When the first Rolex Datejust was introduced in 1945 – the year of the brand’s 40th anniversary – it made history as the first self-winding, waterproof, certified chronometer with a date indication on the dial. The “Cyclops” was added in 1953 to magnify the date display two and a half times, making the indication clearer and easier to read, and this feature has since become one of the most recognisable characteristics of Rolex watches in general.
In 2009, Rolex introduced the Rolex Datejust II. This line of watches offered the characteristics of the original and iconic Rolex Datejust in a simpler, more modern design, while incorporating several innovations. One of the most significant differences between the classic Rolex Datejust and the Datejust II was, of course, the size – the new model measured 41 mm, significantly larger, following the trend towards larger watch cases. Another difference was the movement – the Datejust II had the honour of housing the brand’s Calibre 3136, an in-house movement with Paraflex shock protection, a Parachrom hairspring, COSC chronometer certification, a 48-hour power reserve and an operating frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour.
In 2016, the brand introduced the new-generation Datejust 41, and in 2017 the full stainless-steel version joined the collection under reference 126300. One of the biggest changes was precisely the movement – the new Calibre 3235, with an increased power reserve of 70 hours and a significantly improved automatic winding system, featuring a rotor mounted on ball bearings. The new Chronergy escapement is approximately 15% more efficient, while more than 90% of the calibre’s components have been redesigned or optimised. Its development involved 14 patents, and on top of all that, the finished watch is accurate to within −2/+2 seconds per day – a considerably stricter standard than the official COSC requirements.
It is no coincidence that the Datejust is one of the most popular and recognisable models of the brand after the iconic Submariner – and the Datejust 41 allows this popularity to be presented in a contemporary interpretation. The particular watch offered here comes in a wonderful combination – a silver dial with hour markers and the classic Oyster bracelet.
The detail of this watch, as indeed of all modern Rolex watches we have had the opportunity to present, is truly impressive. Starting with the incredible dial – in this particular watch, we are talking about the so-called “Silver Dial”, which changes its shade from darker grey to bright silver depending on the viewing angle and lighting conditions. The luminescent coating is the brand’s distinctive Chromalight, glowing in a pleasant bluish colour and allowing the indications to be read easily even at night. On this watch, it is applied to the hands and hour markers – another advantage of this particular combination.
Moving on to the classic sapphire crystal with “Cyclops”, everything is executed with Rolex’s legendary precision and attention to detail. Of course, separate attention must be paid to the case and bezel – an incredible combination of brushed, high-grade 904L steel, which the brand calls Oystersteel, with faceted polished edges and details in certain areas. As you know, Rolex pay special attention to the steel they use and, for this purpose, have their own foundries for producing their alloys.
The bezel is the so-called “smooth” type, made of steel, which gives the watch an incredible appearance and a very elegant presence on your wrist. Combined with the silver dial, it makes this one of the most versatile representatives of the collection – sporty enough for everyday wear, yet elegant enough for any formal occasion.
And of course, the bracelet, strap, chain or whatever you prefer to call it – as one would expect from a Rolex, it is genuinely good. In this case, we are talking about an Oyster bracelet with solid links and a substantial clasp, manufactured with impressive precision rather than made from folded sheet metal, as is the case with many other brands. The only thing it lacks, but perhaps only in our opinion, is the Glidelock clasp of the Submariner, although here we do have the so-called Easylink, which allows the bracelet to be easily extended by an additional 5 mm. The lug width is 21 mm.
