The Rolex Day-Date arrived in 1956 as the first wristwatch to show the date alongside the day of the week spelled out in full. It has only ever been made in precious metal – yellow, white or Everose gold, or platinum – and it is the watch that earned the nickname the President, after the bracelet designed for it.
It remains the most formal watch in the Rolex catalogue and the one most often bought to mark something. If you are looking for a piece to keep rather than to rotate, this is usually the conversation we end up having.
What to know when buying a pre-owned Rolex Day-Date
There is no steel Day-Date. If you are offered one, it is not what it claims to be. The model has only ever been produced in gold and platinum, which is worth knowing before you buy privately.
Size. The classic Day-Date is 36mm and wears formally. The 40mm Day-Date 40 is the modern proportion and has become the more requested of the two. Both are current.
References. The 228238 and 228239 are the 40mm yellow and white gold pieces, the 128238 and 128239 their 36mm counterparts. Rolex reserves the ice-blue dial for platinum, though platinum pieces are made with other dials too.
Dial and bracelet combinations matter enormously. Because the case is always precious metal, the variation that moves price is in the dial, the bezel and whether the bracelet is President or Oyster. A diamond-set bezel or a rare stone dial changes the value considerably.
How the Rolex Day-Date shows the day
The day sits in an arched window across the top of the dial, written out in full rather than abbreviated, with the date at three o’clock under the Cyclops lens. It sounds a small thing, but it is the reason the watch exists, and it gives the dial a symmetry that no other Rolex has.
Rolex has offered the day in a wide range of languages over the years, so you will occasionally find a pre-owned Rolex Day-Date with the day in French, Spanish, Arabic or another language. Some buyers seek these out deliberately; others prefer English. Either way, the language should be stated clearly on any listing.
A short history of the Rolex Day-Date
From its launch in 1956, the Day-Date was positioned as Rolex’s most prestigious watch, and its association with heads of state and business leaders did the rest. The President bracelet, with its rounded three-piece links and concealed clasp, was created for it and has been its signature ever since.
Five-digit references such as the 18238 have a sapphire crystal, and the 18238 lets you set both the day and the date quickly from the crown. The six-digit 118238 family that followed kept the 36mm case. In 2008 Rolex added the 41mm Day-Date II, which was replaced in 2015 by the Day-Date 40, the first watch to use the calibre 3255 movement.
The 36mm models moved to the same calibre in 2019 with the 128 references. For Rolex’s current specifications, including the full choice of dials, see rolex.com.
Rolex Day-Date references at a glance
| Model | Example references | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Five-digit, 36mm | 18238 | Sapphire crystal, quickset day and date |
| Six-digit, 36mm | 118238, 118239 | The classic size into the 2010s |
| Day-Date II, 41mm | 218235, 218238 | Made from 2008 to 2015 |
| Day-Date 40 | 228235, 228236, 228238, 228239 | Calibre 3255, from 2015 |
| Day-Date 36 | 128238, 128239 | Calibre 3255, from 2019 |
The final digit tells you the metal: 5 for Everose, 6 for platinum, 8 for yellow gold and 9 for white gold. Our guide to Rolex reference numbers explains the rest of the code.
Choosing the metal
Yellow gold is the traditional Rolex Day-Date and the version most people picture. It is unashamedly a gold watch, and that is the point. White gold looks almost like steel at a glance, which appeals to anyone who wants the weight and quality of precious metal without announcing it.
Everose is Rolex’s own pink gold alloy, warmer than yellow and especially good with brown, olive and sundust dials. Platinum is the heaviest and most discreet of all, and it is the only metal Rolex pairs with its ice-blue dial. Picking up a platinum Rolex Day-Date for the first time is something most people remember.
Dials, bezels and diamonds
Because the case is always precious metal, the dial is where one Rolex Day-Date really differs from another. Roman numerals, baton markers and diamond hour markers all change the character of the same watch, and colours such as olive, sundust and ice blue have each become closely associated with the model.
Diamond-set dials and bezels need particular care. Factory-set diamonds are part of the watch as Rolex made it; stones added later by a third party are not, and they reduce rather than increase what most buyers will pay. Our article on why factory-set diamonds are worth more explains the difference.
Rolex has also produced more playful designs on the model, such as the “Puzzle” dial on the 36mm 128235, which we looked at in our article on the Day-Date Puzzle. Unusual dials like these are produced in smaller numbers and are worth knowing about if you want a Rolex Day-Date that few others will be wearing.
The President bracelet
The President bracelet is as much a part of the Rolex Day-Date as the day window. Its rounded three-piece links give it a softer, more fluid look than the flat Oyster bracelet, and the Crownclasp is concealed beneath the links so the bracelet appears continuous all the way round.
Because the bracelet is solid gold or platinum, it is also where much of the watch’s weight sits. On an older example, check how the links flex and whether the clasp still closes with a firm click. A bracelet that has been shortened should come with its spare links if possible.
Wearing a Rolex Day-Date
Expect weight. A gold or platinum Day-Date on its President bracelet is noticeably heavier than a steel Rolex of the same size, and most owners grow to like that. The bracelet’s small links let it sit closely around the wrist, which is part of why the watch feels so comfortable under a cuff.
The 36mm wears slim and formal; the 40mm has more presence without becoming sporty. Gold is softer than steel, so a Day-Date worn daily will pick up fine marks. Most owners accept that as part of the watch rather than something to worry about.
