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Rolex Day-Date 36
Ref. 128345RBR
Sits in Rolex’s upper tier here — more premium than three quarters of the Rolex watches we list, which start at £5,350.
Price range £5,350 to £125,000 across 64 Rolex watches in stock.Introduced in 1956 as the first wristwatch to display both the day and the date spelled out in full, the Day-Date was conceived from the outset as a watch for heads of state and those who occupied similar territory. That heritage is not accidental to this reference — the rose gold dial, the diamond-set bezel and the President bracelet are all original to the model's founding language, not later additions. At 43.5mm lug to lug, it sits close to the wrist and wears across a wide range of wrist sizes without overreaching, though the solid 18ct Everose gold construction means the weight is immediately felt — this is not a watch that disappears. The President bracelet is the detail that separates the Day-Date from everything else in the catalogue: each link is screwed and the Crownclasp folds away to nothing, leaving only the crown logo visible at the opening. On the wrist it reads as a continuous band of gold. The 3255 movement deserves its reputation. Built entirely in-house to tolerances tighter than the standard COSC benchmark, its Parachrom hairspring and Chronergy escapement give a 70-hour reserve and a -2/+2 seconds daily accuracy rating. Most versions of this reference rely on diamond hour markers rather than luminescent material, so the dial is not designed for darkness — it is designed to be looked at in light, and at that it excels.
- Reference
- 128345RBR
- Brand
- Rolex
- Collection
- Day-Date
- Case size
- 36mm
- Case thickness
- 12mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Rose gold
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Rose gold
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 3255
- Functions
- Day-date
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Stainless steel bracelet
- Strap colour
- Rose gold
- Clasp
- Folding clasp
- Lume
- Luminous
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 43.5mm
- Power reserve
- 70 hours
- Gem set
- Yes
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), Watches Under 37mm (1,793), Automatic Watches (1,742) and Solid Gold Watches (162).
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
- 70-hour reserve survives a weekend off the wrist
- 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 | 128345RBR | pfc804-1020004-100182 | GC8.0-SQ-A-00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £47,950 | £32,300 | £55,680 |
| 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 | 70 hours | 60 hours | 50 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
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 70 hours fully wound — enough to sit off the wrist over a weekend and still be running.
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 £47,950. 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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