Rolex Certified Pre-Owned: A Remarkable Day-Date Ref. 118235F-0093, With Chocolate Dial
A Day-Date with a somberly beautiful presence.
While it’s difficult to think of a Rolex model that isn’t in some sense, the benchmark for the type of watch that it represents, the Day-Date is certainly one of the most widely culturally impactful as well. First introduced in 1956, the Day-Date was from the beginning a flagship model for Rolex and, although it’s undergone a number of refinements to the mechanism since its launch, the basic operating principle remains the same.
Probably the biggest transitions in the history of the Day-Date occurred in 1977, when the caliber 3055 was introduced and which brought a quickset date to the Day-Date, and again in 1988, when Rolex introduced the caliber 3155 and a double quickset function, allowing both the day of the week and the date to be rapidly set from the crown. The Day-Date was the first calendar watch to show both the day of the week and the date, and, moreover, both indications switched instantly at midnight. The switching mechanism was and is a major technical achievement, as both the disk carrying the day of the week, as well as the date disk, must jump instantly and simultaneously. This is achieved through a mechanism in which a cam is progressively loaded under the pressure of a tension spring – the cam snaps forward at midnight when the high point of the cam passes the spring (the action is similar to that of a reset hammer on a chronograph return to zero heart cam).
The Day-Date calendar mechanism is considerably more complex than a simple calendar or even an instantaneous simple calendar. Switching both disks instantly at exactly midnight requires great precision in both manufacturing and adjustment. The day of the week disk also adds to the inertial load that must be overcome when the calendar indications switch, and since the Day-Date was first introduced, not only has Rolex continued to refine the mechanism’s utility (most notably with the introduction of the double quickset capability in the caliber 3155) it has also continued to refine the Day-Date’s movements mechanically.
The Day-Date reference 118235F-0093 is a variation on the 118238, which was produced from 2000 to 2009, continuing the use of the caliber 3155 (which was finally updated to the caliber 3255 in 2015 – the 3255 introduced the Rolex Parachrom Bleu balance spring, as well as the Chronergy escapement, to the Day-Date). The 3155 was used by Rolex for almost 30 years and remains a classic piece of engineering from Rolex, in its durability, accuracy, and reliability. One of the advantages of the 3155, and indeed of all Rolex instant date-change watches, is that the date (and day, in this case) can be adjusted at any time without fear of damaging the switching mechanism, since it’s only engaged with the day and date wheels at the instant the indications change over.
The 118238 was one of the first Rolex watches to use Everose, which is Rolex’s proprietary red gold alloy. Red gold or rose gold alloys typically include a higher percentage of copper than yellow gold alloys, which give the gold a reddish hue which in addition to its warmth, can also make case geometry stand out more clearly but it has historically had a disadvantage in that the copper can oxidize and discolor over time. With Everose, Rolex added a small amount of platinum to the alloy, which prevents discoloration and ensures color stability.
The 118235F-0093 is an example of the Day-Date with an ornamental dial, of which there are many examples in the history of the Day-Date – some of the best known and most avidly collected are Day-Date watches with hardstone dials, which include lapis lazuli, onyx, bloodstone, malachite, and many others. Rolex has also produced gem-set Day-Dates, with everything from simple gemstone indexes, to full pavé models, with gem set and gradient gem-set bezels and even gem-set bracelets. The 118235F is in comparison to some of the most opulent Day-Date models, relatively restrained although the use of chocolate brown for the dial and precious gems for the indexes, gives it a quiet richness all its own.
Rolex is famous for many things but one perhaps less well known aspect of its watchmaking, is its mastery of horological gem-setting. Horological gem-setting is in some respects more challenging than conventional gem-setting in jewelry, as considerations such as legibility need to be taken into consideration as well. Color matching can also represent a significant challenge, especially when gems are set adjacent to each other, as any color mismatch is instantly obvious. In this particular watch, the hour markers are round brilliant cut diamonds, prong-set in rose gold settings elevated above the plane of the dial, with baguette-cut rubies at 3,6, and 9:00; the prong setting allows more light to be transmitted through the bottom of each gemstone. The settings for the diamonds have rounded borders, offering a smooth visual transition from the diamonds themselves to the radial brushing on the dial; the prongs in particular have razor sharp transitions and are mirror polished – each one of the four prongs in each diamond setting are individual geometric sculptures. The settings for the rubies are double stepped and all these additional details elevate the settings themselves into invaluable contributors to the overall effect of the dial in their own right.
The three-links-across Rolex President bracelet is one of the best bracelets in the business. The construction and proportions of the links give it an almost organic suppleness on the wrist, despite the weight of all that gold, and the Crownclasp is an ingenious mechanism as well – a double-bladed folding clasp with a hidden locking lever which essentially disappears when the bracelet is closed.
The Day-Date is a watch famous for its presence on the wrist, and this reference adds its own set of distinguishing characteristics which give it a unique identity and a unique appeal. A wonderful example of everything that’s made the Day-Date a milestone in the history of modern watchmaking, and also a demonstration of the attention to every detail, in fit, finish, operation, and comfort on the wrist, for which Rolex is well known.
The Rolex Day-Date, ref. 118235F-0093: case, Rolex Everose, 36mm, sapphire crystal with date cyclops, water resistance 100 meters. Movement, self-winding Rolex caliber 3155, 28.5mm x 6.45mm, running at 28,800 vph in 31 jewels; chronometer certified, with Breguet overcoil balance and rate adjustment via the Rolex Microstella timing screws on the balance. Instant change day and date indications, with quickset adjustment of both via the crown. Rolex Certified Pre-Owned, with Rolex authorized service, with guarantee of authenticity and two year international guarantee. For more information and availability, see it in our Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Collection.