When the first Rolex Datejust was introduced in 1945 - the year of the brand's 40th anniversary, it made history as the first automatic water-resistant certified chronometer with a date on the dial. The "Cyclops" was added in 1955 to magnify the date display by two and a half times, thus making the reading more legible and clear, and this feature became one of the most recognizable Rolex hallmarks of all.
In 2018, Rolex introduced the new generation Rolex Datejust 36. This line of timepieces offers the features of the original and iconic Rolex Datejust in a more modern design and, of course, includes some innovations. One of the most significant differences is the movement - the Datejust 36 has the honor of carrying the new caliber 3235, which has an increased power reserve of 70 hours, a seriously improved automatic winding system where the rotor is now on a ball bearing, and efficiency is increased by 15%. As for lubrication, the reversing wheels, as one of the problematic areas in terms of friction, are Teflon-coated! The new 3235 has 14 integrated patents and more than 90% new components, and it is also twice as accurate as an official COSC chronometer. It is in this model that Rolex experiments with all sorts of dials and designs – in this case, it is a deep blue dial, and the fact that the dial itself is crowned with 10 high-quality diamonds makes the proposition even more attractive!
It is not for nothing that the Datejust is the brand's most popular and recognizable model after the iconic Submariner – and the Datejust 36 allows this popularity to be presented in a contemporary interpretation. This particular watch is in the great and hard-to-find combination – a blue dial (which Rolex calls Bright Blue) with 10 diamonds, a fluted white gold bezel, and a Jubilee bracelet.
Indeed, the detail of this watch (as with all modern Rolexes we have had the opportunity to examine) is impressive. A detailed inspection reveals the jeweller's craftsmanship, and the overall impression is very aristocratic. Starting with the incredible dial, moving on to the iconic sapphire with the "Cyclops" – in this case, the brand's highest grade of sapphire is used, which has allowed the overall height of the watch to be reduced compared to its predecessors. Of course, separate attention must be paid to the case and the bezel – an incredible combination of brushed highest-grade 904L steel with solid 18-karat white gold (as you know, Rolex pays special attention to the steel used and for this purpose has its own foundries for the production of all its alloys). The bezel is the brand's characteristic "fluted" style, which gives an incredible radiance and has nothing in common with the other Datejust with the "smooth bezel" – they are simply different watches – this one has a killer presence on your wrist, and the fact that the bezel is 18-karat gold further reinforces the overall impression! The bracelet also deserves attention - in this case, it is the new Jubilee bracelet with a solid clasp, crafted from a single piece of steel (and not from bent sheet metal, as is the case with most brands) – the only thing it lacks (but only in my opinion) is the Sub's GlideLock clasp, but here the so-called EasyLink is fitted, which allows for micro-adjustment with an additional 5 mm - 20mm at the lugs, this specific bracelet has 10 links, and will fit a wrist up to 18 cm.
