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1976 Rolex Cellini 4113 – White Gold Purple Sunburst Dial

Details

A dial only achievable with time

This 1976 Rolex Cellini is the kind of piece you buy for the dial first and everything else second. Originally a more conventional tone, the sunburst surface has shifted into a deep purple toned patina that is only achieved in some climates. 

Why this one stands out

Most vintage Cellinis live in safe territory: champagne, silver, black. This one doesn’t. The dial has taken on a saturated violet patina that changes depending on angle and light. It gives the watch personality without turning it into a novelty.

The white gold integrated bezel and case keep it grounded. The proportions are classic mid-70s Cellini — slim, rectangular, and elegant without trying too hard. On leather with its original Rolex buckle, it feels intentional and period-correct.

Condition

There’s a small chip in the dial paint with aforementioned general patina throughout. The caseback shows wear consistent with age. Overall it presents well, but this is not a mint collector piece. The piece runs well after passing by our test bench. 

Why someone buys this

You don’t buy this because it’s pristine. You buy it because you won’t see another purple-toned Cellini like it anytime soon. It has that unpredictable vintage charm that can’t be ordered or replicated. If you’re into off-path Rolex and appreciate when time does something unexpected, this is that watch.

 

Key Specs

Reference: 4113

Model: Cellini

Year: 1976

Movement: Manual wind

Case Size: 26 × 34mm

Bezel: 18K white gold integrated

Bracelet: Leather strap with original buckle

Dial: Purple sunburst patina

SKU: 419

History

The Cellini line — named after Renaissance goldsmith and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini — is Rolex's dress watch offering, and it operates on entirely different logic than the sport and tool watches the brand is famous for. No date window, no rotating bezel, no crown guards. Just case, dial, and movement.

Introduced in the late 1960s, Cellini watches are exclusively 18-karat gold and are powered by manual-wind movements. The collection covers an extraordinary range of case shapes across its history: round, oval, rectangular, cushion, asymmetric, and the distinctive Cestello oval — all sharing a commitment to slim proportions and refined finishing that stands apart from anything else in the Rolex catalog.

References span from the early 3800-series oval cases of the late 1960s and early 1970s through the square 4233 Danaos of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Dials range from brushed champagne and silver sunburst to red and blue vignette, white Arabic, and foil patterns that no longer exist in current production. For collectors who want Rolex craftsmanship without the sport-watch aesthetic, Cellini is the answer — and it remains one of the most underappreciated categories in the entire vintage Rolex universe.