Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 ref. 228235 (Everose gold / slate ombré)

Quick specs Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 ref. 228235 (Everose gold / slate ombré)
Price: € 43.200 | CHF 39’800 | $ 44,750 | £ 40,250
Size: 40 mm
Reference: 228235-0055

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 ref. 228235 in Everose gold with slate ombré is a new execution of Rolex’ presidents watch. It’s called like that ever since the American president Lyndon B. Johnson wore a gold Day-Date, although it firstly referred to the bracelet. The new model comes in Everose, meaning pink gold, which is an 18 carat pink gold alloy cast created (and patented) by Rolex. Since 2005 Everose is the standard for all Rolex Oyster models in pink gold.

The Day-Date, introduced in 1956, has some signature design features. The most significant is the full display of the weekday at the 12 o’clock mark. Another is the date aperture at 3 o’clock, with cyclops in the sapphire crystal. The regular size is 36 millimeters since the 1950s, however in 2008 a 41-millimeter was added to the line-up. In 2015 the 40-millimeter was launched as well.

What is a slate ombré dial?

The dial of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 is executed in slate ombré. Which means it’s light in the middle, a bit grey-ish, and fades to black towards the edge of the dial. It looks a bit like sunray-finish and this concentric gradient effect gives different shades when light is falling on the dial. The Roman hour markers and indexes are facetted and executed in 18 carat pink gold as well.

A nice detail is that the design of the pink gold fluted bezel is in line with the design of the case back. It emphasizes the oyster-like case construction. Originally the bezel was screwed to the case to ensure the waterproofness, just like the case back, nowadays it’s another signature design feature for the Day-Date.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 ref. 228235 has a power reserve of 70 hours

This Day-Date 40 runs on the automatic Rolex caliber 3255, launched in 2015 as the seventh generation of the Day-Date movement. It is a COSC and Rolex certified bi-directional self-winding movement. It offers secure rapid setting of the day and date, and a stop-seconds mechanism for exact time setting.

The movement is mostly made from nickel‑phosphorus, a metal that is insensitive to magnetic interference. Furthermore, it has an anti-magnetic Chronergy escapement, and it’s known for its great shock absorbance.

Presidential bracelet

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 ref. 228235 comes on an 18 carat Everose gold so called presidential bracelet. It is a semi-circular three-piece bracelet, the design connected to the Day-Date Lyndon B. Johnson was wearing.

This type of bracelet was firstly launched in 1956 for the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date and remains popular until today. A cool feature is that it is secured with a concealed folding clasp with Rolex logo.

© Photos: Rolex / JVA Studios / Ulysse Frechelin