The History of the Rolex Datejust

Rolex has contributed immensely to the luxury watch industry, earning the top brand position for many decades. A celebration held in 1945 by the company to commemorate how far they had come in the business saw the creation of a timepiece, unlike any other Rolex watch. This was not just any ordinary Rolex but a water-resistant, self-winding timepiece fitted with a date window on the dial. Since this was the company’s 40th anniversary, Rolex unleashed this magnificent piece of ingenuity to the world: The Datejust, which is part of the extensive Rolex catalog offered at Atlanta Luxury Watches.

The Beginning of the Datejust

To understand the history of the Datejust, you need to look at the predecessor model, the Jubilee Datejust. This timepiece acquired its name from the jubilee bracelet consisting of a five-piece metal link, considered Rolex’s forte. The initial reference consisted of the brand’s signature water-resistant Oyster case, 18-karat gold, a fluted bezel, and measured 36mm.

The Datejust came with larger caliber 710 movements responsible for powering the new date function and featured a back case that was domed in shape, making it the flagship model for the brand. Although there have been many other Rolex models since then, the Datejust remains a unique timepiece that still holds its own against other luxury watch brands.

Rolex Datejust’s History of the Early 1950s

Through its ten years of production, the Datejust mainly remained unchanged until 1954, when it received a major aesthetic upgrade. Rolex unleashed the Cyclops lens on Datejust, which sits above the date window, increasing the legibility two and a half times more. Due to the high approval ratings of the aesthetic upgrade, Rolex uses the Cyclops lens as a standard for most of their models. Whether it’s a Sky-Dweller, Submariner, GMT, or Yacht-Master, you are guaranteed a perfectly placed Cyclops lens that enhances the aesthetics of the timepiece.

Date of the Late 1950s

After the Cyclops lens revolutionized the timepiece, Rolex made another significant modification that focused more on the technical than aesthetics. The upgrade was an addition of the Caliber 1065 movement, which was smaller and more efficient. This modification wholly altered the timepiece’s design, eliminating the dome-shaped case and replacing it with a more streamlined design. Rolex later added a ladies’ variation to the collection, nearly identical to the male version but more minor.

Rolex Datejust of the 1960s and 1970s

The Rolex Date continued to receive various tweaks and adjustments in the 1960s, with the famous Caliber 1570 introduced into the model. The added feature exceeded this in the 1970s; the Caliber 3035, which was the quickest and gave it a higher frequency. Rolex introduced a Datejust with quartz movement at the end of the decade, the Oysterquartz. This feature saw Datejust go from 20,000 beats per hour to 28,000 beats, which enhanced its accuracy.

There’s no doubt that Rolex is indeed the leading luxury watch brand, with a wide range of timepieces designed to withstand the test of time. We guarantee quality products from all the leading brands. Contact us at Atlanta Luxury Watches for more information on your favorite Rolex model.