Olive-green, palm-motif dial fitted on an Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36. photos: Rolex
Every day we have the potential to alter our lives permanently, paving the way for fresh ambitions, transforming one’s fate, or redirecting the course of human history. The Oyster Perpetual Datejust, which has been in existence since 1945, has continually evolved while embodying an unparalleled classic sophistication.
A significant achievement in the history of watchmaking, it was the initial self-winding waterproof chronometer wristwatch to exhibit the date in a window located at 3 o’clock on the dial.
Highlighted by the Cyclops lens, these numerals serve as a reminder that while a day lasts 24 hours, it also represents a crucial encounter with destiny.
Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 in yellow Rolesor
Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex, hailed the Datejust as a masterpiece of horological science, a synthesis of all that has been achieved up to the present day.
It showcased all of the brand’s major accomplishments to that point, with a certified chronometer movement, a self-winding mechanism, and a waterproof case, the Datejust also featured a date display in a unique window on the dial.
In 1957, Rolex released a woman’s version of the watch, the Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust, with a diameter of 26mm (now 28mm), which retained all the reliability and attributes of the original model.
The Datejust embodies a classic and refined aesthetic that Rolex is renowned for, expressing an elegance that is both harmonious and enduringly recognisable.
The watch’s iconic design elements, such as the characteristic shape of the Oyster case, the 18 ct gold fluted bezel, the Cyclops lens, and the five-piece link Jubilee bracelet made specifically for the model, have all contributed to the watch’s status as a timeless classic.
The Datejust’s dial serves as a junction between the individual journey of each wearer and the relentless passage of time. Worn by prominent personalities such as Winston Churchill, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Martin Luther King, the watch has transcended generations without forfeiting its contemporary edge.
Comfort and elegance
The Jubilee bracelet was designed specifically for the Rolex Datejust to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary in 1945.
Comprising of a fluid and comfortable five-piece link metal bracelet, the Jubilee bracelet is an essential component of the Datejust’s identity. It can be fitted with an invisible Crownclasp or an Oysterclasp, further elevating the watch’s timeless elegance. The Datejust is also available with an Oyster bracelet or, on precious metal versions, a President bracelet.
An optimised reading
The Cyclops lens is both an aesthetic and a technical brand signature, named after the one-eyed giant in Greek mythology.
It was patented in the early 1950s and presented for the first time in 1953 on a Datejust, and its magnifying effect makes the date easier to read. Initially in plexiglass, it has been crafted in sapphire since the 1970s, like the watch’s crystal.
Virtually impervious to scratches, the sapphire now features a double anti-reflective coating, making it even more effective.
Infinite faces
The Datejust has the most diverse combination of all Rolex watches, providing a vast selection of dials made from different materials, colours, and motifs. The dials can be set with diamonds, or made from mother-of-pearl, and decorated with palm or fluted patterns, or sunray finish, with a variety of hour markers, such as Roman or Arabic numerals, and various gem-setting options.
A distinctive feature Its bezels, available in smooth, fluted, domed, or diamond-set options, can be matched to the wearer’s style. An identifiable feature that showcases Rolex’s expertise, the bezel can be adorned with expertly selected brilliant-cut diamonds for a stunning sparkle. The fluted bezel, an iconic Rolex feature, is made from 18 ct gold in yellow, white, or Everose.
Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 in Oystersteel
Symbol of waterproofness
The watch’s waterproof case – available in 31mm, 36mm or 41mm diameters – is extremely robust and reliable, with a depth rating of 100 metres.
The middle case is crafted from a solid block of Oystersteel or 18 ct gold, and the case back has fine fluting and is screwed down hermetically with a tool accessible only to Rolex watchmakers. The Twinlock winding crown is equipped with a double waterproofness system and screws down securely onto the case.
An alliance of alloys
Rolesor, a signature feature of Rolex watches in the Oyster Perpetual collection since the 1930s, combines Oystersteel and yellow or Everose gold for the bezel, winding crown, and centre links, while the middle case and outer bracelet links are made of Oystersteel. White Rolesor models feature a white gold bezel.
Movements at the forefront of watchmaking technologyDatejust models feature self-winding mechanical movements (calibre 2236 for Datejust 31 and calibre 3235 for Datejust 36 and 41), developed and manufactured by Rolex.
Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 in Everose Rolesor
These movements offer precision, power reserve, shock resistance, convenience and reliability. They have a variable inertia balance wheel with gold Microstella nuts and Paraflex shock absorbers, and hairsprings resistant to magnetic fields and temperature variations. Calibre 3235 has a patented Chronergy escapement and an optimised barrel architecture for an approximate 70-hour power reserve. The movements are finished and decorated to high standards and seen only by certified Rolex watchmakers.Superlative Chronometer certifiedLike all Rolex watches, the Datejust is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015, symbolised by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch.
This exclusive designation testifies that every watch leaving the brand’s workshops has successfully undergone a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories and according to its own criteria.
The precision of a Rolex Superlative Chronometer is approximately −2/+2 seconds per day – the rate deviation tolerated by the brand for a finished watch is significantly smaller than that accepted by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) for the official certification of the movement alone.
