Natural stone dials, including Tiger's eye, began to be manufactured by Stern Frères in the early 1970s, thanks to the development of the ultrasonic drilling technique. Rolex, a loyal customer of dial-maker Stern, was one of the first to use these dials in its watches, notably in the Datejust model, which features a 4-digit reference like the 1601.
This 1980 model, reference 16018, features a superb first-generation Tiger's Eye dial, whose colors change according to inclination and luminosity. This stone is one of the most “alive”, unlike onyx or lapis lazuli, whose appearance does not vary according to the angle from which it is viewed.

---

---