Day‑Date 40

Oyster, 40 mm, yellow gold and diamonds

Gem-setters, like sculptors, finely carve the precious metal to hand-shape the seat in which each gemstone will be perfectly lodged. With the art and craft of a jeweller, the stone is placed and meticulously aligned with the others, then firmly secured in its gold or platinum setting.

Besides the intrinsic quality of the stones, several other criteria contribute to the beauty of Rolex gem-setting: the precise alignment of the height of the gems, their orientation and position, the regularity, strength and proportions of the setting as well as the intricate finishing of the metalwork. A sparkling symphony to enhance the watch and enchant the wearer.

Lacquer combines almost limitless freedom of colour with intensity and a smooth finish. The lacquering technique consists of successively depositing six thin layers of lacquer on a brass base plate.

A colourless varnish is then applied to give the colour or shade all of its depth and shine. Once the varnish is dry, the surface of the dial is polished to magnify the colour; the dial is then ready to be pad printed and receive its appliques.