Another year, another raft of Rolex Day-Dates. We gleaned that these would be plentiful from the Crown’s teaser and we can finally say… yes. There are Date-Dates. Essentially, this is Rolex plugging a few holes with some much-needed variations that they’ve until now missed. So, without further preamble, let’s check them out.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 Ombré Dial
Ombré dials aren’t all that new to Rolex’s line-up; their take on elegant fume was previously available on the Day-Date 36. Annoyingly though, it was only available at that size and with diamond hour markers. Here, it’s made its way into the larger men’s size and in a particularly handsome slate grey colour that they’ve not used before. It’s a lovely, subtle transition from grey to black at the edges and suits the rose gold case to a tee.
As ever it has the deconstructed Roman numerals and cyclops date window. In fact, other than the dial, there’s nothing new here. Which is fine, not everything needs to be ground-breaking. I mean, it would be nice if something were, but perhaps they’re leaving that to the Perpetual 1908 collection.
Inside is the calibre 3255 automatic, the current generation of Rolex’s in-house with all the Chronergy, Paraflex, Parachrom, Superlative Chronometer Certified goodness that entails. That includes a 70-hour power reserve and a +2/-2 seconds per day accuracy. All good stuff.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 Mother-of-Pearl
Another first for the larger Day-Date size, this time a 40mm white gold case has been paired with a gorgeous pearlized mother-of-pearl dial. It’s a particularly fine mother-of-pearl at that, making for a light iridescence that most men – especially in the kind of watch you’ll want to rock in the evening – can get away with. You might need to be a bit more confident to get away with the baguette-cut diamond hour markers, but they definitely work nicely with the pearl.
Otherwise, it’s business as usual. It has the same movement as the Ombré, the same 50m water resistance and the same President bracelet, more or less unchanged since the original in 1956.
Rolex Perpetual Day-Date 36 White Lacquer
Sharing goes both ways it seems as the new, smaller Day-Date size now includes the same deconstructed Roman numerals that were, until now, reserved for the larger models. Like I said, Rolex is plugging a few gaps in their expansive Day-Date line. In this case, that’s paired with a 36mm yellow gold case and a white lacquer dial, clean, crisp and elegant.
I actually love this watch. Yes, it’s not the most interesting release in the world, but the 36mm sizing is prime dress watch territory and I love those numerals. There’s something to be said for colouring within the lines. Which in this case, once again means the calibre 3255 and a president bracelet. Good, wholesome stuff.
Rolex Perpetual Day-Date 36 Teal
It’s not just the different Day-Date sizes this year’s release slate borrows from. Last year the Sky-Dweller came out in a very particular shade of blue-green that finally made me actually want one of the complication watches. It’s an intense teal and now it’s made it’s way to the dressier (and slightly more accessible) Day-Date 36.
I’m happy to see more of the colour – I have a living room wall painted something similar, so I need a watch to match. What I don’t really like is that it only comes with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indexes. Give it to me with those deconstructed numerals! Alas, it’s just not to be.
Either way, it’s a nice looking, glitzy watch with the same bells and whistles as everything else this year. Calibre 3255, President bracelet, the lot, wrapped in a 36mm Everose gold case.
Price and Specs:
More details at Rolex.
