The Oyster case is one of the foundations of the reputation for excellence of Rolex watches. Invented by Rolex in 1926, it was the world’s first waterproof case for a wristwatch thanks to its patented system of screwing down the bezel, case back and winding crown against the middle case. Like the mollusc, the Rolex Oyster is robust and clamped shut.
It provides a hermetic environment that protects the high-precision Perpetual movement from water, dust, or pressure.

To preserve the beauty of its pink gold watches, Rolex created and patented an exclusive 18 ct pink gold alloy cast in its own foundry: Everose gold. The 18 ct Everose gold alloy contains gold, platinum – an exceptionally corrosion- and chemical-resistant precious metal – and copper to provide its unique colour. Introduced in 2005, Everose is used on Rolex Oyster models in pink gold.

When the Rolex Oyster first appeared in 1926,
the fluted bezel had a functional purpose: it served to screw the bezel onto the case helping to ensure
the waterproofness of the watch. It was, furthermore, identical to the fluting on the case back, which was also screwed onto the case for the same reason, using specific Rolex tools. Over time, the fluting became a purely aesthetic element, available only in 18 ct yellow, Everose or white gold on Datejust and Day-Date models. Fluting is a genuine Rolex signature feature, a mark of distinction.

The screw-down winding crown and the case with screw-down back form the core of the Oyster. Created by Rolex in 1953, the Twinlock system ensures that the screw-down crown is water-resistant thanks to two sealed zones, one inside the tube of the crown, the other inside the winding crown itself. This system is used on all the watches in the Oyster collection that are guaranteed waterproof to 100 metres (330 feet).

The Cyclops lens enhances the date aperture, magnifying the date display by two and a half times for easy reading. It is one of the most distinctive Rolex features, and one of the most recognizable.

The Day-Date II is equipped with the calibre 3156, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely designed and manufactured entirely by Rolex. It features a day and date calendar disc mechanism. The 3156 is fitted with a Parachrom hairspring and high performance Paraflex shock absorbers developed by Rolex, offering greater resistance to shocks and to extreme conditions. Like all Rolex Perpetual movements, the 3156 is a certified Swiss chronometer, a designation reserved for high-precision watches that have successfully passed the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) tests. Its architecture, in common with all Oyster watch movements, makes it singularly reliable.

The four simple words Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified on a Rolex watch dial mean that the very movement inside the timepiece has endured 15 days and nights of testing by COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres – Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), an independent not-for-profit association. To receive COSC certification as a Swiss chronometer, a watch must demonstrate extreme precision in a variety of positions and temperatures. Rolex is unique in the industry: this is the standard level of quality required of every Rolex wristwatch movement.

In a mechanical watch, the oscillator is the guardian of time. Conventional oscillator hairsprings are made of ferromagnetic alloys, leaving them vulnerable to magnetic fields, temperature variations and shocks that interfere with their precision. After years of research, Rolex created the blue Parachrom hairspring, which is finer than a human hair. Crafted from a highly stable paramagnetic alloy that includes niobium and zirconium, it is insensitive to magnetic fields and up to 10 times more resistant to shocks. Historically, the unique blue colour of the hairspring has been a sign of prestige reserved for only the most accurate timepieces.

Invented by Rolex in 1931, this ingenious mechanism harnesses the energy of natural wrist movements to provide a reliable and clean source of power for the watch movement. It consists of a half-moon- shaped oscillating weight, which pivots freely in both directions on its axle. As it rotates, the rotor continuously winds the Perpetual movement’s mainspring, ensuring a constant and stable source of energy. This enhances the watch’s precision and eliminates the need to wind it regularly. The Perpetual rotor mechanism features two distinctive red reversing wheels, which ensure efficient winding of the movement regardless of the direction in which the oscillating weight rotates.

To preserve the beauty of its pink gold watches, Rolex created and patented an exclusive 18 ct pink gold alloy cast in its own foundry: Everose gold. The 18 ct Everose gold alloy contains gold, platinum – an exceptionally corrosion- and chemical-resistant precious metal – and copper to provide its unique colour. Introduced in 2005, Everose is used on Rolex Oyster models in pink gold.