Datejust (178274)

Rolex is a master of stone dials, and not many stones are as romantic as one that has travelled several hundred million kilometres across the Solar System, only to end up as the centrepiece of this timekeeping device for the wrist.

Modern Rolex has a lot going for it. You want something bold; they have countless sport models. Something elegant; countless classic models. Something historic; they have the presidents' favourite collection and the collection that introduced water resistance and automatic winding to the wristwatch. But something interesting… that's a bit more challenging for the now-vanilla brand whose fans went wild when traffic light and cotton candy colours were added to the Oyster Perpetual several years ago. To find "interesting" in modern Rolex, the best direction to look would be to their stone dials, which, unfortunately, are often reserved for full gold or platinum pieces. However, this uncommon variant of the reference 178274 is an outlier, in more ways than one. Not only does it offer a stone dial in a stainless steel case and bracelet (of course, the fluted bezel is in white gold), but the stone is among the most interesting in a modern Rolex. The slice of Gibeon meteorite that gives this dial its metallic lattice texture originates from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and arrived on Earth, specifically Namibia, about four million years ago. As the years go by, not only is there less Gibeon meteorite in the ground, but there are also more restrictions to its export, exponentially increasing the rarity of timepieces like this. The meteorite is such a spectacle, you almost forget that it is accompanied by 10 comparatively commonplace diamonds!

The dial and hands appear flawless. The case and bracelet exhibit no sign of refinishing with only fine marks not visible at arm's length. The bracelet will fit a maximum wrist circumference of 16.5 cm.

What do the different grading scores mean?

• BN 9.9: Brand new and unworn, with no signs of use.
• UN 9.5: Like new and unworn, but may lack original packaging or materials such as the box, links, tags, or bezel protector.
• LN 9.0: Like new and unworn, but only includes the watch without papers, box, or accessories.
• MT 8.5: Mint condition, lightly used with minor surface scratches or wear. Unpolished.
• VG 8.0: Moderately used, with scratches and one or two nicks on the case or crystal. Shows signs of polishing. The bracelet remains snug with minimal wear.
• GD 7.5: Shows signs of daily wear but is not abused, with noticeable polishing on the case. The bracelet shows clear signs of daily wear.

Watches with a rating below GD 7.5 are not listed for bidding to ensure that only high-quality timepieces are available to our members.