Rolex

CrookedOak
205

• Show profile
• Show other posts

An overlooked classic?

I am surprised at how few Cellini Moonphase watches I see "in the wild". The concept of Rolex has been, to offer purpose built watches – the Submariner for divers, the Explorer for adventurers, the GMT-Master for travelers, the Daytona for race drivers, the Milgauss for scientists (at least, that’s how Rolex watches are  advertised). This watch fits none of those genres.

It is a beautiful vintage oriented watch with elements of historical references Rolex 6062 “Stelline” and the Rolex 8171 “Padellone”. The first Rolex watch with a moon-phase produced since the 1950s. Crafted from Rolex’s patented Everose rose gold, the 39mm case has a warmth and understated elegance to it, the gently curved edges offset by the shallow, beautifully fluted bezel. Complimenting the bezel brilliantly, the crown is elegantly grooved and slightly flared.  It has a delightful tactility when worn, and such interaction should be expected of a watch at this price. The dial is made of white lacquer, with a blue enameled sub-dial at six o’clock.  Within that disc, one can see the full and new moon rotate, the former portrayed by a patented Module, meteorite appliqué (actual piece of meteorite mined by Rolex).

The movement driving all of these functions is Rolex’s manufacture Caliber 3195, with a patented module for the moon-phase indication, which is engineered to be astronomically accurate for 122 years. The self-winding movement has 31 jewels, oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vph, and carries approximately 48 hours of power reserve when fully wound. It features numerous Rolex-developed technical innovations, including a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring with Rolex overcoil and a high-performance Paraflex shock-absorption system. Like all Rolex watches since 2015, it is covered by the brand’s Superlative Chronometer certification, indicating that the fully assembled watch has passed a battery of tests of its precision, power reserve, water-resistance, and self-winding efficiency. The final cased watch is guaranteed an accuracy of -2/+2 seconds per day, a rate more than twice what is required of a COSC-certified chronometer.

The watch is made in relatively low numbers and does not have the online and media hype of the rest of the Rolex line - perhaps how it manages to stay under the radar. I think it makes this reference a perfect choice precisely because of that. If you wear this watch, it is likely that not only will you be the only person in the room wearing it, you may be the only one who even knows it exists. And in the world of luxury watches, that is a pretty cool place to be.

Site Info.