Rolex 1908 with open caseback
Rolex 1908 52508
Released with not-much-fanfare because we were all too slack jawed at the puzzle dial in 2023, the new Rolex 1908 range replaces the outgoing Cellini collection and is positioned to offer the brands “dress watch” option.
Although I’m an admittedly huge fan of the professional range, the Crown played a blinder back in the 1960’s when their marketing man of the hour Rene Paul Jeanneret began to float the idea that perhaps one Rolex wasn’t enough.
He suggested that while buyers should of course be buying their “tool” watches from the brand - they should also consider another Rolex for formal purposes. In short, one was not enough for the average man - you needed a workhorse and a show pony, and the Cellini line was ready and waiting to fill the formal watch spot for those inclined to build a collection to cover all bases.
The premise in the intervening 60 years has remained very much the same, but as the interest in steel “do it all” pieces rose and the world became more casual, the dedication to precious metal formal watches waned, as did the popularity of the Cellini.
As style always ebbs and flows, interest in dress pieces has picked up again alongside the rise in vintage re-editions and “dapper” watches for the discerning Don Drapers around town, so it comes as no real surprise that Rolex has retired the ageing Cellini in favour of a refreshed range of classic pieces in the form of the 1908 (named after the founding year of the brand)
Being honest here, as a fairly die-hard steel sports wearer, I wasn’t sure I’d be overly enamoured with a gold dress watch as it’s a little like introducing a manicure to a bricklayer, but actually, and quite surprisingly, now I’ve got to know it - I want it.
So far, the 1908 collection is “capsule” and comprises of 4 identical watches in different combinations - 18 carat white or yellow gold with black or white dial options.
This one is reference 52508 - the yellow gold with white dial variant.
One of the interesting things I’ve found about it straight off the bat is that the tone of the gold is softer, and dare I say it, infinitely more subtle than the ALOHA! yellow I’m used to seeing on the likes of the Daytona et al.
I’m not sure if Rolex has been up to some alchemy in their foundry, or whether the slimness or simplicity of the design calms the gold down overall, nonetheless, it’s notably easy on the eye.
Equally easy on the eye is the dial, which is said to be based on a 1930s model from their back catalogue. Not surprising.
In my humble opinion is the piece de resistance on the watch. Utterly simple and functional, yet somehow far from dull.
Firstly, it isn’t a jarring or flat bright block colour. It is an almost opaline white that has a soft sheen to it which Rolex says is created by a process called “Magnetron Sputtering”.
The phrase immediately put me in mind of the X-Men throwing a tantrum, but having done some research, it means a type of physical vapour deposition which creates a film or coating that is applied using magnetic fields to control the spread of charged ion particles.
Presumably in this case, the application of off white paint that has just enough texture to capture reflections and light play incredibly well.
The rather lovely “sputtered” dial is topped off with a decidedly vintage black “railroad” minute track around both the outer edge of the dial and the same is found around the small seconds at six.
The applied indices are a mix of batons and Arabics for the 3, 9, and 12 and are made from polished 18 carat gold. Up close and with a loupe, they are finished exceptionally well, and due to their elevation cast some really subtle but incredibly charming shadows which contribute to the dial being classic but with enough twists to keep a modern wearer entertained.
The dial even sports an “Open 9” beloved of vintage collectors who tend to play spot the open 6 and 9’s on the date wheels of their vintage Rolex. What a touch!
The polished handset is suitably old-world with zero lume and an observatory style hour hand. The ridge down the centre of each hand catches the light well making it very easy to read in all but the darkest conditions. The handset is also capped, which rather speaks to the level of finishing going on here.
The case is 39mm with a lug to lug of 47mm. It is fully polished with a half domed half fluted bezel, a hybrid that I’d never really considered but now rate highly as it adds both shine and texture without being overbearing or out of place.
The 1908 wears closer to a 40mm due to its slim bezel and simplicity, but it does not in any way suffer from the “dinner plate” effect. There is enough detail on the dial to prevent it from becoming an expanse of white that overbears the case and the wrist. The size works, and as the watch is only 9.5mm in height, its proportions are spot on for a classic dress watch despite being larger than its predecessors of the 30s and 40s.
It also, FEELS like a Rolex, which is an odd thing to say, but when you’re accustomed to handling dress watches that are almost delicate in their refinement, it’s reassuring to note that this watch feels as robust and capable as a Datejust.
As this is a dress piece, a sapphire case-back is in position giving you a view of the Rolex automatic calibre 7140 which offers bang up to date silicon hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers as well as a 66 hour power reserve and a level of finishing that makes it perfectly at home “on display”. It’s a superlative chronometer so accurate to -2 to +2 seconds per day.
Its strap is brown alligator with signature green lining and a folding clasp rather than a buckle. Folding clasps tend to extend the longevity of straps as you’re not constantly flexing it to thread through a buckle, neither are you stretching the holes with constant use.
While I do like the clasp, I always find alligator to be a bit too formal so would probably whip that off in favour of something a little more at home in a casual setting.
Those of you who follow the channel will probably note that my solution to most strap woes is to switch them out for suede, and once again, I’m probably going to have you rolling your eyes heavenward as I say for the hundredth time “I'd stick that on a navy suede”
Once you’ve finished rolling though, imagine how a deep navy would pair with yellow gold and opaline.
Hey presto, from dinner suit to daily with jeans.
Bringing the review to a close, I’ve found very little to gripe about which is virtually unheard of with me and dress-watches. I don’t even mind the 50m WR which is plenty enough for a watch of this type. I suppose if I was to be hyper-critical, which i’m actually not that inclined to be as the 1908 has won me over, I would say that while the main hands have been capped, the seconds hand has not, so there’s a disparity in finishing there. That said, that detail is so small that it could and does pass unnoticed.
All in, while I can never see myself being dragged away from my beloved yet entirely predictable sports-watch fetish, the 1908 has really made me aware of Rolexes ability to create a zero-hype watch that really is just as good as its famous stablemates.