1978 Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph Steel & Gold 36mm 1625

Here we have a lovely 1978 Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph 1625 featuring a 36mm Steel and 18ct yellow gold case that sits comfortably on your wrist with fine tapered lugs. Turn-o-Graph refers to its innovative, bidirectional rotating bezel designed to "turn" and measure elapsed time, acting as a precursor to diving watches. Introduced in 1953, it was the first Rolex to feature a rotating bezel and gained the nickname "Thunderbird" after the U.S. Air Force aerobatic team adopted it for navigational calculations. Its curvaceous flanks lead to a lug-to-lug length of 43mm and a case thickness of 11.5mm. On the right side, an 18ct yellow gold signed screw-down crown. The 18ct yellow gold bidirectional bezel has deep knurling for grip and an attractive textured insert with a raised 60-minute scale. A domed crystal sits above a sunburst gold dial with an outer minute track, surrounding applied facet-edged 18ct yellow gold baton indexes, and a Tritium pip marking the hours. At 3 o’clock, a date window with Cyclops magnification. Elegant 18ct yellow gold hands are complemented by a tapered sweeping second hand. At noon, we have ‘Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust’ and at 6 o’clock, ‘Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified’, completing this sophisticated dress watch. On the reverse, a coin-edged screw-down solid case back, inside an automatic Rolex Cal. 1570, 26 jewels, 19,800 beats per hour. First introduced in 1965. It comes paired with a very nice 20mm folded-link Rolex 62523H-18 Jubilee steel and 18ct yellow gold bracelet, featuring a Rolex folding clasp with 445 End Links, and will fit up to a 7.15-inch wrist.

This watch is sold as "Watch Only" and therefore comes with no original Rolex box or Rolex papers. It comes paired with a very nice 20mm folded-link Rolex 62523H-18 Jubilee steel and 18ct yellow gold bracelet, featuring a Rolex folding clasp with 445 End Links, and will fit up to a 7.15-inch wrist. The watch is from Circa. 1978 and is in worn, vintage condition, as you can see from the photos. Overall, however, the watch is very good for its age. The watch comes with our 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty and was serviced in 2026 by our watchmakers.

First of all, how cool is the nickname “Thunderbird”? It's got to be one of the best in the vintage Rolex world, and the history behind it makes these Turn-O-Graphs even more interesting! I've always thought these were fantastic-looking watches. You get everything that's great about a classic Datejust, but with that wonderful rotating bezel adding a little extra character and a sportier feel. This gold-on-gold combination works particularly well, especially on the two-tone Jubilee bracelet. And despite the ever-growing interest in vintage Rolex, I still think these represent brilliant value for money. A great design, fascinating history and that unmistakable vintage Rolex charm, all without the price tag of some of the more obvious collector favourites. What's not to love? Snap up this vintage gem today!

Reference : 1625
Movement : Automatic Rolex Cal. 1570
Age : Circa. 1978
Year : 1978
Case Size : 35mm
Case Thickness : 11.5mm
Lug to Lug : 43mm
Lugs : 20mm
Condition : Pre-Owned
Box and Papers : None
Case Material : Stainless Steel & 18ct Gold
Warranty : 12-Months NON-Waterproof Warranty
The wrist model's wrist size is 7inch

In 1905, German-born Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis set up a company in London that imported Swiss movements which are installed in British cases and sold to jewellers who put their names on the dials. Recognising the potential for their brand, Wilsdorf created the brand name Rolex in 1908. In 1910, a Rolex became the first wristwatch to carry the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, awarded by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne, Switzerland. Demand for Rolex watches rose swiftly, and British taxes on the Swiss movements Rolex used prompted Wilsdorf to move the business to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1919. With production costs lowered, Wilsdorf quickly set out to solve the age-old problem of moisture and dust entering a watch case and damaging the movement. The Rolex watchmakers came up with a fully sealed watch case, which Wilsdorf named the Oyster, and released to an appreciative audience in 1926. In 1931, Rolex introduced the first automatic winding wristwatch, giving it the legendary name Oyster Perpetual. They released the Datejust in 1945. The Datejust was the first watch to have the date jump instantaneously at midnight. The 1950s saw a whole lot of releases such as the Air-King (1958), the Explorer (1953), the Submariner (1953), the GMT Master (1955), the Day-Date (1956), the electromagnetic field resistant Milgauss (1956), the Lady-Datejust (1957) and the first Deep Sea model (1960). Wilsdorf’s death in 1960, saw ownership of Rolex S.A. (a collection of sub-companies) passed to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, which was founded by Wilsdorf in 1945, the mission of which is simply to sustain Rolex S.A. indefinitely.