Help with my 1603 Datejust

[SKCamara]

Hello guys and gals,

I was wondering if you could help me.

I recently bought a 1963 Rolex Datejust ref. 1603. It is currently my only "good" watch since I had to sell almost my entire collection to pay for my master's degree...

After selling the collection I thought: "What is the quintessential watch I can afford?" hence this purchase.

After a long time admiring the watch I began to wonder if its hands are accurate.

There are hundreds of Datejust combinations and I can't seem to find information about when did Rolex start to use baton/stick hands. I've seen people saying from 1960 on, from 1965 on and from 1966 on.

Can any of you Rolex nerds help me? Because if the hands aren't correct I'll most likely sell it since I prefer this hand design

Thank you for your time!

Best regards,

Gonçalo

[Pureform]

You need some alpha hands on there

[SKCamara]

Thank you for your answer. Still, I'm finds a lot o Ladies Datejust from 1960-1965 with baton hands.
Also found one in hodinkee from 1963 as well with Swiss only dial and baton hands.

[Toronto Soup King]

I like the watch but those indices want Alpha hands. My favourite hands are the swords on my 1012...the stick hands are the ones I like the LEAST.

That said, I'm wearing a 1018 with stick hands today, correct to the watch (stick index dial) so they look OK. Yours don't match your dial if I were you I'd change them. Best of luck

[Richard Carver]

Why do you feel the need to be a slave to what that watch might have been 55 years ago? It's a beautiful watch, fat case, nice dial and a sharp bezel. If it were a PN Daytona originality is important. On a DJ authenticity is important but but changing dials, bezels and bracelets was practically a national sport. Unless you have original paperwork you can't even tell if it came with white gold or yellow gold trim on 1600, 1601, 1625 models.

Your 1603 only came in SS so there is that tiny blessing. :) To even consider selling a nice watch over the hands being one design or another drives me nuts. The way that watch is supposed to be is exactly as it is in your hand right now, it has survived 55 years of existence, been serviced untold times and it may or may not have had its hands changed....whoop de do.

[iliketime]

or buy the right hands sets

[R!$]

What other watches did you used to own?

[CalSRQ1]

Well, that’s a great watch and can carry you a long way. Good for you that invested in yourself to get your masters. Watches will be there to purchase later...and very likely discounted, or at least not much higher than, the current bubble market.

[SKCamara]

Originally Posted by R!$

What other watches did you used to own?

A 2005 Speedmaster Pro, a 1999 Zenith El Primero HW and 2001 JLC master control Reserve de Marche...

[SKCamara]

Originally Posted by CalSRQ1

Well, that’s a great watch and can carry you a long way. Good for you that invested in yourself to get your masters. Watches will be there to purchase later...and very likely discounted, or at least not much higher than, the current bubble market.

I sure hope you're right about getting more in the future. I know it was the right thing to do but it still hurts.