Rolex Day Date – Iconic,Legendary Style
While Rolex watches are known for known for their styling and build quality, they’re often neglected when it comes to thinking about innovation in the watchmaking world. Nevertheless, they have been great innovators over the years, and the Rolex Day Date is one of their iconic examples of technical prowess.
This model was the first watch sold by anyone to display the day of the week in addition to the date. First introduced in 1956, the model is still in production today, and is one of the company’s more luxurious models, being offered with either a gold or platinum case, with or without diamonds. This model is also a certified chronometer.
The Rolex Day Date is popular with both fans of fashion and watch collectors, and it’s rightly regarded as a legendary model from a company that’s produced a lot of them.
Read on for the full Rolex Day Date watches review.
Build Quality
Movements
Innovation
Styling and Features
Care and Maintenance
Warranty
Prices
Where to Buy
Summary
Rolex Day Date Watches Build Quality
Rolex may make a lot of different wristwatches, but one thing they all have in common is their rock-solid build quality. This one is no different; it features 100 meters of water resistance, and a rugged case made from either platinum or gold, white gold, or rose gold. They all feature sapphire crystal and the company’s Calibre 3155 Swiss-made automatic mechanical movement. With proper care, your Rolex will last for many years of regular use.
This model features a Swiss-made automatic mechanical movement, and it’s accurate enough that it has been certified as a chronometer by the COSC. Many watches call themselves a chronograph, but to be called a chronometer, you must have your model certified by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres and subjected to rigorous testing, which compares the timepiece to standardized atomic clocks.
Needless to say, very few companies have their models so certified. This model is an exceptionally accurate timepiece.
First introduced in 1956, the Rolex Day Date was the first wristwatch to feature the day of the week in addition to the day of the month on the display. On this model, the day of the week is shown at the top of the face, just below 12 o’clock.
The crystal has a magnifier built in to make the day easier to read. This is a rather complex mechanism, and adding it to a movement that already incorporates a date feature was quite difficult. In addition, the movement within this watch, as described above, is exceptionally accurate.
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If you like gold, you’ll love this watch, as it’s available only with a gold or platinum case. For gold, you get three options – yellow, white or rose. In addition, the company makes a special bracelet that is only available on this model – the President bracelet. Displays are all-analog, of course, as the models all feature automatic movements.
As the name would suggest, the Rolex Day Date also incorporates the date as well as the day of the week on the face. Despite the emphasis on precious metals in the design, this particular model also features splashes of color, and you can purchase with faces that are red, green and blue, among other colors.
Models are available with diamonds on the face and bezel, as well, if you’re the sort that likes diamonds. There are some nice variations in this model, which is part of the reason why it remains so popular nearly 60 years after its introduction.
As a precision timepiece with an automatic mechanical movement, this model does require some special care and maintenance. The company recommends that the watch be returned to them every three to five years for regular servicing. This entails disassembling the watch and examining the parts for wear.
Worn parts are replaced, the workings are cleaned and lubricated, and the watertight seals are replaced before reassembly. The watch is then tested for both accuracy and water resistance and is cleaned and polished.
By the time it’s returned to you, the watch will look as good as new. Aside from this recommended maintenance, you should either wear it on a regular basis or keep it stored in a watch winder to keep it running properly and maintaining the proper time.
Your watch should be stored in a cool, dry place and should be kept away from magnetic fields and extremes of temperature. If you wear it in or around salt water, you should rinse it lightly in tap water and dry it carefully afterwards. With proper care, your watch should run well for many years.
Rolex Day Date Watches Warranty
The Rolex Day Date is sold with a standard, two year manufacturer’s warranty against defects in craftsmanship and materials. This is more or less the industry average, but genuine factory defects are quite rare in Rolex watches.
When they do occur, they’ll certainly become obvious within the warranty period. In addition, watches returned to Rolex for regular maintenance are also given a two year warranty on the service work.
As these are luxury timepieces, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see that this is a rather expensive watch. They start at roughly $10,000 and we have seen models for sale priced at more than $200,000. Most fall into the mid five figure range; you should be able to acquire a nice example for $20,000-$50,000. Pricing tends to be strictly regulated by the company, but it is occasionally possible to buy a discount Rolex Day Date with a bit of effort.
As the company strictly regulates both distribution and pricing on their products, you’ll generally find this one for sale only at authorized dealers, which are generally high end jewelry stores located in larger cities. This is the company’s preference, as they want consumers to buy their products from an attentive salesperson. That said, you can occasionally find it on sale at some online retailers, and sometimes, even at discount prices.
Rolex Day Date Watches Summary
As with many models in the company’s product line, the Rolex Day Date is a legendary model, with technical innovation, great build quality and luxury features, all packed into a single, beautiful luxury timepiece. These high end models feature precious metals, gemstones and beautiful design in a rugged case that contains an exceptionally reliable movement. If you like beauty and precision, the Rolex Day Date would be a great choice for you.