[crowncollection]

However, the new 18000 series bezels were set in yellow gold to match a yellow gold watch case and the diamond count had been reduced to 44 stones. White gold bezels were made for white gold president also in 46 stones settings. I suspect AD had both in stock for a while to cater for both customers sets, those who had the new and the older model. However, customers could see both bezels on display, and many chose to have the yellow gold bezel as it made the watch look more modern. People still do this today with modern style dials etc. to jazz up an older watch.

The new innovative 18000 model with a quickset date and sapphire crystal was big news at the time. This also led to the sale of many 1800 series watches and new buyers altering them with the cash they saved buying used sometimes with an 18000 series yellow gold modern bezel to look like the new model.

With the introduction of the 18000 president series, the bezel options increased dramatically, offering bezels on certain crown collection models in sapphire, ruby and emerald in different cuts like baguette and in combination with diamonds. Some of these had 50 baguettes and others with 24 larger baguettes.

These coloured stone bezels are rarely separated from watches they were made for as the model numbers were different and that would cause a great deal of value loss to the owner. These were strictly controlled and not for sale at AD like plain diamond bezels, you can use some of the following techniques to identify them.

However, basically if your model number is not a crown collection model number like 18158 for a 50 square cut emerald bezel etc. You can just about guarantee it’s an after-market addition to your watch, your watch cannot have a normal model number and have these rare coloured stone bezels.

18000 men’s president series = 44 brilliant set in yellow gold when it came to diamond bezels. Appropriate colour gold to the case it was being used for. Early 18000 had no markings on the back, later we see a letter and a number stamped on the back of the bezel, no Rolex hallmark to identify it as Rolex or purity marks. These letters must be a code I can only report what I have personally seen.
X7, Z4, C2, Z12, Z only, x111.

Below photo marked 18000 series bezel.