Why We Love It
So we all love icons. But in an expanding community of vintage enthusiasts, how do you maintain your individuality while also seeking to acquire some of the 'standard fare' iconic timepieces?
Enter the special finishes.
From “honeycomb” or “waffle” dials to Florentine or Morellis pattern on the cases, Rolex has employed a variety of special finishes throughout the years. Found mostly on dress watches like the Datejust or the Day-Date, they bring an extra element of depth to each piece. Make no mistake, these 'something extra' pieces stand out in a field of solid gold Rolex dressers, so be prepared for some well-deserved attention.
Take this jaw-dropping Reference 18078 for example. It features an absolutely pristine solid 18K yellow gold Oyster case with a factory bark finished bezel and bracelet. The crisp white dial provides a brilliant contrast to the textured details throughout the case and bracelet.
Hyperbole aside, our entire staff was taken aback the moment it landed at the Analog/Shift HQ - a unique Day Date in this condition is a special find.
The Day-Date Story
When you’ve got a good thing going, sometimes you just know.
Such is the case with the Rolex Day-Date. At the time of the Day-Date’s release in 1956, it was Rolex’s most complicated wristwatch: all previous attempts had failed to resonate with consumers.
But as soon as Rolex secured the patent in July of 1955, production of the Day-Date was rushed for a debut at the Basel Fair the following spring.
Although early Day-Dates were plagued by technical problems resulting from the complexity of the automatic movement with dual calendar function, those were soon resolved. After President Eisenhower sported one (a gift from the manufacture), its success was secured. The watch came to be known as the “President,” (due to the fact that several U.S. presidents since Eisenhower have worn one), and it certainly lives up to its dignified nickname.
For a brand that has built its reputation on its sports watches, it's perhaps unsurprising that the Rolex Day-Date is amongst the brand's best-sellers. True, the brand has always produced dress watches, but while the brand's more overt dress watch, the Cellini, often seems out of place among the brand's Oyster-cased offerings, the Day-Date is sturdy, solid, and at home alongside the Submariners and GMTs that make up the Oyster Perpetual collection.
Rolex has approached continual development of model as they do every other, making quiet improvements over the following decades, ensuring the Day-Date is worthy as the centerpiece of Rolex's Oyster line as horological technology evolves.
Whether a simple 36mm yellow gold piece or a Day-Date II 41mm Day-Date in platinum with a gem set dial, the Day-Date is internationally recognized as time timepiece of success and leadership, and of great taste.
