Nothing stealth wealth about the new platinum Rolex Perpetual 1908
Buffy Acacia- Rolex’s dressiest piece gets the most luscious makeover possible.
- The guilloché of the dial is also a rare sight in a Rolex, matching really well with the coined bezel.
- It joins the line-up of yellow and Everose gold variants, with either a black or brown leather strap fitted with a case-matching platinum buckle.
Fans of classical Rolex rejoiced when the Perpetual 1908 was announced at last year’s Watches & Wonders. Finally, a vintage-style piece which escaped the clutches of sports watches from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Departing even further from those Submariners and GMT-Masters which gain the most consumer attention, they were exclusively available in 18k gold. Not only have Rolex gone even harder on the precious metals with a case in 950 platinum, but they’ve given the new 1908 a decadent blue dial with guilloché patterning.
For those with knowledge of Rolex’s catalogue, you will be completely aware of the signature ice blue colour. All of their platinum watches are paired with it, acting as a kind of calling card to people in the know. For others, platinum Rolexes will look practically indistinguishable from stainless steel models. Here though, the dial is more of a giveaway that this is quite a high-end watch. The guilloché pattern is called a rice-grain motif, with little fan-shaped waves radiating out from the small seconds subdial. The intricacy of the guilloché matches well with the coin-edge detailing on the bezel, culminating in a watch which is minimalist in function but quite lavishly decorated.
950 platinum is a beautiful metal, not just for its clean, white lustre but also for its incredible corrosion resistance and its density. Platinum is around 2.7 times heavier than stainless steel, so you get a lot of reassuring heft with the watch on your wrist. Despite being worth less than gold as a raw material, platinum’s purity, density, and hardness all contribute to the higher pricing. The 1908’s case is a modest 39mm, settling in to the gap between modern and vintage releases, with a 9.5mm height which will slide under a cuff with ease. It’s strapped with a brown or black alligator leather strap with curved ends and colour-matched stitching, plus a 950 platinum double-folding clasp to go with it. Should you want to change the strap, you should have a lot of versatility with a 20mm lug width.
The Rolex Perpetual 1908 in platinum is powered by the Rolex manufacture calibre 7140, which is visible through a sapphire display caseback. It’s a rare treat to look at a Rolex movement while it’s still inside the watch, and there’s elegant decoration across the côtes de Genève on the plates and sunburst-finished 18k yellow gold winding rotor. Rolex’s chronometer certification guarantees an accuracy within +/-2 seconds per day, and the movement is capable of a 66-hour power reserve running at 4Hz.
The Rolex Perpetual 1908 in platinum pricing and availability
The Rolex Perpetual 1908 in platinum is available now. Price: CHF 29,600
| Brand | Rolex |
| Model | 1908 |
| Reference | 52506 |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 9.5mm (T) |
| Case Material | 950 platinum |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal |
| Dial | Ice blue with guilloché pattern |
| Strap | Brown or black alligator leather, platinum folding clasp |
| Movement | 7140, in-house, automatic |
| Power Reserve | 66 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | CHF 29,600 |
Read our overview of every watch released by Rolex at Watches and Wonders 2024.