Rolex’s New Dress Watch, the Rolex 1908
A closer look at Rolex's platinum 1908, its new icy-blue guilloché dial, and why this understated dress watch is built to last.
2 min read
In 2033, Rolex rolled out the Perpetual 1908 collection of dress watches. This model replaces the Cellini, which was Rolex’s nod to beauty in a dress watch for many years. The 1908 was (and still is) positioned as a celebration of the craft. It was a watch for timekeeping enthusiasts, a dress watch that celebrated the art of timepiece manufacture. Given that the watch is arguably so intent on avoiding ostentatiousness that it appears plain and boring, that positioning was a good choice.
This year, Rolex offers the 1908 perpetual in platinum. It also adds a patterned icy-blue dial (Rolex calls the dial graphics a "rice-grain" guilloché pattern.) This year, there’s nothing plain about the watch even though it’s still understated enough that calling it a boring is simply impossible.
In keeping with the idea that the watch is a celebration of the craft of mechanical timepiece manufacture, the case back is transparent, making the watch works visible for those who enjoy a closer look at the internal mechanics.
An alligator strap (in brown or black) with a platinum clasp serves as the band for the 1908. The leather strap provides a beautiful contrast to the very elegant and very obviously dressy watch. The 1908 is a year old now, and the new one shows that this model will be here for a long while. It’s a dress watch but it’s still a Rolex, and so it’s durable with a water resistance rating of 50 meters.
If you’re looking for a pre-owned Rolex in San Diego, you could do far, far worse than a 1908. It has charm and beauty, and I think it works very well as a showpiece. If you’re looking for a luxury timepiece, give me a call and we can arrange to meet in my La Jolla showroom. You’ll be happy you got in touch.
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