Rolex Datejust 41 Bright Blue Dial

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 2009, Rolex introduced the Rolex Datejust II. This line of timepieces offers the features of the original and emblematic Rolex Datejust in a more streamlined and modern design and includes new innovations. One of the most significant differences between the Rolex Datejust and the Rolex Datejust II is, of course, the size – the new one is 41 mm, considerably larger and follows the new trends for larger watch cases. The other difference is the movement - the Datejust II has the honor of carrying within it the caliber 3136, made by the brand exclusively for this model - an in-house movement with Paraflex anti-shock protection, a Parachrom hairspring, a COSC certified chronometer with a 48-hour power reserve, operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour. In 2017, the brand also introduced the newest version of the model under reference 126300. One of the biggest changes is precisely the movement - the new caliber 3235, which has an increased power reserve of 70 h, a seriously improved automatic winding system where the rotor is now on a ball bearing, and its efficiency is increased by 15%. As for the lubrication, the reversing wheels, as one of the problematic areas from a friction standpoint, are Teflon-coated! The new 3235 has 14 integrated patents and more than 90% new components, and furthermore, it is twice as accurate as the official COSC chronometer. It is not for nothing that the Datejust is the brand's most popular and recognizable model after the iconic Submariner – and the Datejust II allows this popularity to be presented in a contemporary interpretation. This particular timepiece is in the fantastic and relatively hard-to-find combination – a deep blue dial with hour markers. Indeed, the detail of this timepiece (as with all modern Rolexes I have had the opportunity to examine) is impressive. Starting with the incredible dial (in the case of the presented watch, it is the deep blue color used by Rolex in few models) which at certain angles seems to be absent - from which the overall impression is as if the hands and markers are "suspended" in the air in some kind of weightlessness, and the luminescent coating in the brand-specific Chromalight (which on this model is available only on the dials with markers – this is not the case with either the Arabic or the Roman numerals – and this is another plus for this combination). Moving on to the incredible sapphire with the "Cyclops" – in this case, the brand's highest-grade 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 bezel – an incredible combination of brushed highest-grade 904L steel with faceted polished edges and details in places (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 so-called "smooth" type, which gives an incredible radiance and has a killer presence on your wrist. And of course the bracelet, or whatever you may call it – as can be expected from a Rolex, it is truly good... In this case, it is the new Jubilee bracelet, which at this size has 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 perhaps only in my opinion) is the GlideLock clasp of the Sub, but here the so-called EasyLink is fitted, which allows for micro-adjustment with an additional 5 - 20mm at the lugs. Truly, the combination of this dial with such a bracelet makes the watch look impressive.