Rolex Datejust: Much More Than "Just a Date"

Fernando Aldea

The Datejust transcended the mere function of displaying the date on the dial to become an emblem of watchmaking design. In this installment, we revisit the history and legacy of this Rolex icon, the watch that pioneered the concept of the "one watch collection."

Origins of the icon

Rolex has accustomed us to thinking that most of the complications and features of modern watches were invented in its workshops, but that's generally not true. There is one instance where this myth is true, and that is with the appearance of the rotating date disc visible on the dial. This watchmaking revolution occurred in 1945 with the introduction of the Datejust, the first automatic chronometer wristwatch to feature this capability. That year, the house of the crown celebrated its jubilee , 40 years since its founding by the good Hans Wilsdorf. This function, which is now considered super basic, was a major innovation at the time, and historical figures like Eisenhower and Churchill could finally tell the date of the day just by looking at their watch.

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date
First Rolex Datejust from 1945

This first Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust was a chubby watch – bubble back – in 100% 18k yellow gold, with the waterproof Oyster case (introduced by Rolex in 1926), a fluted bezel, and the famous, often imitated but never equaled, Jubilee bracelet (precisely because it was the Jubilee), a fantastic combination that would lay the foundations for what a luxury wristwatch should be. Then in 1953 came the loved by some, hated by others, Cyclops lens, the traditional magnifying glass over the date window of many Rolex watches, which together with the original 36mm and the bezel and bracelet variations have made up most of the combinations of the classic watch we know as the Datejust.

On the technical front, the Datejust was a pioneer in integrating an automatic movement into wristwatches—reliable, robust movements with a power reserve sufficient for everyday use. Rolex always intended to position it as the ultimate everyday watch, which is why it continually included improvements to its calibers, such as the Quickset in 1977, which allows users to set the date on a watch without having to turn the hands around the entire dial. More recently, with the caliber 3135 and later the 3235, Rolex was able to offer a power reserve of up to 70 hours and a spectacular level of precision.

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date

Design Fundamentals

If we had to define the Datejust design in a single word, it would probably be: "timeless." And what does timeless mean? It means that it's a design capable of successfully weathering the turbulence of fashions from different eras and trends. This is probably why, if you ask a child to draw a watch, they'll draw something very similar to a Datejust.

We must acknowledge Rolex's masterful ability to balance form and function in this watch. The combination of the Oyster case, with its curvatures and close lug-to-lug distance, a delicate bezel made of precious material, and a legible dial on a clean background with contrasting markers and hands, often also made of precious material and always beautifully crafted, create the architecture of a useful object, to be worn daily. This doesn't mean they aren't beautiful luxury pieces, or that they don't fulfill their status as a jewel perfectly. A Datejust is both.

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date

We're talking about a versatile watch that can accompany you to a party, a work meeting, or a family event, any day of the week or weekend, never out of place, always attracting attention, but with subtlety. Now, it's true that there are customized or factory-made versions that were made to attract attention in a less subtle way, that were made for ostentation, but that only proves that this watch is capable of satisfying a wide range of aesthetic preferences.

Internally, the Datejust is consistent with its exterior appearance. Movements featuring the latest technology developed by Rolex in each era have always ticked away, providing the watch with ongoing improvements related to shock and magnetic resistance, precision and reliability, material quality, and overall solidity. The power reserve is now enormous—almost three days—and it shares a caliber with other crown icons such as the Submariner, the Sea-Dweller, and the Yacht-Master. That's how important the Datejust is.

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date

Influence on the industry

The Datejust's influence on watchmaking is enormous, not only in relation to industrial design trends, as we mentioned earlier, but also in relation to market trends and the watch industry itself. It's clear that the transition from formal to sports or casual watches is a sea change pioneered by Rolex with the Datejust and followed by other manufacturers. Dress watches have had to adapt to accompany their owners both to work and to social events, from attending the opera to diving into the pool.

This versatility that Rolex achieved with the Datejust is the characteristic that allows some to say that there is such a thing as a "one-watch collection," that is, that a single model would be enough to cover all of a wearer's watchmaking needs. While listing the capabilities and features of this watch makes it clear that it's probably the only watch you'll ever need, as a collector, I absolutely reject this notion. Joking aside, the Datejust is a complete watch that fulfills its purpose perfectly and then some.

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date
Roger Federer, Rolex Ambassador with a Datejust

Despite the current preference of young people, who lean mostly toward sporty and robust, if not gigantic, watches, the Datejust maintains a strong position, supported by the growing trend toward smaller dress watches and the return of vintage watches. That's why Rolex continues to maintain it in a special place within its catalog, without neglecting it, and complementing it with new models, such as the impeccable Day-Date models fresh from the oven for the Watches & Wonders 2024, currently underway.

The Datejust's imprint on the watch industry is indisputable. Along with the Submariner, it is probably the most copied and imitated Rolex watch; whether due to its aforementioned timeless design, its unquestionable build quality, and its undeniable historical relevance, it continues to influence the perception of consumers, collectors, and the market in general. Despite changing trends and competition from sports watches, the Datejust remains what you imagine when you close your eyes and someone asks you to "think of a watch."

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date
Exclusive watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2017

Present and legacy

In today's market, the Rolex Datejust faces fierce competition, not only from traditional brands but also from new micro-brands producing increasingly better watches. The Datejust's traditional design codes are now a global heritage, and therefore, anyone with the money and time can leverage them and create the next iteration of the "one-of-a-kind watch."

It's clear today that the history and tradition of a watchmaking house aren't enough to transform a product into a best-seller, and that's why Rolex never lets its guard down. The crown knows it has a winning product, for almost 80 years, and to maintain that status, it must constantly update and adjust the characteristics of this object to contemporary standards. That's why today we see 41 mm cases in platinum, gold in various shades, antimagnetic synthetic components in the movements, solid bracelets with spectacular clasps, and an endless list of improvements.

Rolex Datejust: much more than just a date

This is how Rolex has given the Datejust its status as an aesthetic and technical immortality. Representing the heritage of the world's most valuable brand requires a balance between expressing traditions and embracing innovations, bridging the gap between the past and the present. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust is a crucial piece in the history of modern watchmaking, and will remain so as long as it maintains its status as a classic, universal, elegant yet everyday watch, like a glass of the finest wine on any given weekday.

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