A striking 1980s Rolex Day-Date in 18-karat yellow gold, featuring an ultra-rare “bark” engraving and a gem-set “string dial,” is now available through Wind Vintage—but collectors will need to act fast. The watch, listed exclusively on The Vault, reflects a growing shift in luxury timepiece preferences, as interest moves beyond traditional steel sports models toward more ornate and historically undervalued designs.
The Resurgence of Gold and Artistic Craftsmanship
In recent years, yellow gold watches have seen a resurgence, driven partly by fatigue with steel tool watches and the rising value of gold itself. Eric Wind, founder of Wind Vintage, notes that just five years ago, this same watch might have sold for 18,000. Today, its asking price stands at $29,000—a testament to shifting collector tastes.
“Bark-engraved watches were once very hard to sell,” Wind tells Robb Report. “But over the last few years, there’s been a surge in appreciation for artistic watchmaking, engraving, and jewelry-inspired designs.” The hand-engraved bezel and bracelet links mimic the texture of tree bark, a distinctive feature that now commands attention in a market saturated with Submariners and Daytonas.
A Dial as Rare as Its Case
Beyond its engraved exterior, the watch boasts a “string dial” with a diamond minutes track and sapphire hour markers, arranged to resemble a strand of pearls. “These dials were expensive even in the ’80s due to the cost of the stones,” Wind explains. “Very few exist today.” Adding to its rarity is the matte canary yellow dial—a finish Wind has encountered only a handful of times.
A Survivor of Changing Tastes
Many similar watches from the era were altered or destroyed when demand for such designs waned. Dealers often replaced engraved bezels with fluted or smooth versions, or even melted down bracelets to create more conventional-looking Day-Dates. “Those modifications make surviving examples like this even harder to find,” Wind says.
With vintage Rolex watches gaining momentum among younger, fashion-forward collectors, this bark-engraved Day-Date represents both a piece of horological history and a sound investment—assuming it doesn’t disappear first.
