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Rolex Day-Date 36
Ref. 118206
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Stepping up in Rolex's range
The Day-Date has always been the watch Rolex made for those at the top of whatever room they were in — introduced in 1956 as the first wristwatch to spell out the day of the week in full, it has carried that brief ever since. This reference, the 118206, belongs to the six-digit generation that arrived in 2000, and it is distinguished by something the specifications table cannot quite convey: the Ice Blue dial is not available on any other material in the Rolex catalogue. That colour, a pale glacial silver unique to solid platinum cases, is Rolex's own reserved signal — you cannot have it in gold. At 36mm the case sits where the original Day-Date always did, and 217 grams of platinum means it registers on the wrist with a weight that no gold or steel reference produces. The calibre 3155 allows both the day and date to be corrected independently, which sounds minor until you have used a movement that cannot. The President bracelet's Crownclasp leaves only a small applied crown visible at the wrist — no visible opening mechanism, no visible seam — and link sizing requires screw pins rather than a push-button system, which is less convenient but considerably more precise once set.
- Reference
- 118206
- Brand
- Rolex
- Collection
- Day-Date
- Case size
- 36mm
- Case thickness
- 12.3mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 3155
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Silver
- Clasp
- Deployant clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 43.5mm
- Power reserve
- 48 hours
Learn more about Rolex
Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf & Davis in London in 1905 with his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, importing Swiss movements and casing them in England. He registered the name Rolex in 1908 — short, pronounceable in any language, and easy to fit on a dial.
Wilsdorf's conviction was that the wristwatch, then regarded as a woman's ornament and hopelessly fragile, could be made accurate and durable. He proved the first half in 1910 by obtaining the first chronometer certification for a wristwatch, and the second in 1926 with the Oyster case, sealed by a screw-down crown and caseback. Mercedes Gleitze swam the Channel wearing one in 1927, and Wilsdorf bought the front page of the Daily Mail to say so — arguably the first modern watch marketing campaign.
The Perpetual rotor followed in 1931, giving automatic winding in a form the whole industry eventually copied. The company relocated to Geneva during the First World War to escape British wartime duties.
The professional models arrived in a compressed burst in the 1950s: Submariner, Explorer, GMT-Master, Milgauss, and later the Daytona. Each was built for a specific job — diving, exploration, aviation, laboratory work, racing — and each became a design template.
Wilsdorf left his shares to a private foundation on his death, so Rolex answers to no shareholders. It remains the largest producer of certified chronometers in Switzerland by a wide margin.
- 1905
- Hans Wilsdorf founds Wilsdorf & Davis in London.
- 1908
- The Rolex name is registered.
- 1926
- The Oyster case introduces genuine water resistance.
- 1931
- The Perpetual rotor brings modern automatic winding.
- 1953
- The Submariner and Explorer launch.
- 1963
- The Cosmograph Daytona arrives.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in the Rolex Day-Date range (9), Stainless Steel Watches (3,382), Watches Under 37mm (1,793) and Automatic Watches (1,742).
Manufacturer’s guarantee
What the specifications mean
A mechanical watch for everyday wear.
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- 36mm suits most wrists
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Rolex Day-Date 36 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 118206 | pfc804-1020004-100182 | GC2.0-RG-05 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £34,950 | £32,300 | £34,800 |
| Case size | 36mm | 36mm | 39mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Stainless steel bracelet | Rubber strap |
| Power reserve | 48 hours | 60 hours | 50 hours |
| This watch | Closely matched |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 48 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 43.5mm, which suits wrists from roughly 15cm (6 inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths is the only UK retailer we track stocking this reference new, at £34,950. There is nothing to compare it against today.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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