THE HOME OF WATCH CULTURE

IN-DEPTH: Exploring 3 eras of the Rolex Datejust – Part 2 IN-DEPTH: Exploring 3 eras of the Rolex Datejust – Part 2

IN-DEPTH: Exploring 3 eras of the Rolex Datejust – Part 2

Bruce Duguay

Find Part 1 of the Rolex Datejust history right here.

A Power Watch in 1989: The Reference 16233

A good example of the historical adaptability of the Datejust came with the reversal of world fortunes in the 1980s. There were the literal fortunes made by young traders on Wall Street but also the overall optimism drawn from events of the decade leading up to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. It was a good time to be Rolex (was there ever a bad time?), who used the energy of the time to evolve the Datejust into the reference 16233 you see here.

Rolex Datejust history

This particular example is a vibrant and expressive combination, which in my mind completely sums up a lot of the cultural surge and individualism of the ’80s while eschewing some of the more questionable lapses in taste. In contrast to the earlier 1601, this Datejust streamlines the visuals in the form of a slim sapphire crystal and flat dial. The necessary quality textures are still present via the slightly more substantial fluted bezel and the geometrically perfect gold bar hour markers, which have lume plots subtly integrated into their ends.

Rolex Datejust history

Mobile phones, personal computers and fax machines meant that the consumer expected more tech from products by this time and the 16233 evolved internally to match. The watch debuted one of the most prolific Rolex movements ever, the calibre 3135, which is still being produced more than 30 years later. The date could now be set independently and the movement itself was designed to be even more substantial and shock resistant.

Rolex Datejust history

A main reason I acquired this watch was the dial. The now-discontinued combination of a deep blue sunburst dial with yellow gold held a period-correct indulgent appeal for me. Dark enough to look almost black in low light, the gold markers are highlighted and their sharp edges provide an eye-catching glint. Go outside, however, and the sunburst dial explodes with more drama than the silver dial on the 1601. All together with a sharp and properly Swiss Jubilee bracelet, the 16233 is the most extroverted of this Datejust trio and lives to be worn with a spread collar dress shirt and power-tie combination. To this day, the five-digit Datejust is the watch that shouts “I’m a Rolex and I mean business” the loudest.

Watches For a Different Reason in 2013: The Reference 116200

Rolex Datejust history

The 21st century is well under way. Phones rule our lives and we can ask Siri or Alexa to tell us not only the time but almost anything else. No one needs a mechanical timepiece but now, more than ever, people want one. With the emergence of instant information via the internet, culture started the progression towards relegating electronics from wonders to mere appliances and the next iPhone or smartwatch to simply expect to just do more. The internet and ease of communication has also ignited passion for “nerding-out” in just about every niche you can imagine and watch-lovers have wholeheartedly embraced this.

Rolex Datejust history

The contemporary Datejust 116200 you see here is, in my opinion, a great representative specimen for our current fascination with mechanical watches. Foregoing any faux patina or forced vintage cues, it projects the Datejust look without the old school foibles of the 1601 or the brashness of the 16233.

Rolex Datejust history

Rendered entirely in steel, the 116200 has a clean outward appearance. There are nods to the classicism of the Datejust line in that the centre links of the bracelet are high polished to impart a two-tone look and the overall shape of the case is largely the same as its predecessors despite being slightly more robust. The modern distinctions are the smooth bezel and rock-solid Oyster-style bracelet which itself is the present-day antithesis of the 1601’s tin-can American tax-cheater.

Rolex Datejust history

The dial is also a mix of modern and classic with a crisp white enamel face which hosts white gold Roman numerals (including the clockmakers four) laid out in precision symmetry. There is no luminous material on this particular model because, well, we all just tap our phone beside the bed to get the time in the middle of the night now. Inside the 116200 beats the previously mentioned and venerable 3135 movement, which has only recently been overhauled in the last year to become the caliber 3235 in the near-identical 126200 model. This new 3235 movement boasts an impressive 70-hour power reserve through an ultra-efficient escapement.

Rolex Datejust history

Of the three watches here, the current model appears to be the best of all worlds and a thoroughly evolved consumer product laden with desirability and durability. While it embodies all the great cliché terms that are so true about the Datejust, it is important to realise that this watch would not carry these qualities without a clear family lineage with the other two aged models (and indeed the watches before them) that carry the core brand values through the ebbs and flows of history and our lives.