Rolex continues to charm its way into women’s hearts with the Lady-Date just 28.
Rolex continues to charm its way into women’s hearts with the Lady-Date just 28.
Be it cars, yachts or real estate, there are few things in the world that equally appeal to both men and women. So it’s no mean feat that Rolex has managed to position itself (intentionally or not) as a watch brand that speaks to both sexes successfully. Its Submariner, GMT-Master and Daytona are known to make appearances on must-have lists and stylish wrists indiscriminately, putting out their siren’s call to anyone hankering for horological heft. And why not? As any style icon can attest, nothing ups your street cred as much as a Rolex on the wrist. The world’s most famous watch has managed to blur the lines between fashion and horology as a covetable icon in both worlds, attaining an enviable spot most watch brands can only dream about. But that’s not to say the world’s most famous watch brand is one to sit on its laurels. Rolex also offers a wide range of feminine pieces for ladies who prefer smaller, lighter and more elegant watches. And that is where the Rolex Lady-Datejust 28 comes in. At just 28mm wide, the Lady-Datejust 28 is a petite timepiece; especially when taken in light of the fact that today’s more popular size for regular ladies watches hovers between 33 and 36mm. But what Rolex has done here with this model is to retain the looks of the original watch from the late ’50s but with an additional 2mm that caters to modern tastes. When the Lady-Datejust first appeared, it offered unparalleled legibility because of its clean dial configuration despite its 26mm size—and the new Lady-Datejust 28 keeps up with tradition in that respect, allowing busy women to keep to their hectic schedules with just a quick glance at their wrist.
Another feature it has retained is, of course, the brand’s incredibly robust and functional Oyster case. Its middle case is crafted out from an entire block of 904L steel instead of being made up of several components, while the distinctive Cyclops lens makes a reappearance at 3 o’clock for easy reading of the date. To ensure top-notch waterproofness, the watch’s caseback is hermetically sealed and its winding crown uses the brand’s Twinlock system to secure itself to the case. It is not surprising that it is the choice of many sportsmen and women. In fact, the first-ever testimonee for Rolex was a woman: Mercedes Gleitze swam across the English Channel in 1927, wearing her Oyster. “The reason I wear a Rolex Oyster wristwatch when swimming is because it is the only watch I know that is absolutely waterproof and also immune to damage from sand or salt air. Furthermore, I know that no other watch would stand up to the severe conditions experienced during long distance swims,” she said in a letter to Rolex’s founder Hans Wilsdorf. In modern context, it’s nice to know that you can go for a quick workout session in the pool before heading off for a tête-à-tête with girlfriends without any hassles. Technical and functional details like these may seem small and almost negligible to most, but the Rolex does not fall short in wooing horology geeks equally with its movement. The Lady-Datejust 28 is equipped with the highly reliable and efficient Calibre 2236. It’s a new self-winding movement fully developed and manufactured by the watchmaker that boasts a power reserve of 55 hours, is insensitive to magnetic fields and absorbs shock much better than regular movements. Furthermore, the watch is also covered by the brand’s Superlative Chronometer certification—a stringent testing programme that sees it undergoing a series of tests to ensure that it delivers performance in terms of precision (it only deviates about −2/+2 seconds per day), power reserve, waterproofness and self-winding. It also comes with an international five-year guarantee (not that we’d expect anything less from a Rolex).
Simply put, the Lady-Datejust 28 is a promise of reliability packaged enticingly in a bi-coloured sheath of gold and steel (also known as Rolesor in Rolex speak) and encrusted with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds all around the bezel and for the hour indices. It’s an accessory of choice that will see you through a casual dinner date as much as it would a glamorous evening soirée. Besides the usual white mother-of-pearl dial, Rolex also off ers the watch with something a little more unique for the adventurous woman looking for something different. This year, Rolex has rolled out a fleet of Lady-Datejust 28 with stripe motif dials that come in either mint green or lavender for greater style options. And, of course, Rolex wouldn’t be Rolex if it didn’t off er a wide variety of other permutations too. Women can choose from non-sparkling Lady-Datejust 28 in either yellow or the brand’s Everose gold and its warm glow; and there are also versions with a fluted bezel or a regular domed bezel. As with most Rolex watches, women can also choose if they’d like their watch furnished with a five-piece link Jubilee bracelet (fitted with the concealed Crownclasp) or the three-piece link Oyster bracelet (which features the brand’s revolutionary Easylink rapid extension system that allows for an easy adjustment in the bracelet length that takes mere seconds). It’s really not hard to see just how Rolex has managed to continue to do well regardless of the economic situation. Consistently delivering performance and functionality under a sports-luxe umbrella, Rolex has managed to deftly forge a reputation built on trust and desirability. And with this dainty petite size, Rolex shows that small really is beautiful.
As any style icon can attest, nothing ups your street cred as much as a Rolex on the wrist.
