Rolex Day-Date 36 in Oyster, 36 mm, yellow gold M128238-0118

The Rolex fluted bezel is a mark of distinction. Originally, the fluting of the Oyster bezel had a functional purpose: it served to screw the bezel onto the case helping to ensure the waterproofness of the watch. It was therefore identical to the fluting on the case back, which was also screwed onto the case for waterproofness, using specific Rolex tools. Over time, the fluting became an aesthetic element, a genuine Rolex signature feature. Today the fluted bezel is a mark of distinction, in gold on this Day-Date 36.

The ombré dial features a coloured surface at the centre, progresses to a deep black around the edge. This dial represents the continuity of a design that Rolex introduced in the 1980s and relaunched in 2019. The manufacture of these dials with a concentric gradient involves the application of black lacquer, a delicate operation overseen by a specialist whose task it is to ensure the harmonious transition from colour to darkness.

By operating its own exclusive foundry, Rolex has the unrivalled ability to cast the highest quality 18 kt gold alloys. According to the proportion of silver, copper, platinum or palladium added, different types of 18 kt gold are obtained: yellow, pink or white. They are made with only the purest metals and meticulously inspected in an in-house laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, before the gold is formed and shaped with the same painstaking attention to quality. Rolex’s commitment to excellence begins at the source.