Launched in 2008, the Day-Date II was a bigger version of the classic Rolex President watch. It was Rolex’s answer to the prevailing trend of larger men’s watches. And at 41mm, it was indeed significantly more robust than the original 36mm case size. When the collection made its debut, there were platinum, white gold, yellow gold, and Everose gold Day-Date II models to choose from. Here we take a closer look at the Everose gold Day-Date II ref. 218235.
Brief History of the Rolex President
In 1956, Rolex unveiled their most luxurious dress watch to date—the Day-Date. As its name suggests, it was the first wristwatch to show the day of the week written in full at 12 o’clock, in addition to the date at 3 o’clock. The Rolex Day-Date was created for only the most discerning, thus, exclusively constructed in gold – with platinum models joining later. Moreover, it sported a very distinct bracelet with a curvy three-link construction, dubbed the President bracelet by Rolex. The bracelet name, along with the popularity of the Day-Date among the world’s leaders in politics and business led to the watch’s affectionate nickname – the Rolex President.
Although the original Rolex President came with a 36mm Oyster case, today there are two other choices. There’s the Day-Date II with a 41mm case, and the brand new Day-Date 40 with (naturally) a 40mm case. While the Day-Date II is officially discontinued having been replaced by the Day-Date 40, it remains a very popular model in the secondary market. And among the various metals options, a particularly in-demand model is the Everose gold Day-Date II ref. 218235.
The Rolex Everose gold Day-Date II 218235
In keeping with the Rolex Presidents’ exclusivity, the Day-Date II is only available in gold and platinum. The ref. 218235 is the Everose gold Day-Date II model. Just like the other gold versions, the Everose gold Day-Date II is equipped with a fluted bezel. While the outer body of this particular Rolex President remains the same, there is some variety. For instance, there are several dial options available from concentric pink ones to diamond ones to lavish diamond and ruby ones.
It’s worth mentioning that the rose gold used on modern Rolex watches is not your regular variety. The Swiss watchmaking giant also has its own foundry to produce the metals used in their watches. The distinct look and sheen of Rolex’s 18k rose gold is thanks to their patented alloy formula. It includes some platinum to prevent discoloration. The Rolex watches crafted with Everose gold have a beautiful warm glow to them.
During its 2008 Baselworld launch, the Date-Date not only made news for its bigger size, but also for its new movement too. The Rolex Caliber 3156 included both the Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers—thus making the Everose gold Day-Date II ref. 218235 particularly resilient to magnetic fields, shocks, and temperature swings. The COSC-certified automatic movement operating at 28,800 vph provides up to 48 hours of power reserve.
An ultra-luxurious Rolex dress watch, the Everose gold Day-Date II ref. 218235 certainly makes a statement. Its solid gold construction, large size, rich heritage, and technical excellence, come together in a watch that has earned its President moniker.
