[returntorolex]

Originally Posted by Eric Chan

One year to the date has passed since obtaining my personal watch grail, the Day-Date 118238 with the white roman dial.

Just a little background on what this watch means for me before I get into the actual review. Growing up, I was aware of Rolex, but never really did get into fine timepieces until 2003. My first Rolex was a Datejust 16234 that I received in 2004 and since then, I could not get enough of the Rolex brand. It was in 2005 that I truly “discovered” the Day-Date and knew that I would have it one day. It took a decade to obtain as there were many other priorities in life that took precedence over the sizeable purchase of a precious metal watch. So enough with the background and onto the review!

Movement:

Within this marvelous timepiece is the robust Rolex Calibre 3156. I will not pretend to be an expert in this field as all the knowledge I have is based on what I have read on this Forum and my own personal research on the topic over the years. All I can say is that it has kept amazing time, based on my calculations, +3 seconds per day. The one aspect that I love the most about this movement is that it is a variation of the same movement within most of the Rolex stainless steel models, like the Submariner, meaning that I do not have to worry about being “delicate” with this watch. Not to suggest that I would start on extreme activities while wearing it, but if I did, I would not have to worry about the movement being compromised.

Bracelet:

The 118238 is available in the President and Oyster bracelet. The President was my choice for two simple reasons:

1. I love the look of the bracelet. Simple, elegant and automatically recognizable.

2. It is exclusive to the Day-Date line. The Oyster bracelet is available on nearly, if not all Rolex sport models. So to me, the logical choice would be to choose the bracelet that only is available with the Day-Date.

The gold is softer than steel and scratches will show. This does not bother me as watches should be worn and enjoyed and the over appearance of “wear-and-tear” simply add to the overall character of the timepiece.

Bezel:

The fluted bezel has become a signature for Rolex. It was designed many, many years ago and does not show any signs of being obsolete. The way the light reflects off of it is truly magical and enhances the look of the watch. When I see a fluted bezel, the two watches that come to mind are the Day-Date and the Datejust.

Dial:

There are many dial combinations for the Day-Date. There is no right or wrong combination as everyone has differing or varying tastes. When I first laid eyes on the white roman dial, I knew that was the dial combination for me and after a decade of yearning for this watch, that opinion has not changed. The white dial compliments the yellow gold with a very subtle warmth and the roman numerals provide a sense of timelessness for this watch.

Design:

What more can I say about the Day-Date that has not already been said (much more eloquently) by others? It was first introduced in 1956 and in its 60 year history; the design has changed very little. It is a true timeless classic and I firmly believe it will remain relatively unchanged for another 60 years.

The 36mm size is appropriate for this type of watch and it does “wear” larger and feels more substantial on the wrist than other 36mm watches I have come across. The Day-Date, in any incarnation, is the quintessential Rolex that best represents the epitome of what Rolex is all about; style, prestige and timelessness.

Well, there you have it. My humble review of my beloved grail, the Day-Date 118238.

Awesome! I always was under the impression we had the 3155 movement. What is the 3156?