Rolex Day-Date Watch Repair

Written by Shiashi Baltuis.

It’s 22 November 1963 and US President John F. Kennedy has just been assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas. Kennedy’s Vice-President, Lyndon B Johnson (LBJ), assumes the top job and wears a solid yellow-gold Rolex Day-Date. LBJ is the first US president to wear the Rolex Day-Date and in doing so, inadvertently launches one of Rolex’s most memorable brand associations.

Three years after its debut on the wrist of LBJ, Rolex officially begin advertising the Day-Date as “The Presidents’ Watch”.

Since being worn by LBJ, the Day-Date has adorned the wrist of Presidents Nixon, Ford and Reagan. Reports suggest JFK had a yellow-gold Day-Date, gifted to him in 1962 by Marilyn Monroe (during their rumoured extra-marital affair). The watch was never seen on JFK’s wrist and his secret Rolex sold at auction for US$120,000 in 2005. After Reagan, the Day-Date left office, with Bill Clinton famously preferring a Timex Ironman. Donald Trump has brought the tradition back after being spotted with a Day-Date, but he’s more commonly associated with wearing a yellow-gold Patek Philippe Ellipse.

Rolex proudly displays information about the watch on their website:

“Launched in 1956, the Day-Date made its debut as the first waterproof and self-winding chronometer wristwatch to offer a modern calendar with an instantaneous day display, spelt out in full in a window on the dial, in addition to the date.”

Rolex’s description neatly sums up the importance of the Day-Date to the history of mechanical wristwatches but leaves out the timepiece’s Presidential history. Instead of politicians, Rolex has chosen retired champion golfer Jack Nicklaus as the ambassador for the Day-Date. Nicklaus received his yellow-gold Day-Date in 1966 at a Rolex Party in Tokyo. Rolex’s advertising material generates an association between Nicklaus’ success as a golfer and his Day-Date.

While no longer being advertised as “The Presidents’ Watch”, Rolex still uses the term, “President Bracelet” on their website. The missing Presidential link in Rolex’s advertising could stem from an avoidance of divisive political figures, or that the popularity of the Day-Date has waned among recent US Presidents. Either way, the Day-Date’s recent lack of association with US Presidents may make room for awareness of a watch more prolific with commanders-in-chief, the Vulcain Cricket.

A Vulcain Cricket has been gifted to most US Presidents since Harry Truman in 1953. Truman’s 14-karat yellow gold Cricket was given to him by The White House Press Photographers Association on the night before leaving office. The Cricket is named after its alarm function, which sounds like the titular insect. The first Day-Date-wearing President even loved the Cricket. LBJ had a Cricket made with his signature on the dial. He later ordered 200 Crickets to give as gifts while in office.

The Cricket hasn’t gained the status the Day-Date enjoys, so it’s unlikely the alarm watch will be flashed by social climbers who seek validation. Unlike the humble Cricket, the Day-Date is becoming more exclusive. The first Rolex ads with Presidential association advertised the yellow-gold Day-Date at US$1000. Rolex now advertises new 36mm yellow-gold Day-Dates for US$33,150.

A yellow-gold Rolex Day-Date reference 18238 has been sent into the shop for a full service and refinish. This reference was made between 1988 and 2000 and houses the Calibre 3155. This movement was the first in a Rolex to include a double quick-set feature. Before the Calibre 3155, the day and date display could only be manipulated by moving the hands past midnight. The previous movement for Day-Dates, the Calibre 3055, introduces the quickset date function but the day window needs to be set manually. Day and date quickset functions on modern watches are common, but it was a feat of ingenuity when Rolex added the feature. The double quickset feature remains one of the biggest updates in the Day-Date’s production run.

Like all Rolexes, this Day-Date is COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres) Certified, which tests that the movement doesn’t gain more than six seconds a day, nor lose more than four (+6/-4). This vintage Day-Date is testing at +2/-2 seconds per day. The movement of this vintage Day-Date is running within Rolex’s modern “superlative” standards which are more stringent than COSC certification. This Day-Date has been refinished using a polishing wheel to buff out minor scratches while still maintaining the original proportions of the watch. During the refinishing process, a balance needs to be made between keeping the original proportions of the watch and restoring the case finish to like-new condition.

Despite the Day-Date falling out of favour with the US’ political elites, it remains one of Rolex’s big sellers in their current line-up. Only made in precious metals, (yellow-gold, white-gold, pink-gold and platinum) Rolex designates the Day-Date as a prestige watch and a status symbol.

OBR Horology services all Rolex, Omega and TAG Heuer watches. If your watch needs some TLC, don’t hesitate to contact me or visit in person for a free quote on repairs.

Call on 0423 451 991 or email me at repairs@obrhorology.com.au.

I am located at Myer Centre, 14 - 38 Rundle Mall, Level 3, Shop 312 Adelaide SA 5000.