I spent a lot of time around the iconic Rolex dates. But all of these watches were vintage or at best neo-vintage. My time spent in the current generation is limited and limited to keep it calm, so I felt it was time to try out the modern 40mm size, a thorough modern DD. These are white gold refs. 228239 and Rose Gold Ref. 228235.
Do these watches make me proudly feel the president or do they feel incredibly unworthy? Find it!
ref. 1803 – Image: Bulang & Sons
The touch of history with Rolex Day
The Rolex date is widely considered the brand’s flagship model. However, this was not always the case. Rolex introduced DateJust as its most luxurious product in 1945, and was only available in precious metals. You will spend 11 years as a crown crown until you refer to the date. The 6510 and 6511 appeared in 1956.
Dating has become synonymous with Jubilee Bracelet, but Day Date is famous for being the President of Bracelet. Unlike Jubilee, the President remains exclusive to date until today. The name “President” has a slightly darker history. Some argue that Dwight D. Eisenhower, who wears the date date, had an impact on it. Others refer to Lyndon Johnson. Rolex briefly referred to the 60s date as “Presidential Clock.” Today, this watch is still called “President,” but that is the official name of the bracelet.
ref. 18238
My experience revolves mostly around 36mm 18xx, 180xx, and 182xx models. These ranged from almost 1960 to 2000. During this period, the non-kickset caliber, shaved dial, and acrylic crystals slowly created paths in single kickset movements, flat dials, and sapphire crystals. Since then, the 41mm Day Dating II has appeared. The watch I’m trying out today is the refinement of that generation in 2015, and comes in at a width of 40mm. Of course, you can still choose a 36mm alternative today.
Day-Date II ref. 218238 – Image: Watch Club
Rolex’s bigger date improvements
Day-date II ref. 218238 was not universally loved. Of course, people had to get used to seeing the 36mm icons larger than half a centimeter of solids. But that wasn’t the biggest problem. The clock is not just scaled, but is differently proportional. The case was even more intense and sporty. The dial in particular looked significantly different. The relatively short applied index left a large negative space, further highlighting the larger size.
The current generation of 40mm date solved these problems. The lug is narrow and the bezel is narrow. The reproduced dial also looks like a 36mm version.
Overall, the Rolex Day Dating 40 doesn’t look like a 36mm DD on steroids. Instead, it looks very similar, familiar and a little bigger. If you feel that the 36mm version is too small, this really feels like a viable and mature alternative.
It’s completely different from vintage Rolex Day
So to my experience with this duo of presenting Rolex dates. Handling them made me feel honored. They don’t feel like the vintage watches I remember. I’ve always been poetic about the solidity of a Rolex and the feel of a home bracelet. President Gold dials it in a notch. Adding gold elongation to the unique combination of lateral stiffness and vertical supply gives you a bracelet that feels like it works on top of oiled ceramic ball bearings. There really aren’t any other bracelets like that.
This sense of accuracy extends to the grooved bezel. Roof-like teeth are very sharp, flat and skillfully polished, so reflections can be overwhelmed by the right light. The show doesn’t stop when you move inwards. White gold ref. 228239 diamond marker and rose gold ref. The Roman numerals on the facets of 228235 shine just as brightly.
Modern Rolex feels solid compared to its vintage predecessors. However, the date strikes the biggest contrast with them. This is because vintage examples of gold watches and their bracelets usually wear out, stretch and scratch than their steel counterparts. At the same time, the current generation feels clinically perfect, further expanding the gap.
40mm size words
As mentioned previously, I feel that the 40mm date represents a significant improvement over its 41mm predecessor. You can imagine that you may not have discovered that these are the 40mm versions of header images only. That’s a good thing! Here’s a little visual tel for the diamond set model: The 6 and 9 o’clock baguettes are slightly larger than the other models. In the 36mm version, all 10 diamonds are of equal size and shape.
The question is, who are these for? For me, larger dates always felt a bit unnecessary. The wearer of the date that made the watch famous was not a small man at all. No one claimed that the 36mm watch looked cute. The DD always had enough presence to fit wrists of all sizes. I always imagine someone with two Panerai watches, a Rolex Deepsea, and a big pilot at IWC looking for a dressy watch when imagining buyers with bigger dates. I’m not sure if that’s correct, but I understand the demand for larger explorers, but I haven’t seen it here.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if you think it’s necessary. Apparently there is a market for it, and Rolex offers a suitable alternative to the 36mm classic. The 41mm Day Dating II felt a bit rude, but the Date 40 is just as refined as the 36mm model. Speaking of sizes, the image shows a very average 17cm (6.7 inches) wrist watch of my colleague Nacho. You may differ, but I rarely misunderstand the appearance. It looks like a spot.
Close thoughts
Rolex dates are an interesting segment of the watch market. I don’t see it as a strict dress watch, and it certainly isn’t an auto hollogary. Frankly, if you try to see that iconic air without clouding it at your judgment, I don’t even think it’s that pretty. So, what exactly is it?
For me, this is a watch that was made to impress. I don’t mean that in a bad way. You don’t need to use it to impress others, but there are few watches that do as this is the case. It’s very impressive to process it and enjoy it personally. It feels more accurate, solid and refined than any item in a normal person’s daily life. The way that moving parts feel under the fingertips and how they reflect them look like 4K in the Full HD world.
So does that make me feel president? Well, that’s not the case at all. I’m not ready for these watches. The rest of me seems to get 25% embarrassment when holding it on my left wrist. They are bright, sharp and eye-catching to me. As RJ says, maybe I need to grow into them. Or maybe, maybe they’re not really my style.
What do you think about the current Rolex Day Dating 40 refs? 228239 (white gold, 53,650 euros) and 228235 (rose gold, 48,000 euros)? Let us know in the comments section below!
