Rolex Day-Date 40

The Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 in 18 ct yellow gold with a green dial, fluted bezel and a President bracelet.

Lacquer combines almost limitless freedom of colour with intensity and a smooth finish. The lacquering technique consists of successively depositing six thin layers of lacquer on a brass base plate.

A colourless varnish is then applied to give the colour or shade all of its depth and shine. Once the varnish is dry, the surface of the dial is polished to magnify the colour; the dial is then ready to be pad printed and receive its appliques.

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 40.

By operating its own exclusive foundry, Rolex has the unrivalled ability to cast the highest quality 18 ct gold alloys. According to the proportion of silver, copper, platinum or palladium added, different types of 18 ct 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.

The design, development and production of Rolex bracelets and clasps, as well as the stringent tests they face, involve advanced high technology.

And, as with all the components of the watch, aesthetic controls by the human eye guarantee impeccable beauty. The President bracelet, with its semi-circular three piece links, was created in 1956 for the launch of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date. It represents the ultimate in refinement and comfort and is always made of carefully selected precious metals.

• Model case

  Oyster, 40 mm, yellow gold

• Oyster architecture

  Monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown

• Diameter

  40 mm

• Material

  18 ct yellow gold

• Bezel

  Fluted

• Winding crown

  Screw-down, Twinlock double waterproofness system

• Crystal

  Scratch-resistant sapphire, Cyclops lens over the date

• Water resistance

  Waterproof to 100 metres / 330 feet

• Movement

  Perpetual, mechanical, self-winding

• Calibre

  3255, Manufacture Rolex

• Precision

  -2/+2 sec/day, after casing

• Functions

  Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. Instantaneous day and date in apertures, unrestricted rapid-setting. Stop-seconds for precise time setting

• Oscillator

  Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring. High-performance Paraflex shock absorbers

• Winding

  Bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor

• Power reserve

  Approximately 70 hours