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2009 Rolex Day-Date 118348 - Diamond Bezel Pave Ruby Dial

Details

The Ultimate Expression Of The Day-Date

Reference 118348 is a heavy-hitting iteration of the President. While a standard 18K yellow gold Day-Date is already a statement, this factory diamond configuration moves the watch into a different category of collectibility. It features a factory diamond bezel and diamond-set dial. This is a high-spec execution that maintains the classic proportions while maximizing the presence of the precious metal.

A Technical Standard For The Flagship

The Day-Date has been the flagship of the Rolex catalog since the mid-fifties, but the six-digit references brought significant upgrades to the case and bracelet. The polished lugs and heavier President bracelet give this reference a more substantial feel on the wrist compared to older generations. It utilizes a movement that allows for the double quickset function, making it one of the most practical and user-friendly versions of the world’s most recognizable calendar watch.

Excellent Preservation And Mechanical Integrity

The watch is in very good condition with the 18K yellow gold case showing sharp lines and clear hallmarks. The factory diamond bezel and diamond dial are perfect. The President bracelet is tight and shows almost no stretch. Mechanically, the watch is running strong after passing our test bench.

Confident Presence For The Serious Collector

This is for the person who wants a Day-Date that represents the top tier of factory finishing. It works because it takes the traditional silhouette and adds a level of intentional brilliance that only factory-set stones can provide. It is a watch for someone who appreciates the history of the reference but wants a version that is genuinely hard to replace in this specific configuration.

Key Specs
History

When Rolex introduced the Day-Date in 1956, it did two things no watch had done before: it displayed the day of the week spelled out in full at 12 o'clock, and it did so only in 18-karat gold or platinum — never steel, never silver. The message was clear. This was the watch for people who had arrived.

The President bracelet, created exclusively for the Day-Date, added another layer of distinction: a three-piece link design in solid precious metal that became so associated with power that the watch earned the unofficial name "the President's watch." Dwight Eisenhower was among its earliest recipients; the list of heads of state, CEOs, and cultural figures who followed runs long.

References 1803 and 18038 define the classic era — the 1803 from the late 1960s through mid-1970s, and the 18038 through the 1980s. Dial options across these years are staggering: champagne, black, onyx, diamond-set, baguette, wood, and stone dials all appeared in regular production. The Day-Date is the watch Rolex made to prove that Swiss precision and genuine luxury were not mutually exclusive. Fifty years later, that argument has never been made more convincingly