roughly 1966. Find an example with a black or silver gilt dial bearing the "Kuwait" or "UAE" retailer signature and you've landed a genuine score — these export designations routinely double the market price compared to a standard dial.
## What the Sigma Symbol at 6 O'Clock Means
From 1970, the Greek σ appears alongside "T Swiss T" — a quiet indicator that the hands and indexes are crafted from solid 18-karat gold, not gold-plated. Only a handful of production years carry this mark, making them genuinely scarce: the Sigma Linen, Gray Sigma, and the Taupe Sigma with its distinctive tropical fade rank among the most sought-after variants today. The bracelet evolves as well: the folded-link 7835 replaced the riveted 7205 in 1969, and toward the end of production — from around 1977 — the more substantial solid-link 78350 arrived.
The direct successor, Ref. 15200, didn't appear until 1988/89. Eight years with no Rolex Date in the lineup. Collectors have long nicknamed the 1500 the "Poor Man's Datejust" — but a Grey Sigma or Taupe Dial in honest condition commands prices that have long since moved past the name.
Brand profile: Rolex
Rolex is the most counterfeited watch brand in the world. Super-clones (VSF, ARF, Clean — the latter inactive after a raid in 07/2025, only old stock remaining) achieve 95%+ similarity. Authenticity is almost always detectable only via micro-details + movement behavior.
- Case back: ALWAYS solid and closed — any display window = definitely fake (exception: Vintage Ref. 6085 only)
- Minute hand length: genuine Rolex minute hands end EXACTLY at the minute chapter ring. 1 mm too long = fake. Strongest VSF tell.
- Seconds hand: smooth sweep without any hesitation — the slightest tick = fake
- Cyclops lens (on date models): must magnify exactly 2.5×, date fills almost the entire window
Serial number format: Since 2010: random alphanumeric combination (e.g. 'G3M9K721'). 2000–2010: letter + 6–7 digits. Serial number engraved on the rehaut at 6 o'clock (from ~2005). Older models: between the lugs at 6 o'clock on the case.
Further sources
Buying guide: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date
Entry into Rolex
At $4,566 this reference is one of the more affordable ways to wear a Rolex on your wrist. That is precisely why many pieces have already passed through several hands — condition varies accordingly. Buyers here should pay particular attention to service history and honest photos from the seller.
Watch out for swings: This reference has an above-average volatility of 124.8 percent. In concrete terms: the price can move by several hundred euros within a few weeks. Check the current value before buying or selling — old listings or auction results from two months ago are of little help.
What to look out for when buying?
- Authenticity: The serial number and reference on the case must match the papers. A professional authenticity check of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date reliably rules out counterfeits.
- Condition: Check scratches on the case and bezel — professional refurbishment can leave traces.
- Service history: A documented service by the manufacturer or a certified watchmaker increases the value.
- Scope of delivery: Box, papers and warranty card make a noticeable price difference on the Oyster Perpetual Date.
- Independent certification: The CPS-52 standard covers 52 checkpoints — from the serial number and the timing machine to water resistance. The result is secured on the blockchain and can be verified at any time.
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