Watches & Wonders 2021: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 revels in the radiance of diamonds

When watches meet the art of the lapidary, the gem-setter and the goldsmith, they bud and blossom to become jewellery creations. There is of course the time, that renders our existence, a sense of duration, of day and night. Then there is beauty, the aesthetic pull of the gems and jewels. Which brings me to the new versions of Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36’s that Rolex dropped at Watches & Wonders 2021. Vibrant, colourful and just jaw-dropping gorgeous! 

Three versions here, a tangerine edition in yellow gold, a turquoise edition white gold and of course an Everose gold edition in a deep wine colour. All these new ROLEX Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36’s are entirely set with diamonds, and when I say entirely I mean entirely! The Oyster case including the lugs, lug caps, the bezel and the dial sparkle with a total of 756 diamonds. Even though these watches are dripping in diamonds, that pop of colour with the enamelled index hour markers and Roman numerals VI and IX with matching polished alligator straps breaks the monotony beautifully. Wait, did I mention, even that folding crown clasp is diamond-set?

These new versions of the ROLEX Day-Date 36 are equipped with calibre 3255, with a 70-hour power reserve. Calibre 3255 incorporates the Chronergy escapement patented by Rolex, which combines high energy efficiency with great dependability. Made of nickel-phosphorus, it is also insensitive to magnetic fields. The movement is fitted with an optimised blue Parachrom hairspring, manufactured by Rolex in a paramagnetic alloy that makes it up to 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring in case of shocks. The blue Parachrom hairspring is equipped with a Rolex overcoil, ensuring the calibre’s regularity in any position. The oscillator is fitted on the Rolex-designed and -patented high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, increasing the movement’s shock resistance. Calibre 3255 is equipped with a self-winding module via a Perpetual rotor. Like all Rolex watches, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, which ensures excellent performance on the wrist. 

While the inside of a mechanical watch is a microscopic world of complex mechanisms, what might one say of the intricate embellishments made up of shimmering gemstones which make a jewellery watch what it truly is: a magnum opus. Bravo Rolex! These new studded Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36’s are quite a treat from Rolex this year. Richly adorned watches that will be used as a … piece of jewellery that also tells you the time.