Rolex introduced a new meteorite dial option for the 18ct white gold version named the Day-Date (reference 228239) at Baselworld 2018. Presently, Rolex sells a range of Branded watches for men which includes the Cosmograph Daytona chronograph with a meteorite dial, however, the natural material used is something rare for the present range of Rolex watches. Owing to its metallic crystalline and organic aesthetic, the meteorite has been a strong favourite dial material for many years,and the fact that it is from outside space adds another feel of value to it.

Rolex combines this meteorite dial with a baguette-cut diamond hour marker – making this a very classic watch. Decorative elements like diamond can make it hard to preserve the masculine features of a watch, although the small touch of diamond allows it to still look manly. The dial also comes with a window that displays both the date and the day of the week. Also, when the Rolex Day-Date watch was initially announced in 1956, it was the only existing wristwatch to feature both the day of the week and date.

Platinum and gold are the only materials that this special branded Day-Date 40 watch for men is available in and it has a design that many find classic and enduring. True, some watch fanatics may claim that the Submariner is their ideal design – however, more people tend to lean in favour of the Datejust and Day-Date, while that respect should in fact be reserved for the “Rolex President.”

A few years back, the Day-Date 40 model was updated to the Day-Date II by Rolex,and it was one of the first and biggest upgrade seeing as it was the first Rolex watch to come with the company’s all-new 32XX family of in-house movements. The Day-Date 40 also comes with the Rolex caliber 3255 automatic movement, which is its first ever certified “Superlative Chronometer.” Also, the meteorite dial was the first Rolex watch to have a miniature display of the Rolex Crown positioned at the middle of the “Swiss Made” just beneath the 6 o’clock hour mark, which is a good indication of the watches’ modern movement.

The caliber 3255 automatic movement works at 4HZ with a reserve power of around 70 hours and comes with extra features such as time, the day of the week indicator and date. The movement also guarantees a daily accuracy of around +/- 2 seconds. Personally, the 32XX and other 3255 family movements are great watches that are highly reliable and accurate. Also, the 18ct white gold Rolex comes with water resistant (100m) Oyster case and also features a sapphire crystal and screw-down crown.

I think the meteorite dial is an awesome and necessary addition to the Rolex Day-Date 40 family. Rolex uses nothing but the best materials for all of their high-end watches, so you can be assured of a fantastic piece that is not only authentic but durable. One of the strong suits of this branded watch for men is the fact that it packs so much valuable materials like the diamond, 18ct white gold and meteorite – all of which are very precious metal pieces. While there might be questions as to how rare these materials are, however, the whole aim of adding these materials to the watch is to enhance the worth and value of the watch.

At just around 40mm wide and by far not the thickest watch out there, the Day-Date ref. 228239 fits very nicely on the wrist. The watch may seem to appear smaller than it actually is because the width of the bracelets appears to shrink in size, which is in line with Rolex’s wish to highlight the President bracelet. The rounded three-link-style bracelet spots a “hidden” deployant clasp for a similar look from each end.

Although it appears to resemble steel, White gold is a very premium and luxurious material. The heavier white gold means that the feel is different to steel. However, in the absence of a true watch enthusiast, it is extremely easy to pass the Day-Date 40 in platinum and gold for stainless steel. With the diamondson the hard to miss meteorite dial, this Rolex President checks the boxes of both subtlety and extravagance, which ultimately adds to its character and personality. The Rolex Day-Date 40 reference 228239 will be available soon in 18ct white gold and with a diamond hour marker and meteorite dial will sellatretail market price of USD 46,750.