When the first Rolex Datejust was introduced in 1945 – the year of the brand’s 40th anniversary – it entered history as the first automatic water-resistant certified chronometer with a date on the dial. The “Cyclops” was added in 1955 in order to magnify the date display two and a half times, making the indication more legible and clear, and this feature became one of the most recognisable hallmarks of Rolex in general.
In 2009, Rolex introduced the Rolex Datejust 36. This line of watches offers the characteristics of the original and emblematic Rolex Datejust in a more simplified and modern design, while also including new innovations. One of the most significant differences between the previous version and the new one is, of course, the movement – the Datejust 36 has the honour of carrying inside it calibre 3135 – an in-house movement with Paraflex anti-shock protection, Parachrom hairspring, COSC-certified chronometer status, 48 hours of power reserve and operating at 28,800 vibrations per hour.
It is no coincidence that the Datejust is the most popular and recognisable model of the brand after the cult Submariner – and the Datejust 36 allows this popularity to be presented in a contemporary interpretation. This particular watch is one of the brand’s models which, thanks to the specific design of the date indication, received a nickname immediately after its launch – in this case, because of the colour solution of the date display, where some dates are red and others black, the model is called “Roulette Date”.
The detail of this watch, as indeed of all modern Rolex watches we have had the opportunity to examine, is truly impressive. Starting with the incredible dial, in this case in classic black, which from certain angles almost seems to disappear – creating the overall impression that the hands and markers are “suspended” in the air in a kind of weightlessness, while the markers and hands themselves are made of white gold. Moving on to the incredible sapphire with “Cyclops” – in this case, the highest class of the brand’s sapphire has been used, which has allowed the overall height of the watch to be reduced compared with its predecessors. Of course, separate attention must be paid to the case and bezel – an incredible combination of brushed 904L steel of the highest class with faceted polished edges and details in certain places; as you know, Rolex pay special attention to the steel they use and, for this purpose, have their own foundries for the production of all their alloys. The bezel is the classic “fluted” one for the model, giving it an incredible presence and a killer look on your wrist.
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 a bracelet with a solid centre link and a massive clasp made from a single piece of steel, not from bent sheet metal as with most brands. The only thing it lacks, but perhaps only in our opinion, is the GlideLock clasp of the Sub, although here we do have the so-called EasyLink, which allows micro-adjustment by an additional 5 mm. The lug width is 20 mm.
