Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date

Many men today may find the 34-mm case of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date a bit too small. The size of Datejust 36 is also no longer considered contemporary. Since these smaller watches are in lower demand, you can often get them at great prices. For example, a mint-condition Datejust 36 in stainless steel with the reference number 116200 only costs 6,400 USD. Prices for pre-owned pieces come in at around 5,600 USD.

You can purchase a 41-mm, stainless steel Rolex Datejust II with the reference number 116300 starting at about 7,800 USD. Pre-owned models sell for around 7,000 USD. Mint-condition Datejust II watches are getting ever harder to find since they were taken out of production and replaced by the Datejust 41. This move may drive up the price of Datejust II models going forward. Its replacement has a markedly improved power reserve of 70 hours and a flatter case. The stainless steel version bears the reference number 126300 and costs 7,300 USD new and 7,200 USD pre-owned. You're not likely to come by many pre-owned pieces, however, as the ref. 126300 has only been available since 2017.

An alternative without a date display is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39 ref. 114300. It is almost identical to the Date except for its more up-to-date 39-mm diameter. It is a great choice for both men and women, especially since women's watch trends are now leaning toward larger pieces. Prices for a never-worn Oyster Perpetual 39 sit around 5,500 USD, while pre-owned examples demand 5,200 USD.

The use of white gold or diamonds on certain versions of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date raises their value. Watches with reference number 115234 feature five gemstones as hour markers on the dial.

The dial is the distinctive element of the Oyster Perpetual Date. It's available in pink, silver, dark blue, or black. The hour indices are either lines, thicker bars, or diamonds and Arabic numerals, depending on the version. Most versions, however, feature lines or bars. The line indices are made of white gold in order to prevent tarnishing. On the versions featuring diamonds and numerals, the diamond indices represent odd hours and the Arabic numerals even hours. A small touch of extravagance is the watch's fluted bezel, which is available as an alternative to a smooth bezel.

As a member of the Oyster Perpetual family, the model featuring a date display is following a tradition reaching all the way back to the 1920s. Rolex introduced the Oyster case in this decade, making a waterproof wristwatch possible for the first time. As an advertising tactic, Rolex acquired small aquariums for their display windows in which they presented the Oyster alongside goldfish. The fish watched the timepieces with just as much disbelief as passersby. In the fall of 1927, swimmer Mercedes Glietze wore an Oyster Perpetual as she attempted to swim across the English Channel. Unfortunately, she gave up after about eight hours due to the freezing cold water, but the watch withstood the test.

The perpetual rotor was introduced in 1931 and is still used today in automatic movements, and not just by Rolex. The flexibly-mounted rotor primarily consists of a metal weight. As you swing your arm naturally throughout the day, the rotor swings with it to a certain extent, thereby winding the watch up a little bit with every swing. A slipping clutch prevents the mainspring from getting overwound, even if the watch is worn a lot, and thus helps prevent damage.