REVIEW: ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST FOR WOMEN

Stop by any mall and ask a random watch guy about Rolex. There is a very high chance that he gives you different stories of the brand’s outstanding products. Reduce your hope of hearing about the Rolex Datejust to the barest minimum.

Imagine getting entertained with tales of the brand’s rare and classic Daytonas. Or, stories of how the high-tech, bi-color Cerachrom bezels appeared on the revolutionary GMT wristwatch. That is mostly the case among Rolex lovers.

Actually, only a few wristwatch fans and collectors will instantly tell you lovely tales about Datejust. Besides, most times that is not a voluntary decision. The Rolex Datejust is one product from Rolex that seldom enjoys that attention.

However, this understated member of the Rolex line deserves more attention than it receives. The Rolex Datejust comes with an incredible blend of classic history, quality, and versatility in design. The quality expressed through watchmaking in this timepiece takes a toll on its wearers.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust is effective enough to get every wristwatch lover all bright and groovy. Once you rock the Rolex Datejust watch, a casual watch wearer can become a die-hard enthusiastic fan. 

In this review, we take a look at the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust to find out more about the timepiece. With this, you again get an in-depth look at all the intricacies of this timepiece. 

Where does this timepiece come from? 

Why is it one of the greatest timepieces ever to grace the matchmaking scene?

Dive in!

Introducing The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Wristwatch

This watch premiered in 1945. That year, the Rolex Datejust marked itself as the maiden automatic, watertight timepiece. The watch features enough specs and quality to be chronometer-worthy. 

Rolex Datejust symbolizes all of the creations Rolex brought into the watchmaking scene leading to that period. More so, the wristwatch included a date display featured in a window at the 3 o’clock position. At that point, the date switches automatically once it is midnight. 

Meanwhile, to get this done, intervening wheels in the movement fastened a spring mechanism. With that, the date disk got advanced. The name of this wristwatch (Datejust) is all thanks to this quick “just-in-time” date shifting.

An Overview Of The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust Wristwatch

To give a rundown of the details of this timepiece requires enough knowledge of how this timepiece operates. A lot changed with the introduction of the mobile finger in Rolex’s modern automatic Caliber 3235. Thanks to this addition, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust gets enough power to operate automatically. 

The wristwatch under review in this article automatically resets its date. Similarly, these date settings can work manually. More so, the settings work rather quickly and right on time. All you need to do is to pull the crown out, dragging it down to the central position. Then, you rotate it anticlockwise. That’s all, and the date progresses seamlessly and correctly. 

Furthermore, Rolex added certain ergonomic revisions to the caliber featured in the interface of this watch. Hence, you can make manual changes and they will reflect clearly on the wristwatch 

Particularly, the wristwatch features a winding stem. This winding stem comes in handy in every role. That way, you can reset the time accurately. 

To add to the ease of use of this wristwatch, the crown rotates with buttery ease. More so, the hands featured on this timepiece move with ease and great sense of function. Hence, the minute’s hand can be placed with its tip exactly at a tangent to the needed index. 

Moreover, you can easily stop the second hand right at the full minute. This is possible thanks to the screw-down crown’s stem. This stem goes right into a long tube. Afterward, the unscrewed crown becomes very easy to hold.  

Hence, screwing the crown tight again to make it very safe and protected. The crown adds to its peculiarity with an obvious spring resistance feature. You can know more about this when you learn about the Twinlock system invented by Rolex in 1953.

The Twinlock System

How does the Twinlock help the smooth running of the Oyster Perpetual Datejust wristwatch? 

The Twinlock system works together with the Oyster case to ensure that the Datejust remains efficient even under pressure. With this combination, this wristwatch can function under pressure to as high as 10 bar. 

Furthermore, the pressure referred to above is the same as the conditions at a depth of 100 meters underwater. In this case, the watertight protection we see is thanks to two insulators. They help guarantee this firmness in such conditions. 

One of the insulators can be found in the winding crown. On the flip side, the other insulator is present within the tube. Check the line below the Rolex logo on the winding crown of the steel Datejust, what do you see? This wristwatch features the Twinlock system. 

For the gold Oyster cases, there are two dots featured on the crown. These dots reflect the existence of the Twinlock system. For the platinum cases, you find only one dot.

The Case Of The Oyster Perpetual Datejust Wristwatch

The newly built Oyster case featured on the Datejust is a central piece. It is a product of a sole block of 904L stainless steel. 

On the top of the case, you will find a smooth, furnished stainless-steel bezel. The bezel surrounds a flat covering of sapphire that then seals the case. More so, the Cyclops magnifying lens right on top of the date window didn’t feature on the Datejust until 1954. 

This Cyclops magnifying lens executes its practical function. This is possible with its magnifying impact plus its anti-reflective solution on its two surfaces.

On the other hand, the back of the case isn’t as thrilling as the top. There is no information about any of the Rolex Datejust’s features on it. Features like its reference number, its materials, or its water resistance do not appear on the back of the case. 

Besides, you can only remove the back of this watch’s case with the help of a special wrench. Hence, the Caliber 3235 continues to be an invisible feature to would-be fans who cannot get themselves this timepiece. 

This is not so great as this movement is an amazing addition to the perks of this timepiece. It carries with it all of the essential features you expect to see on a grand Rolex caliber. 

• The movement comes in a distinctive shape. 
• It also features a bridge arrangement 
• The movement comes in gold-plated covers
• More so, it had red reversing wheels in the automatic winding system
• Lastly, its handsome finishing makes the screws lovely.

