Rolex has created several watches that have been favorite among celebrities, world leaders, and other famous people, real-life or fictional. Since it was founded in London in 1905, Rolex has gone on to manufacture several models that are often held with high esteem by the watch-loving community, and among these watches is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust, or better known as Rolex Datejust.This model was first released in 1945, the year when Rolex celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Since then, it has become one of the company’s most popular watches, along with the Rolex Submariner and the Rolex Daytona. But there is so much more to know and love with this model, which is still sold by different retailers all over the globe in various versions. This article seeks to provide more information about the Rolex Datejust as well as the Rolex Lady Datejust, a version of the Datejust designed for women. History and Defining
CharacteristicsWhen it was crafted to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Rolex as a watch company, Rolex Datejust has shown several of the innovations created by the company for its products.
Among these is the Oyster case, which changed the history of watchmaking by making water and dust resistance possible, and the Perpetual movement, which allows Rolex watches to function with the help of the force created by the motion of the person wearing the wrist rather than manually winding the watch.
It was also the first Rolex watch to show the date and allow it to change automatically. It was also said to be one of the best, if not the best-selling Rolex watches of all time. The Cyclops magnifying lens, another innovation created by Rolex, was added to the Datejust model in 1953, two years before the automatic date mechanism was included in the watch.
The name “Datejust” was also added to the dials of the watch in the mid-1950s. Aside from the lens and the case, some of the other defining features of the Rolex Datejust are watch dials with three watch hands and a date window set at 3 o’clock and quartz movements that could be found on Oysterquartz Datejust variationsIn the past.
The “Turn-O-Graph” rotating timing bezel was an addition to the Rolex Datejust model and it also became available for select 36mm Datejust models only, which was then called the Rolex “Thunderbird.” While this unique model was discontinued in 2011, it was the official watch of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds Squadron at one point.
Since then, several variations of the Rolex Datejust model have been manufactured and released by Rolex to better serve its sophisticated, yet diverse clientele.Other Interesting Features of the Rolex Lady DatejustThe Rolex Datejust model has continuously evolved through the years as Rolex showed innovations that shocked the watchmaking industry.
Despite these several changes, the Rolex Datejust remains a timeless classic as it showed the designs and features that became synonymous with Rolex. The Rolex Datejust has become available in two bracelets, the Oyster bracelet and the Jubilee bracelet (which was created to celebrate Rolex’s 40th anniversary) but some models are also available in the President bracelet.
Furthermore, it is available in different case sizes, ranging from 28 to 41 millimeters, and it could be purchased in various colors and materials, such as stainless steel, solid gold, and two-tone gold as well as Platinum, which is reserved for smaller Datejust variations. In 1957, Rolex released the Rolex Lady Datejust, which is another Rolex watch women adored and used along with other Rolex watches for ladies.
When it was first released, the Rolex Lady Datejust possessed all the features of the original Datejust but enclosed in a smaller 26-millimeter watch case. Nonetheless, Rolex updated the lady version of the Rolex Datejust by replacing the 26-millimeter watch case of this version with a slightly larger 28-millimeter case size.
The Rolex Lady Datejust is also among the few Datejust models that could be purchased with a President bracelet along with the Datejust 31 model. The Rolex Lady Datejust also has a power reserve of approximately 55 hours and features a white dial showing mother-of-pearl set with diamonds. To further add, diamond embellishments could be added on other parts of the watch aside from the dial such as the bracelet, the cases, and even the bezels.
Takeaway: Does the Rolex Datejust hold value?The Rolex Datejust rightfully earned its place as one of the most iconic timepieces ever created by the most popular luxury watch manufacturer in the world. In a world where fashion trends are constantly changing every minute.
This Rolex watch has stood the test of time and has been in the company of people like Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill. With its elegant and sophisticated design that has constantly evolved to suit people of all styles, ages, and eras, the Rolex Datejust has proven itself to be a timeless masterpiece, and this is perhaps one of the many reasons why the Rolex Datejust continues to hold a huge amount of value, both financial and sentimental, to watch owners and lovers all over the world.
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