Three Rolexes You Probably Missed: Stone Dial Day-Dates In 2023

Rolex did it big this year at Watches and Wonders: a solid-gold GMT-Master II, a Titanium Yacht-Master, multiple exhibition casebacks, an emoji window (?!). When it comes to new releases, there’s no doubt that 2023 is one of Rolex’s most eventful years in some time. They amended the majority of their professional collection while adding an entirely new model to their classic collection. Lost in the shuffle were three stone dial configurations of the Rolex Day-Date: orange carnelian, green aventurine, and turquoise. . . turquoise. These are a welcome callback to Rolex’s popular stone dials of the 1970’s. Let’s take a closer look at these 36mm diamond-set Day-Dates. 

Carnelian Dial Rolex Day-Date 36mm

Image Source: rolex.com press center

Available only in yellow gold, the carnelian dial and its vibrant orange hue are hard to miss. The light-to-dark orange gradient – while a bit different with each example – is reminiscent of a sunrise and its reflections on the horizon. The warmth of this stone is beautifully contrasted by black dial text and diamond-set 18k gold Roman numeral indices. While all of the press material pairs this carnelian Day-Date with a diamond-set bezel (pictured above), Rolex does allow you to configure it with a fluted bezel on their website. That said, the diamond-set bezel is the perfect compliment to the equally-blinged-out hour indices. Of the three stone-dial Day-Dates, carnelian is my personal favorite. While I would have loved to see it available in other materials (namely white gold), the warmth of carnelian makes sense in the context of yellow gold. 

Green Aventurine Dial Rolex Day-Date 36mm

Image Source: rolex.com press center

Available only in Everose (Rolex’s proprietary rose gold alloy), the aventurine dial Day-Date is the most unique stone dial of the bunch. Not only is the green hue quintessentially Rolex, its finely crystallized surface provides a texture unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Because this is the darkest stone dial of the three, its text is applied Everose gold rather than printed black. This offers visual harmony with the Everose-based indices and case: a characteristic not shared by the other dials. As previously mentioned, we’ve only seen examples with diamond-set bezels, but Rolex’s configuration tool suggests that a fluted-bezel version might be a possibility. I would have loved to see the aventurine dial available in yellow gold, but a green-and-gold Rolex holds a particular significance that The Crown doesn’t take lightly. To that I say – c’mon guys.

Turquoise Dial Rolex Day-Date 36mm

Image Source: rolex.com press center

The turquoise dial Day-Date is available in all materials: white gold, yellow gold, Everose, and platinum. This is perhaps the most familiar of the three stones; I think it’s the best choice to make available in all materials. Besides the dial of the discontinued yellow OP, this turquoise dial is my favorite canvas for black printed text on a Rolex – period. This text also compliments the turquoise’s black matrix (leftover “host” rock embedded in the turquoise) that’s marbled throughout the material. Like the other stone dial Day-Dates, the turquoise version has diamond-set Roman numeral indices. Unlike the other two, I’ve seen pictures of examples with fluted bezels as opposed to only diamond-set bezels.

Final Thoughts

Image Source: rolex.com press center

I have a soft spot for stone-dial watches. No two are the same, the craftsmanship is remarkable, and there’s something special about having a unique gemstone on your wrist. This concept is not new to Rolex; their stone-dial watches dominated the 1970’s with materials like onyx, lapis lazuli, and even fossils (yes – petrified organisms). These three new Day-Date configurations revive the stone dial in all its glory, fit with a modern movement (Rolex caliber 3255) and stunning diamonds. Carnelian is my favorite, but what do you think?

Header Image Source: rolex.com press center