Who buys a Rolex Day-Date?
More than any other Rolex, the Day-Date is bought to mark an occasion: a significant birthday, a retirement, the sale of a business, a wedding anniversary. People often tell us it is the watch they intend to hand on, and that changes how they choose it. Condition and originality usually matter more to them than the newest reference.
It is also a watch that rewards patience. If a particular combination of metal, dial and bezel is what you have in mind, it is worth waiting for the right Rolex Day-Date rather than settling for something close. We are happy to look for it on your behalf.
Checking a pre-owned Rolex Day-Date
- Both the day and the date should change cleanly around midnight, and both should set correctly from the crown.
- Lug edges and the case flanks should be sharp. Gold polishes away faster than steel, so softened lines suggest heavy refinishing.
- President bracelets on older watches can stretch; look for even gaps and a clasp that closes firmly.
- Any diamond setting should be factory original and consistent with the reference.
- The dial should be original, clean and free of moisture marks around the edge.
- Serial and model numbers on the case should agree with any paperwork that comes with the watch.
Box and papers
For a precious-metal watch, a complete set carries real weight when you come to sell, and it is reassuring to have the original warranty card for a watch of this value. Every listing we publish states whether the box and papers are included. Our box and papers guide explains what each item proves.
Older watches may come with a paper guarantee rather than a plastic card, and some have only a later service receipt. Neither is a problem in itself, provided the serial number on the paperwork matches the one on the case. Where a watch has no papers at all, the inspection and authentication we carry out before sale matter all the more.
Servicing a Rolex Day-Date
Rolex’s guidance for its modern watches is a service approximately every 10 years. On a gold watch, it is worth asking for light refinishing rather than heavy polishing at service, because metal removed from the case cannot be put back.
Our sister business, Alpha Group, carries out watch servicing, repairs and restoration from the same building as our showroom. That is useful for a watch you intend to keep for decades, and for an older Day-Date whose bracelet or dial needs attention.
Buying from Kings & Queens
- Inspected and authenticatedEvery watch is checked by experienced specialists, with serial numbers and components verified before it is offered.
- 12-month warrantyPre-owned pieces carry a 12-month warranty against movement defects. Unworn watches carry the manufacturer's own cover.
- Fully insured deliveryFree, fully insured and signed-for delivery across the UK.
- 14-day returnsFourteen days to change your mind from the day your watch arrives. We cover the return postage.
We are a specialist dealer in Hatton Garden, London. You are welcome to view any watch in person by appointment, or reserve a piece with a £100 deposit while you decide.
A Rolex Day-Date is usually a considered purchase, often for a milestone, and it deserves an unhurried look. Appointments at our showroom are private, so you can compare metals and dials side by side and ask as many questions as you like. The deposit holds a watch for 3 working days while you think it over.
Looking for a dial or metal we do not have at the moment? Sourcing particular watches for clients is part of what we do, so ask. Before any watch is offered for sale, our specialists inspect and authenticate it and record its serial number, bracelet number, movement identifiers and case markings.
Visiting the showroom
The showroom is on St. Cross Street in Hatton Garden (number 9, postcode EC1N 8UB), and both Farringdon and Chancery Lane Underground stations are within easy walking distance. Weekday appointments run from 10:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday appointments from 12:00pm to 4:30pm, and we are closed on Sundays. To arrange a time, ring 0330 043 7777 or get in touch through our contact page.
Common questions
Why is it called the President?
The name comes from the bracelet designed for the model in 1956, and from its association with a number of heads of state over the following decades. Rolex uses the term for the bracelet rather than the watch itself.
Is a 36mm Day-Date too small?
Not at all – it is the original proportion and the more formal of the two. Wrist size matters less here than how you intend to wear it. We would recommend trying both in the showroom.
Does the gold weight affect value?
Yes, though far less than condition, dial and completeness. A Day-Date is valued as a watch rather than as bullion, and an original dial in good order is worth more than the metal it sits in.
What is the difference between the Day-Date II and the Rolex Day-Date 40?
The Day-Date II was 41mm, with a broad bezel and heavier lugs, and used the calibre 3156. The Day-Date 40 that replaced it in 2015 is slimmer in its proportions and uses the newer calibre 3255, with a longer power reserve. Both are excellent, but they wear quite differently.
Is a white gold Rolex Day-Date easy to mistake for steel?
At a distance, yes, and that is a large part of its appeal. Up close, the weight gives it away immediately, as does the President bracelet, which is solid white gold too.
Can I buy a Rolex Day-Date as a gift and return it if it is not right?
Yes. You have 14 days to return a watch for a full refund, paid to the original payment method once the watch has been returned and inspected. UK delivery is free, fully insured and signed for.
Can a Rolex Day-Date be worn every day?
Yes. It has an Oyster case water-resistant to 100 metres and a robust movement, so it is not a watch that needs keeping for best. The only real compromise is that gold marks more easily than steel, and most owners see those fine marks as part of a watch that is properly worn.
Do you buy Day-Dates?
Yes. We buy watches directly for our own stock, and the valuation is free with no obligation. Bring the box, papers and any spare links if you have them, because a complete set is valued higher. Our valuation page explains how to start.
Kings & Queens Watches is an independent dealer and is not affiliated with Rolex.