Bedesten

Rolex Day-Date

Introduced1956

Brand History

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date, introduced in 1956, was the first wristwatch to display the day of the week spelled out in full at 12 o'clock. Building on the date-window innovation pioneered by the Datejust in 1945, the Day-Date added a wide day aperture above the centre and a date window at 3 o'clock. Rolex made a deliberately radical commercial decision: the Day-Date would be produced only in 18-karat gold or platinum, never in steel, a rule that still holds today. The first reference 6510 came in 18k yellow or white gold with Cal. 1055.

To accompany the watch, Rolex designed a new three-link, semi-circular bracelet that became inseparable from the model. Worn by US President Lyndon B. Johnson and many other heads of state, businessmen and cultural figures (Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra), the Day-Date earned the nickname "President's Watch", and the bracelet became officially known as the President bracelet. To this day it has been fitted almost exclusively to the Day-Date and a handful of special Datejust 36 editions.

The reference 1803 (1959-1977) defines the classic Day-Date era: fluted or pyramid bezel options, Cal. 1555/1556 (later hi-beat 1556), and the 36mm Oyster case. In 1977 the 18038 introduced quickset date setting. The 18238 family of 1988-1999 brought the first sapphire crystal Day-Date and the modern Cal. 3155, and included rare variations like the tri-colour Tridor and Stella green dials. The 118238 "six-digit" generation arrived in 1999 with reinforced Twinlock crown and updated proportions.

In 2008 Rolex celebrated the Day-Date's 50th anniversary with iconic green-dial editions, green being the official Rolex crown colour. The 2015 launch of the Day-Date 40 (228238 yellow gold, 228239 white gold, 228206 platinum) brought the new Cal. 3255 with 70-hour reserve and Chronergy escapement. In 2019 the Day-Date 36 was refreshed with the same Cal. 3255, becoming the current 128238/128239/128206. Modern Day-Date dials range from classic sunburst gold to baguette-diamond, meteorite, lapis lazuli, carbon, and onyx.

Today the most sought-after Day-Date references are the current 228238 (yellow gold), 228206 (platinum), 128238 (yellow gold 36mm), and the classic vintage 1803 President.

Bedesten Watches has sold authentic Rolex Day-Date President references in Istanbul since 1999. For 1803, 18238, 118238, 228238 yellow gold, 228206 platinum, and current 128238/128239 inventory, visit our Suadiye store or message us on WhatsApp +90 532 327 88 26.

Iconic References

6510 / 6511

1956'da tanıtılan ilk Day-Date. 6510 chronometer sertifikalı, 6511 chronometer olmayan versiyon. 18k sarı veya beyaz altın kasada, kadranda tam yazılı gün penceresi: bir kol saatinde dünya ilki.

1803

1959-1977 arası üretilen klasik Day-Date. Fluted bezel, Cal. 1555/1556 hareket, ardından Cal. 1556 hi-beat. Lyndon B. Johnson ve diğer ABD başkanları tarafından kullanılmıştır.

18238 / 18239 / 18206

1988-1999 arası üretilen, Cal. 3155 hareketli ilk safir kristal Day-Date 'President'. Sarı altın 18238, beyaz altın 18239, platin 18206, üç tonlu 'Tridor' varyasyonu dahil bütün referanslar bu nesle aittir.

118238

1999-2019 arası üretilen 'six-digit' Day-Date 36. Cal. 3155 hareket korunmuş, daha güçlü Twinlock kron koruması eklenmiştir. Klasik 36mm President estetiğini modernize eder.

228238 / 228206

2015'te tanıtılan Day-Date 40. Cal. 3255 hareket (70 saat güç rezervi). 228238 sarı altın, 228206 platin, 228239 beyaz altın. Modern Day-Date'in amiral gemisi.

128238 / 128206

2019'da tanıtılan güncel Day-Date 36. Cal. 3255 hareket, klasik 36mm President silüeti. 128238 sarı altın, 128239 beyaz altın, 128206 platin.

118238 "50. Yıl Yeşil Kadran"

2008'de Day-Date'in 50. yıl dönümü için tanıtılan, ikonik yeşil 'jade' kadranlı 118238 ve daha sonraki yeşil kadran 228206/228238 referansları. Yeşil, Rolex'in resmi taç rengidir.

Available Rolex Day-Date Watches at Bedesten

No active Rolex Day-Date listings in our inventory right now. Contact us to be notified of new arrivals.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Day-Date, introduced in 1956, is Rolex's top-of-line everyday model, produced exclusively in 18-karat gold or platinum, never in steel. It differs from the Datejust in three ways: (1) it has a day-of-the-week aperture spelled out in full at 12 o'clock, (2) Rolex has never made a steel version, and (3) it wears the dedicated three-link semi-circular 'President bracelet'. The 'President' nickname comes from US President Lyndon B. Johnson wearing one. Bedesten Watches regularly carries vintage 1803, 18238, 118238, and current 228238/228206 references.