Manufacturer: Rolex Year: Circa 2012 Reference No: 116333 Case No: G315'986 Model Name: Datejust II Rolesor Slate Roman Material: 18K yellow gold and stainless steel Calibre: Automatic, cal. 3136, 31 jewels Bracelet/Strap: 18K yellow gold and stainless steel Rolex Oyster bracelet, max length 185mm Clasp/Buckle: 18K gold and stainless steel Rolex deployant clasp stamped "WOX" Dimensions: 41mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed Accessories: Further accompanied by Rolex Guarantee card dated May 5, 2012 and stamped by Singapore retailer Kee Hing Hung PTE LTD, card holder, numbered sale tag, chronometer seal tag, product literature, fitted presentation box and outer packaging
Catalogue Essay
Released in 2009 and discontinued in 2017, ref. 116333 is a highly elegant iteration of the beloved datejust model. Featuring a modern and generous 41mm case, the aesthetics of the model play on color contrasts: the two-tone case and bracelet style is mirrored in the dial, with the slate grey background reprising the steel parts of the case, juxtaposed to the gold hands, crown and 9 o’clock index. The remaining numerals are painted in black feature a Roman style. Rolex’s attention to detail is apparent when noticing that these black Roman numerals feature a Rolex green outline, nearly unnoticeable at first glance, but still having a very strong impact on the overall aesthetic effect of the watch.
Founded in 1905 England by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis as Wilsdorf & Davis, it soon became known as the Rolex Watch Company in 1915, moving its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. Like no other company, the success of the wristwatch can be attributed to many of Rolex's innovations that made them one of the most respected and well-known of all luxury brands. These innovations include their famous "Oyster" case — the world's first water resistant and dustproof watch case, invented in 1926 — and their "Perpetual" — the first reliable self-winding movement for wristwatches launched in 1933. They would form the foundation for Rolex's Datejust and Day-Date, respectively introduced in 1945 and 1956, but also importantly for their sports watches, such as the Explorer, Submariner and GMT-Master launched in the mid-1950s.
One of its most famous models is the Cosmograph Daytona. Launched in 1963, these chronographs are without any doubt amongst the most iconic and coveted of all collectible wristwatches. Other key collectible models include their most complicated vintage watches, including references 8171 and 6062 with triple calendar and moon phase, "Jean Claude Killy" triple date chronograph models and the Submariner, including early "big-crown" models and military-issued variants.