“This is the pinnacle of watchmaking science. The timepiece, in fact, encapsulates all the discoveries made to date.”
Hans Wilsdorf, 1945
A milestone in watchmaking history, the Oyster Perpetual Datejust was the first waterproof, self-winding chronometer wristwatch to display the date in a window at 3 o'clock on the dial. The date numerals remind us that a day consists of 24 hours, and that it is up to us to make that day a date to remember.
“This is the pinnacle of watchmaking science. The timepiece, in fact, encapsulates all the discoveries made to date.”
Hans Wilsdorf, 1945
The archetype of the classic Rolex watch, the Datejust, launched in 1945, represents the culmination of all the major achievements attained by the Brand up to that point. The timepiece confirms the philosophy of the pursuit of excellence promoted by Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf, who was convinced that advances in watchmaking must serve the progress of humanity. In a period of great change, the relationship with time also transformed. Modern life is more regulated by the passing of days than by the alternation of seasons. The Datejust offers greater comfort in terms of legibility and managing one's daily time.
Designed to enhance the legibility of the date display, the Cyclops lens is both an aesthetic and technical signature of the brand. This Rolex invention was patented in the early 1950s and first introduced in 1953 on the Datejust. Just like a magnifying glass, it offers improved date readability. Initially made of plexiglass, it has been crafted from sapphire crystal since the 1970s, just like the watch crystal itself.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, in 1945 Rolex designed the Jubilee bracelet specifically for the Datejust. Supple and comfortable, this five-piece link metal bracelet is an integral part of the Datejust’s identity and highlights the timeless elegance of this model. The Datejust is also available with an Oyster bracelet, or, in precious metal versions, with a President bracelet.
The Datejust has never stopped reinventing itself. With the variety of its versions, it expresses the excellence of the Rolex Manufacture in dial production. The wide selection of bezels – smooth, domed, fluted or diamond-set – has enabled the Datejust to elegantly traverse various eras and, at the same time, perfectly adapt to the wearer's personality.
The Datejust naturally became the watch of memorable dates. Day after day, its dial marks a meeting point between one's individual journey and the passage of time. On the wrists of prominent figures such as Winston Churchill, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Martin Luther King, the Datejust has traversed eras without ever losing its touch of modernity.
Among the Rolex Testimonials associated with the Datejust are legendary Swiss tennis player Roger Federer, Polish tennis player Iga Światek, Swiss skier Lara Gut-Behrami, and Canadian singer Michael Bublé.