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United States of America | USD
28,553
watches for
"
Rolex Datejust
"
Rolex Datejust: The Anniversary Watch
The Rolex Datejust has been enthralling watch lovers for decades with its simple elegance. A Cyclops lens over the date display makes it easy to read. The Datejust also features the beautiful five-piece link Jubilee bracelet, exclusive to this model.
Highlights
- Characteristic feature: date display with Cyclops lens
- First waterproof chronometer wristwatch with an automatic movement and date display
- Highly sought-after vintage models
- Five-piece link Jubilee bracelet exclusively available for the Datejust
- Men's and women's models
Characteristic Date Display
Rolex celebrated their 40th anniversary in 1945. Fitting to this occasion, they premiered the Datejust. At the time, the watch was the first waterproof chronometer with an automatic movement and date display. In line with the original, the date display is still located at three o'clock. The display springs forward a day exactly at midnight. Rolex introduced their Jubilee bracelet to be paired exclusively with this timepiece the same year. Today, the five-piece link bracelet is made of either stainless steel, white, yellow, or rose gold (called Everose gold) and comes in bicolor combinations. Rolex has their own foundry where they independently produce the gold for their watches. Since 1945, numerous models have been made available with the three-piece link Oyster bracelet or a leather strap. The Datejust is available in two sizes - 36 mm and 41 mm - which makes it perfect for almost any size wrist. Since 1957, Rolex has offered smaller sizes meant for women under the name Lady-Datejust. The Datejust line has a larger variety of options than most other Rolex watches.
A Wide Range of Choices
If you're looking for a watch that's perfect for almost any occasion, then this watch with a date display should be your first choice. The Datejust is Rolex's ideal everyday watch. Different sizes ranging from 26 to 31 mm (Lady-Datejust) and 36 to 41 mm (Datejust) make it perfect for most wrists. Classic design characteristics such as Roman numerals or fluted bezels give some versions a conservative look, while 18-karat white, yellow, or Everose gold make other versions particularly valuable. A wide range of bicolor models made of stainless steel and solid gold are also available. Especially high-quality and lavish models have diamond-set bezels and dials. The five-piece link Jubilee bracelet is available exclusively for this series. New models cost around 4,000 euros, whether stainless steel or bicolor. Yellow gold models cost around 7,000 euros. Diamond-set models regularly fetch over 50,000 euros. Pre-owned models in good or very good condition are less expensive - around 2,000 euros.
Buying Tips
- Available in different sizes (from 26 mm to 41 mm)
- Pre-owned models available starting at 2,000 euros, new at 4,000 euros
- High-quality materials: 18-karat gold and diamonds
Similar Watches from Other Brands
- Omega Globemaster starting around 4,500 euros, retro design with a fluted bezel
- Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra starting around 2,000 euros, sporty everyday watch waterproof to 150 m (490 ft, 15 bar)
- Tudor Classic starting around 2,000 euros, also with day/date display
- Grand Seiko starting around 3,000 euros, simple stainless steel design
Introduced in 1945
The first Datejust with reference number 4467 was available solely in yellow gold with a matching Jubilee bracelet. It did not yet feature the characteristic magnified date display; the Cyclops lens, which magnifies the display by 2.5x, was first added in the mid-1950s. Its name references its resemblance to the one-eyed mythological Greek creature. The dial of the first Datejust was cream colored and had gold indices. The date window was, and still is, at three o'clock. Red and black numbers represented even and odd days, respectively. Below the index at 12 o'clock was the inscription "Rolex Oyster Perpetual," and "Officially Certified Chronometer" was above six o'clock. The "Datejust" inscription first began appearing sporadically on dials of reference numbers 5030 and 5031. With reference numbers 6074 and 6075, it became an established feature of the dial. The Rolex designers decided on a golden, fluted bezel.
A Presidential Timepiece
Former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower had an 18-karat gold Datejust. His watch, with reference number 6305, was clearly visible when he was featured on the cover of Life Magazine’s July 21st, 1952 issue. Eisenhower is the first US president to have worn a Rolex watch. He received it as a gift from Rolex on the occasion of their 150,000th watch in honor of his efforts in World War II. Similarly, to celebrate the company’s 100,000th watch, they gifted British Prime Minister Winston Churchill a Rolex chronometer. Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of West Germany, also received a Datejust from Hans Wilsdorf himself. Einsenhower's model was specially customized: His initials (DDE), the date (12-19-1950), as well as five stars, were all engraved on the case. The stars symbolized his five-star general status in the US army. His initials were also on the bracelet's clasp.
