How long will it take for the next-generation movement technology showcased in the Calibre 3255 to trickle into Rolex’s more accessible collections?
There’s a weight to a gold Rolex that’s measured in more than grams. A gold Rolex is a powerful signifier – of success, of prestige, and of quality – far more so than any other comparable gold watch. And the most iconic iteration of the gold Rolex is, without doubt, the Day-Date, commonly referred to as ‘the President’.
The President
There is some confusion about exactly what a Rolex President is. The term is used to variously describe the Day-Date model, the jubilee bracelet, or the combination of the two. What’s less confusing is the inspiration behind the name; Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson owned different versions of a gold Rolex on a jubilee bracelet.
Always very marketing-savvy, Rolex capitalised on the prestigious association – running a campaign from 1956 until the late ’60s with the tagline: “Men who guide the history of the world wear Rolex watches”. In a battery of print ads, the Day-Date was referred to as “the presidents’ watch” and later as “The Rolex President Day-Date”, and even today, the brand has kept the connection going, describing it as a model worn “by more presidents, leaders and visionaries than any other watch.”
Rolex advertisement from 1966 via rolexblog.blogspot.com.au
The close association of this watch – only ever available in precious metals – with the world’s political elite creates a strong aura of authority around the Day-Date that makes it the go-to choice for anyone wanting to make a power statement with their wrist. It’s also a watch that’s becoming increasingly significant for the ever bullish vintage Rolex market – with the Phillips ‘Glamorous Day-Date’ auction yielding impressive hammer prices. The Day-Date is being noticed by a younger generation of collectors, and is very much on-trend at the moment.
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