Debuting in 1977, the ref. 16013 heralded a new era for two-tone Datejusts, departing from its predecessor, the ref. 1601, which housed both mono and two-tone variations. The ref. 16013 proudly presented a dedicated two-tone reference number and introduced a contemporary flat dial, as well as a diverse array of innovative dial styles. These enhancements, paired with an upgraded mechanical movement, solidified the watch's position in Rolex's collection until the late 1980s.

A noteworthy feature of the 16013 is its integration of the Rolex Caliber 3035, an improvement over the Calibers 1565 and 1575 utilized in earlier 160X reference series models. The implementation of the Caliber 3035 elevates the watch's precision and performance.