The Day-Date was the watch of choice for many presidents. Rolex introduced the model with a date and day of the week display at 12 o'clock in 1956. The watches are available exclusively in 18-karat gold or platinum. World as well as religious leaders such as Lyndon B. Johnson, Fidel Castro, and Pope John Paul II are some of the most well-known wearers of this watch. Like the Datejust, the Day-Date has its own bracelet: the semi-circular three-piece link President bracelet, available in gold or platinum.
A Variety of Designs
Unlike the Submariner, which is only available in stainless steel without a date display, the Datejust has many unique design combinations. For a more traditional look, there is a stainless steel model with a three-piece link Oyster bracelet, polished bezel, and silver dial. More colorful models feature bicolor combinations of stainless steel and yellow, white, or rose gold. Women's models feature diamond-set bezels and mother-of-pearl dials. The refined version with a mother-of-pearl dial is made of 18-karat Everose gold, has a case diameter of 36 mm, and features a leather strap. The gem hour markers each have their own gold frame and are hand-set on the dial.
Somewhat simpler, yet still elegant, are the bicolor stainless steel and 18-karat white gold versions. Starting in the mid-1930s, Rolex named these bicolor stainless steel and gold combinations “Rolesor.” Black dials on some of the watches create a stark contrast with the silver, fully polished case and polished and brushed Jubilee bracelet. The Oyster bracelet is similar; its center links are polished while the outer links are brushed, creating a harmonious contrast. You can read the watch in the dark as well, as both the hands and indices are luminous. The fluted bezel harkens back to the first Datejust from 1945.
There is a wide range of dial options available: bronze, chocolate, pink, green, or silver floral motif dials, as well as plain dials in chocolate, black, white, silver, rhodium, blue, pink, or champagne. The bezel colors are likewise diverse: The options range from yellow gold to rose gold to silver.
A Bit More from the Datejust II
Rolex expanded the Datejust line in 2009 with a 41-mm version, the Datejust II. This size appeals to fans of larger watches and can be identified by the extra “II” at the end of its name. Like the 36-mm Datejust, the Datejust II is available in many different versions. It's comparable to the Globemaster from Omega, which is COSC-certified, 39 mm in diameter, and features a date display at six o'clock as well as a fluted bezel. The watch is available in stainless steel, yellow gold, rose gold, or a bicolor version.
The Datejust's In-House Caliber
Datejust models are exclusively powered by automatic, in-house calibers from Rolex with a date display, as was the very first model with reference number 4467. Today, however, Rolex uses caliber 3135 in the 36-mm versions and 3136 in the 41-mm versions. The 3136 caliber features Rolex's Paraflex shock protection system, while the 3135 does not. The system can absorb shocks and jolts 50% better than the usual protection systems. The blue Parachrom hairspring made from a patented zirconium-niobium alloy adds to this movement's robustness and precision. It is a part of both calibers and remains unaffected by magnetic fields and temperature fluctuations. Furthermore, it has a so-called "Breguet overcoil," or an upraised last coil, which reduces its curvature and allows the spring to breathe better. This simultaneously increases the accuracy. Fine regulation occurs via the typical Rolex Microstella nuts. Using a special tool, you can regulate the watch without disassembling it. Like every Rolex watch, the Datejust is COSC-certified. Since 2016, Rolex has used caliber 3235 in the Datejust 41. It has a power reserve of 70 hours.
Technical Highlights
- COSC-certified chronometer
- 70-hour power reserve with caliber 3235
- Paraflex shock protection with calibers 3136 and 3235
- Newer models with non-magnetic Parachrom hairspring
Rolex Datejust: The Epitome of Versatility
The Datejust is a perfect watch for almost any occasion. Thanks to its screw-down case back and Twinlock crown system, it's waterproof to 10 bar (100 m). Therefore, you can wear this watch not only while playing golf or tennis, but also while swimming. Scratch-resistant sapphire glass protects the dial and adds value. In-house movements from Rolex have been regarded as some of the best out there by watchmakers for years. The company's perfected caliber technology makes these watches incredibly precise and reliable. Furthermore, watches from this Swiss brand embody power, prestige, and influence. The most powerful people in the world know this; that's why they choose Rolex.
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