Lady Datejust 'Lapis'

This little stunner from 1986 is anything but shy. The Rolex Lady-Datejust Ref. 69178 comes in at 26mm, but don’t let the size fool you, it’s got serious presence, thanks to that Lapis Lazuli dial. Deep blue, with natural flecks of gold and white, the lapis looks like someone bottled a night sky and slipped it behind a set of gold hands. No markers, no distractions, just pure, polished stone doing all the talking.

The case and bracelet are crafted entirely from 18k yellow gold, because of course they are. This is Rolex in its most unapologetically luxurious mood. Inside ticks a trusty automatic movement, and yes, it keeps better time than most phones, but looks way better doing it.

It doesn’t come with its box or papers, but honestly, who cares? The dial is the story here. Rolex didn’t make many of these, and natural lapis like this is getting rarer by the year. It’s not just a watch, it’s a one-of-a-kind slice of the 1980s, frozen in gold and stone.