Rolex Lady-Datejust 69173 Champagne Dial on Jubilee 1998

The Ref. 69173 sits at the center of the Lady-Datejust's most refined period — the late 1990s run in two-tone stainless steel and yellow gold that balanced the model's dressy ambitions against everyday wearability. Rolex built the 69173 around a quick-set automatic movement, a meaningful practical upgrade over earlier Lady-Datejust references that required pulling the crown to the first position and cycling through the date manually. The fluted yellow gold bezel and Jubilee bracelet in two-tone are the configuration the reference was designed around; a plain bezel or Oyster bracelet on the same case always reads as a reduction.

This example carries the champagne dial with original Rolex computer-set diamond hour markers — the factory diamond dial, not an aftermarket substitution, which matters considerably for originality. The champagne ground does something a white or silver dial cannot: it absorbs the warm tone of the yellow gold elements and unifies the watch in a way that photographs consistently understate. The serial number dates production to approximately 1996–1997, with original Rolex papers from 1998. All parts are confirmed original.

Offered in very good condition throughout — case, dial, crystal, bezel, bracelet, and caseback all showing only light signs of wear consistent with age. Watch and papers.