Rolex is considered a “one and done” timepiece by many — and for good reason.
The iconic watchmaker’s Datejust, Submariner, Daytona, and other styles are timeless, contemporary heirlooms, often passed down through generations. But technically speaking, these ever-popular models are not considered dress watches.
Why? Because dress watches are meant to be worn with a suit or tuxedos, and the most recognizable Rolex watches are rugged pieces designed to endure the elements, versus fitting under the cuff of a tailored shirt.
Enter the Perpetual 1908, Rolex’s latest dress watch and the brand’s first new collection in over a decade. Named for the year founder Hans Wilsdorf first registered the brand in Switzerland, it debuted on the wrist of tennis great Roger Federer on the Met Gala red carpet earlier this year.
Available in 18-karat white or yellow gold, the watch boasts a slim, elegant profile with an alligator leather Dualclasp strap that’s green on the inside and was inspired by a vintage Oyster Perpetual watch from the 1930s.
Rolex Perpetual 1908 in yellow gold, $22,000 at London Jewelers
(Brief history lesson: The Oyster was the first waterproof and dustproof watch and boasted a hermetically sealed case. Rolex also invented and patented the world’s first self-winding mechanism with a Perpetual rotor, hence the second half of the name.
That rotor is at the heart of every modern automatic winding mechanism to this day.) A close look at the face of the Perpetual 1908 reveals that the sans-serif font of the numbers 12, 3, and 9 were clearly inspired by the 1930s Oyster.
Timely details for watch nerds: The 1908’s 39 mm case has a part-domed, part-fluted bezel and a trans-parent back, another first for the brand. It’s formed and shaped at the brand’s own foundry, using the purest metals and state-of-the-art equipment.
The dial is available in white or matte black, with a domed and virtually scratch-proof sapphire crystal that’s guaranteed waterproof to 165 feet. It’s equipped with Calibre 7140, a completely new self-winding movement (unveiled by Rolex earlier this year), which allows the time to be displayed via two central hands and a small seconds hand at 6 o’clock.
Five patent applications have been filed for this movement, which was entirely developed and manufactured in-house.
All this, plus a power reserve of approximately 66 hours, makes one wonder if perhaps die-hard fans of the brand’s iconic sports watches may embrace the1908 as their daily go-to.
Light, graceful, and unobtrusive, it speaks to the stealth-wealth trend without forgoing performance. It’s a solid day-to-evening design that many have been pining for, just in time for the holiday party season.