Amidst the exciting and tumultuous era of watchmaking in the 1970s, the industry was besieged by the quartz crisis, which threatened to supplant traditional mechanical watches. It was during this period that a consortium of Swiss watchmakers, including illustrious names such as Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Omega, embarked on a daring quest to create the world's most precise quartz movement, which they named the Beta 21.

By the end of the 1960s, more than 6,000 units of the Beta 21 had been produced, with 1,000 numbered units being fitted onto the Rolex Beta 21 ref. 5100. This collaboration among the top names in Swiss watchmaking represented a significant achievement, given the fierce competition among these companies.

In 1977, Rolex, after five years of development, finally introduced its own in-house quartz movement, resulting in the creation of the Oysterquartz, available in two versions: Datejust and Day-Date. These models came in an array of case metals and dial configurations, offering discerning collectors and enthusiasts alike a range of options to suit their individual preferences.

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