Have you ever seen a watch without the dial fitted? Apart from maybe a passing resemblance to an ultra skeletonized piece, there really is nothing quite as horologically haunting when you see it. It is almost as if the watch’s soul has been taken away.
The dial is the first thing you see and the memory that you take away when you hold a watch. It’s no surprise then that Rolex goes to such extents to ensure that the dial of each of its watches is as perfect and as special as possible. The brand’s mastery of dial making has been at the forefront of its innovations for the past century and this year, 2021, is no different with a new range of dials to die for from the venerable Swiss watchmaker.
The Rolex Oyster case is one of the most aesthetically perfect designs of the 20th century. The case shape and form of the crown and pushers have evolved over the past decades but the DNA and essence remains the same. Hold an Oyster Perpetual Datejust from the first year of the line from 1945 next to the brand’s most recent examples and the resemblance is uncanny. Uncanny maybe, but entirely deliberate as there is the old English saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The classic elegance of the Datejust dial is simple and is a perfect example of form following function. The applied baton hour makers and clear legible hands have been a staple of the
