THE BOLDEST COURSE
The Day-Date has always epitomized prestige and innovation. Exclusively made from precious metals, it was the first calendar wristwatch to indicate, in addition to the date, the day of the week spelt out in full in a window on the dial.
Rolex is releasing the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 in 950 platinum – easily recognizable thanks to its ice-blue dial – with a fluted bezel for the first time. A cornerstone of Rolex’s aesthetic heritage, this striking component, which is found only on some Classic models in the Oyster Perpetual collection and until now has only been made in 18 ct gold, now exists in the most prestigious metal available.
A material with exceptional luminosity and a captivating white glow, platinum is challenging to work with, especially when carrying out finishing. Rolex therefore came up with an innovative new manufacturing process for creating a fluted bezel in 950 platinum. Producing fluting with the perfect shape and sparkling surfaces was a technical feat that the brand was able to realize thanks to its outstanding expertise.
The new version of the Day-Date 40 is equipped with calibre 3255, a movement at the forefront of watchmaking technology, enabling it to display the hours, minutes, seconds, day and date.
Like all Rolex watches, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, which ensures excellent performance on the wrist.
Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 — ©Rolex/JVA Studios- Open lightbox
EXCLUSIVITY ACCORDING TO ROLEX
At its launch in 1956, the Day-Date was a major innovation: it was the first calendar wristwatch to indicate, in addition to the date, the day of the week spelt out in full in an arc-shaped window at 12 o’clock on the dial – a technical feat at the time. The day of the week is available in a choice of 26 languages. Watches in the Day-Date range are made only of precious metals – 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold or 950 platinum.
Worn by many of the world’s political figures, directors and visionaries, the Day-Date is instantly recognizable, in particular thanks to its emblematic President bracelet, whose evocative name, together with the eminent figures who have worn it, ensured the Day-Date became known as the ‘presidents’ watch’.
Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 — ©Rolex/Alain Costa- Open lightbox
THE OYSTER CASE, SYMBOL OF WATERPROOFNESS
A paragon of robustness and elegance, the 40 mm Oyster case of the new Day-Date 40 is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). Its middle case is crafted from a solid block of 950 platinum. The case back, edged with fine fluting, is hermetically screwed down with a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The Twinlock winding crown, fitted with a double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The crystal, which is fitted with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire and benefits from an anti-reflective coating. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimum protection for the watch’s movement.
Close-up on the bezel — ©Rolex/Alain Costa- Open lightbox
PERPETUAL CALIBRE 3255
The new version of the Day-Date 40 is equipped with calibre 3255, a movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex that was unveiled on the model in 2015. At the forefront of watchmaking technology, this self-winding mechanical movement led to the filing of several patents, and offers outstanding performance in terms of precision, power reserve, resistance to shocks and magnetic fields, convenience and reliability.
Calibre 3255 incorporates the patented Chronergy escapement, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also insensitive to magnetic fields. The movement is fitted with an optimized blue Parachrom hairspring, manufactured by Rolex in a paramagnetic alloy. The blue Parachrom hairspring is equipped with a Rolex overcoil, ensuring the calibre’s regularity in any position. The oscillator is fitted on the Rolex-designed, patented high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, increasing the movement’s shock resistance.
Calibre 3255 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor. Thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s superior efficiency, the power reserve of calibre 3255 extends to approximately 70 hours.
Perpetual calibre 3255 — ©Rolex/Jean-Daniel Meyer- Open lightbox
PRESIDENT BRACELET
The new version of the Day-Date 40 is fitted with a President bracelet. Created specially for the launch of the prestigious Oyster Perpetual Day-Date in 1956, the three-piece link President bracelet, made only from 18 ct gold or 950 platinum, is still reserved exclusively for the Day-Date and precious metal versions of the Datejust.
The President bracelet on this new version includes an elegant concealed folding Crownclasp and ceramic inserts inside the links to enhance its flexibility and longevity. In addition, a concealed attachment system ensures seamless visual continuity between the bracelet and case.
Crownclasp — ©Rolex/Alain Costa- Open lightbox
SUPERLATIVE CHRONOMETER CERTIFICATION
Like all Rolex watches, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 is covered by the Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015. This designation testifies that every watch leaving the brand’s workshops has successfully undergone a series of tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria, following the official certification of the movements by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). The in-house certification tests apply to the fully assembled watch, after casing the movement, guaranteeing superlative performance on the wrist in terms of precision, power reserve, waterproofness and self-winding. The precision of a Rolex Superlative Chronometer is of the order of −2/+2 seconds per day – the rate deviation tolerated by the brand for a finished watch is significantly smaller than that accepted by COSC for official certification of the movement alone.
The Superlative Chronometer status is symbolized by the green seal that comes with every Rolex watch and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.