When golf legend Arnold Palmer, known in golfing circles as the “King”, received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 in recognition of his exceptional career, he was wearing a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date chronometer in 18 ct yellow gold. The watch he has worn for more than 40 successful years in top-level golf. And which reflects his classic elegance and timeless style.

At Baselworld 2013, Rolex is introducing a new version in 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date with luxurious colourful leather straps and matching dials. A symbol of excellence and prestige, always exclusively in gold or in platinum, the Day-Date was the first chronometer wristwatch to indicate the date and the day of the week spelt out in full on the dial when it was launched in 1956. Its elegance is now expressed in a more informal manner.

The new colours of the dials and the matching straps vary according to the gold of the watch case: green or cognac for the 18 ct yellow gold versions; blue or cherry for 18 ct white gold models; and chocolate, or a more classic rhodium dial with a black strap, for cases in 18 ct Everose gold.

The 18 ct yellow gold, white gold and Everose gold of Rolex watches shine with a special radiance. This is due to the high-purity alloys created by the brand and the meticulous care with which they are cast in its own foundry before being formed, machined and polished in its workshops. The exclusive hue of 18 ct Everose gold, for example, is enhanced by a touch of platinum.

The Day-Date’s 36 mm Oyster case, guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet), is a paragon of robustness, proportion and elegance. The characteristically shaped middle case is crafted from a solid block of 18 ct gold. The fluted case back is hermetically screwed down with a special tool exclusive to Rolex watchmakers. The winding crown, fitted with the patented Twinlock double waterproofness system, screws down securely against the case. The fluted bezel is a Rolex signature aesthetic feature. The crystal, with a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date, is made of virtually scratchproof sapphire. The waterproof Oyster case provides optimal protection for the Day-Date’s high-precision movement.

The Day-Date is equipped with calibre 3155, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. Like all Rolex Perpetual movements, the 3155 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its design and quality manufacture provide peerless precision and reliability. The oscillator, the true heart of the watch, has a blue Parachrom hairspring patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy. Insensitive to magnetic fields, the Parachrom hairspring offers great stability when exposed to temperature variations and remains up to 10 times more precise in case of shocks than a traditional hairspring.

The straps of the new Day-Date combine the comfort and nobility of alligator leather with the convenience of a new 18 ct gold adjustable Crownclasp. This folding clasp is effortless to use and allows the length of the strap to be easily adapted.

Case	:	Type Oyster (monobloc middle case, screw-down case back and winding crown)
Diameter	:	36 mm
Material	:	18 ct yellow gold, polished finish 18 ct white gold, polished finish Or gris 18 ct, finition polie
Case	:	back Screw-down with Rolex fluting
Bezel	:	Fluted
Winding crown	:	Screw-down, Twinlock double waterproofness system
Crystal	:	Scratch-resistant sapphire
Lens	:	Cyclops lens (2.5 ×) over the date, double anti-reflective coating
Waterproofness	:	100 metres (330 feet)
Movement	:	Calibre 3155, Manufacture Rolex Mechanical movement with bidirectional self-winding via Perpetual rotor
Precision	:	Officially certified Swiss chronometer (COSC) Functions Centre hour, minute and seconds hands Instantaneous day and date in apertures, rapid setting Stop-seconds for precise time setting
Oscillator	:	Frequency: 28,800 beats/hour (4Hz) Paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring Breguet overcoil Large balance wheel with variable inertia High-precision regulating via four gold Microstella nuts Traversing balance bridge
Jewelling	:	31 rubies
Power reserve	:	Approximately 48 hours
Dial	:	Colour Green, sunray finish Cherry, sunray finish
Hour markers	:	18 ct yellow gold appliques with phosphorescent material 18 ct white gold appliques with phosphorescent material
Hands	:	18 ct yellow gold with phosphorescent material 18 ct white gold with phosphorescent material
Strap	:	Material Green Alligator mississippiensis leather Bordeaux Alligator mississippiensis leather
Clasp	:	Adjustable folding Crownclasp in 18 ct gold