You get to enjoy findings like:

• The brushed matte parts
• The sunburst patterns
• Some beveled edges and 
• Polished heads on the screws.

Fresh Crop Of Mechanical Movements

In 2015, Rolex launched a fresh crop of mechanical movements. These movements feature two precious-metal versions:

• The Day-Date 40
• The Datejust Pearlmaster 39

And in 2016, the brand added a bi-color model of the Datejust 41. Thereafter, in 2017 we welcomed the new 43-mm Sea-Dweller and the Datejust 41 in stainless steel. 

It is thrilling to discover that Fourteen patents protect the Caliber 3235. Indeed, this sets the takeoff of a new standard for performance for Rolex. The standards are now higher in the following regards:

• The brand’s rate accuracy
• The power reserve
• The shock resistance
• The resistance to magnetic fields
• The ease of making changes
• Reliability. 

This new crop of movements is different from their predecessor (Caliber 3135).  Approximately, 90 percent of its elements pass through the revision and optimization stage. It all begins at the mainspring. Then z it extends to the barrel before going to the automatic-winding mechanism. Then, to the gear train before the escapement. Note that the latter bears the name Chronergy. Plus, it is a patented innovation from Rolex.

The Chronergy Escapement Of Rolex Datejust Wristwatches

Essentially, the Chronergy escapement adds to the usefulness of the Swiss lever escapement. We can measure this increase by 15 percent. 

This increase accounts for virtually half the growth in the movement’s functioning self-sufficiency. More reason, it now far exceeds Caliber 3135’s 48 hours. For Caliber 3235, it carries a power reserve that lasts for as long as 70 hours. 

In addition, the other large chunk of the growth is thanks to the improving geometries. It does not appear in a consecutive line arrangement as it used to. Now, the components of the escapement all feature on an angle. Consequently, we have a movement with even more leverage. 

Furthermore, the escape wheel of the Chronergy escapement features a skeletonized style. With that, it lightens its weight and decreases its inactivity. More so, the ruby pallet stones come cut to 125 micrometers. That is a 50-percent reduction when compared to how it appeared previously.

Meanwhile, for the contact textures of the escape wheel teeth, you have a doubled phase. Additionally, improvisation from a nickel-phosphorus alloy can only yield one result. And that is, the Chronergy escapement is insensitive to magnetic disturbances. 

The Parachrom Hairspring Of The Rolex Datejust Wristwatches

It is a similar case with the blue Parachrom hairspring. This addition “breathes” into the Caliber 3235. Plus, it is a product of a niobium-zirconium-oxygen alloy. 

Over time, this little spring proves its stability in the toughest of conditions. Even when it faces shocks, fluctuations, and temperature, you still have an optimized Rolex overcoil. More so, it is set on a huge equilibrium with a varying period of inactivity. If you wish to adjust this equilibrium, it is easy. Simply rotate the four gold Microstella nuts around its edges. 

The equilibrium operates on a staff featuring a new geometry. This, in turn, offers additional resistance to the magnetic fields. More so, it is insured by Rolex’s Paraflex anti-shock mechanism. 

Furthermore, the oscillations happen under a reliable bridge featuring considerable effect resistance. Also, it features an improved height adjustment mechanism and fresh merged preservation for the balance wheel.

A Certified Superlative Chronometer

Similar to most Rolex editions, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch is a certified “Superlative Chronometer.” This timepiece adheres to Rolex’s own accuracy criterion, which took a new shape in 2015. 

Moreover, this criterion is more strict than any of the commonly true criteria in the watchmaking world. For Rolex, this rate tolerance of the movement following its installation inside the case must be maintained. 

Hence, it cannot stray past ±2 seconds every day. As expected, this timepiece functions in line with this input.

In addition, you will see the adjective “Superlative” on the Datejust’s anthracite-colored rhodium dial. This word well explains the outstanding capacities of Caliber 3235. Starting with the sunburst pattern on the watch’s face. This plays with the light just as the shiny frames surrounding the applied hour indexes. It is a similar situation with the facets on the hands of the wristwatch. 

Consequently, this exercises only a slight impact on the watch’s legibility. What you see on the wristwatch is a display of satisfactorily huge, well-measured, and neatly structured elements.

As soon as the lights go out, the Chromalight inlays in the indexes and hands come through. They both glow with such a sharp blue glow. This happens in such a way that it simply displeases the observer. 

It is not too good that two indicators come with no luminous element. Both the Rolex crown at 12 and the date at 3 o’clock have no luminous element.

The Oyster Bracelet and The Oyster clasp

The Oyster bracelet fixes itself to the case at the exact point the Rolex logo completes off the dial. More so, the wristband fits flawlessly in the latest design. It connects the pieces that hang on to the firm seal between the lugs. 

In addition, the three-row bracelet features strong, somewhat polished, and somewhat satin-finished components. These components are products of 904L stainless steel. Majority of these elements come in a tight sealing close to the clasp. That way, you can easily adjust the length of the bracelet.

As for the Oysterclasp folding clasp, it comes furnished with the Easylink extension system. This is a system patented by Rolex to enable the bracelet’s length to get adjusted effortlessly.

Conclusion

To sum it up, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust wristwatch makes the most of the latest developments. This timepiece incorporates most of the innovative additions from Rolex.

However, you might not notice this right when you see the wristwatch. It even feels more appealing when you consider the fact that this is an understated part of the Rolex line.