The Rolex Datejust 41 is a classic, and the 2016 models have been slightly revisited in design. Six versions provide a choice between the gold colour, yellow or Everose pink, the bracelet design, dial colours and hour markers. With their dual gold and steel colour scheme, they are showy watches, unmistakable: you can choose between the intense flash of the sharply fluted bezel or the moderate flash of the smooth bezel. The most important change in the watch is technical: the new Rolex calibre 3235, providing 70 hours power reserve, and the Superlative Chronometer certification accompanied by a 5-year guarantee. Prices of these models vary from €11,150 to €13,300.
Rolex’s huge success as a brand is partly due to its constancy. Every Rolex is instantly recognizable because the features have been around for a long while. The combination of gold and steel in case and bracelet was innovative back in 1933 when Rolex first introduced it, complete with trade name Rolesor. The Datejust itself combined waterproofness, chronometer precision and a date window at 3 o’clock, and it first saw the light in 1945.
The case is 41 mm in diameter and waterproof to 100 metres (10 bar). The crown is screw-down. The watchglass has a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock to increase legibility of the date. Inside, the calibre 3235 comprises 14 Rolex patents, including the new Chronergy anti-magnetic escapement made in nickel-phosphorus, the paramagnetic Parachrom hairspring with Rolex overcoil to ensure regularity whatever the position of the watch, and a new mainspring barrel architecture providing 70 hours of power reserve. Movements are certified by COSC, and then the assembled watch is tested by Rolex for power reserve, waterproofness, self-winding efficiency and precision, attaining approximately -2/+2 seconds deviation per day.
The watch is mounted on two types of Rolex bracelet, the Oyster, in which there are just three rows of links, and the Jubilee, in which the central gold section takes the form of three links. Both have a folding clasp and the Easylink rapid extension system that allows bracelet length to be increased by 5 mm.
Datejust 41 versions, references, prices (inclusive of VAT)
The Rolex Datejust 41 in steel and yellow gold, fluted bezel, Jubilee bracelet, champagne colour sunray dial, reference 126333, costs €11,850:
The Rolex Datejust 41 in steel and Everose pink gold, fluted bezel, Jubilee bracelet, reference 126331, costs €12,150:
The Rolex Datejust 41 in steel and yellow gold, smooth bezel, Oyster bracelet, reference 126303, costs €11,150:
The Rolex Datejust 41 in steel and yellow gold, smooth bezel, black dial, diamond hour markers, reference 126303, costs €13,000:
The Rolex Datejust 41 in steel and Everose pink gold, smooth bezel, sundust colour sunray dial, Oyster bracelet, reference 126301, costs €13,300
The Rolex Datejust 41 in steel and Everose pink gold, smooth bezel, reference 126301, costs €13,300:
do you have clasp date just two for 36mm gold-steel