Like all classics, the Rolex Datejust belongs to an elite club of accessories that are recognizable, at a glance, to those in the know. What made these pieces successful is a magical combination of smart
design, expert craftsmanship, and being in the right place at the right time, but what keeps them among the most coveted luxury items in the world comes down to one thing: consistency. Brands may tinker with their most iconic styles around the margins, but just as you wouldn’t put sunglasses on the Mona Lisa, the essential form must always remain the same. Such is the case with the new 18K yellow gold Rolex Datejust 31. Bedecked with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds around its bezel and augmented with a mesmerizing new red ombré dial, it remains gloriously unmistakable as a member of one of the luxury world’s most prestigious families.

To understand what makes the Datejust such an icon requires a bit of context. Rolex has been among the world’s foremost watch brands since the 1920s when it developed the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof wristwatch. Ever since then, the brand has remained at the forefront of innovation, releasing one game-changing creation after another, pioneering everything from the tiny magnifier over the date window (better known as the Cyclops lens) to rainbow gemstone-set bezels. All of these innovations have contributed to a precise, tightly curated design language that makes every member of the Rolex family identifiable as such. With its diamond-studded bezel, gleaming gold President bracelet, and a self-winding automatic movement powered entirely by the motion of the wearer’s body, the new Rolex Datejust 31 represents a culmination of everything Rolex has accomplished over the last century.

Rolex is respected for many things, but more than anything else it’s famous for how slowly its collections evolve. The result is that many of the watches in the current Rolex lineup—including the Datejust—look fairly similar year-on-year, decade-on-decade. That’s what makes the new Rolex Datejust 31 and its eye-catching red ombré dial so remarkable. Created by releasing metallic particles onto the dial in successive layers (a process known as physical vapour deposition, or PVD) the dial’s colour fades from an intense red at its centre to deep black around the edges, creating a striking contrast to the 10 diamond-set hour markers. As the first Datejust model available with this unique feature, the new Datejust 31 embodies
the slow, steady evolution that has made the collection so iconic. Other features, such as a 100-metre water-resistant case, a calibre 2236 automatic movement featuring silicon components (all the better to keep the watch running with utmost precision), and a concealed folding Crownclasp buckle, are so subtle you might not notice them at all. Which is exactly the point. When you see a Datejust—particularly one with the visual punch of the new Datejust 31— you know exactly what you’re getting.

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