Rolex
Day-Date 40
228239
The Day-Date 40 in white gold — presidential prestige at full scale.
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Overview
The Rolex Day-Date 40 reference 228239 represents the modern expression of the brand's flagship dress watch, rendered in 18k white gold with a 40mm case that updates the classic Day-Date proportions for contemporary tastes. Introduced in 2015, it carries the full day-of-the-week and date display at 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock respectively, a combination that has defined the line since its 1956 debut. The reference is offered across a wide palette of dials — including olive green, blue, silver, and black — allowing for considerable personalisation within a formally prestigious framework.
History
The Day-Date line has long held a singular position in Rolex's catalogue as the only watch to display the day spelled out in full, a distinction it has maintained since its introduction in the mid-twentieth century. The 40mm generation, of which the 228239 is the white gold expression, succeeded the long-running 36mm reference 118239 and marked the first significant case enlargement in the line's history. The 228239 debuted alongside the in-house Calibre 3255, one of Rolex's most technically advanced movements at the time of its release. Its arrival signalled a broader modernisation of the Day-Date family while preserving the presidential associations the line had accumulated over decades.
Notable points
- The 40mm case diameter was a landmark departure for the Day-Date line, which had been anchored to 36mm for the better part of six decades.
- Calibre 3255 features a Chronergy escapement, a paramagnetic nickel-phosphorus lever and escape wheel, and a 70-hour power reserve — a substantial advance over its predecessor.
- The 18k white gold case of the 228239 is produced entirely in Rolex's own foundry, consistent with the brand's vertically integrated manufacturing philosophy.
- Dial variety is a defining characteristic of the reference: options have spanned meteorite, gem-set, and solid-colour dials in addition to the core olive green, blue, silver, and black offerings.
- The Day-Date's association with heads of state and public figures has earned the broader line the informal designation 'the President's watch', a reputation the 228239 inherits in full.
