A year ago, Rolex introduced the Perpetual 1908, which replaced the phased-out Cellini line as the more traditionally styled, classically elegant dress watch. Named after the year of its founding by Hans Wilsdorf, the 1908 marked a notable pivot for the brand. At a time when many watch brands have veered towards sports watches, Rolex, the ultimate maker of such timepieces, instead pursued a path of refinement. The 1908 is, in essence, an exercise in perfecting the art of a simple, time-only dress watch by one of the world’s greatest watch brands.

It marked a deeper foray into the art of watchmaking, essentially raising the bar in terms of finishing to rival that of its competitors while offering a level of engineering and technology that it alone possesses. This distinctive combination makes the 1908 an exceptionally compelling proposition whichever way you look it. It was originally offered in both yellow and white gold with silver and black dials. But now Rolex has taken the 1908 to an unexpected yet rather logical culmination. Not only is the new 1908 ref. 52506 executed in platinum, the noblest of metals but it is also paired with a true engine-turned guilloché dial, making it one of the most unusual and compelling watches in its present-day catalogue.

The ref. 52506 has an attractive ice blue hue that has been the preserve of platinum Rolex models such as the platinum Daytona and Day Date. However, it bears a rice-grain motif that is engraved by hand using a traditional rose engine, making it the first engine-turned guilloche dial from Rolex in modern times.

Today, just as engine-turning has become one of the most prominent decorative arts in watchmaking thanks to major producers such as Metalem and Comblémine, simulations of the real thing are equally rife as they are necessary for industrial production. But Rolex’s decision to create an authentic guilloche dial speaks volumes of its ambitions for the line as well as its broader intent to compete in a higher end segment of the market.

This follows the Day-Date Emoji Puzzle which debuted the first ever champlevé enamel dial from Rolex. These developments hint at a shift towards artisanal decoration within the brand and the potential expansion of expertise in métiers d’arts. However, while the champlevé enamel dial was crafted in-house by an artisan, the guilloche dial was produced externally. The scarcity of engine-turning machines in Switzerland is an ongoing struggle faced by watchmakers who strive to secure these century old tools to preserve the craft. But Rolex’s nearly infinite resources puts it in a unique position to undertake such an endeavor, potentially marking the start of a significant initiative.

The rice grain pattern, more commonly known as the fish scale pattern, emanates from small seconds sub-dial which features circular graining. For a more refined finishing at the edges, the chemin de fer minute track is framed by crimped borders, creating a cohesive aesthetic that complements the case design. It features white gold applied Arabic hour markers that are mirror-polished and facetted baton indices.

Notably, despite its eye-catching pale blue hue and rather dynamic guilloche pattern, the overall impression is still one of somber dignity. One of its most appealing features are the “observatory” hands. While they bear a fleeting resemblance to Breguet hands, observatory hands tend to have more substantial, triangular tips on the open circle, which is paired with a straight minute hand.

Depth rated to 50m, the case measures 39mm wide and is impressively slim for a self-winding watch at just 9.5mm high. It has a pleasing heft to it that, due to its slimness, helps create a more balanced feeling on the wrist. One of the most attractive and thoughtful elements of the watch is its bezel. It is partially domed on its inner circumference and fluted on its periphery. The fluting is neither too fine or excessive to obscure the bezel nor or too large and pronounced to alter the character of the watch and the overall effect is extremely elegant.

The caliber 7140 has a hacking seconds function, runs at 28,800 vph and offers a 66-hour power reserve. It is equipped with the Chronergy escapement and is notably one of the few Rolex movements to utilize a Syloxi hairspring instead of the Parachrom Blue hairspring.

While there are various alternative designs to the Swiss lever escapement that have been successfully realised in wristwatches today, the continued progress made to the traditional Swiss lever are intriguing and worthwhile, given its excellent foundational design and the advantages offered by today’s advanced technology. In comparison to the standard Swiss lever escapement, the Chronergy was designed with narrower pallets while the impulse surface on the escape wheel tooth has been made wider comprising of two distinct planes for higher efficiency. The design of the escapement essentially ensures that the escape wheel is able to swiftly match the velocity of the balance wheel from a stationary position.

Beyond that, the escape wheel was fabricated via MEMS process called LIGA, the German acronym for Lithographie, Galvanoformung, Abformung. This process results in its skeletonized form, effectively reducing inertial energy losses. It is made of nickel-phosphorous, which reduces its vulnerability to magnetic fields. The Syloxi hairspring, on the other hand, is made of silicon, which in contrast to the Parachrom blue hairspring composed of an alloy comprising niobium, zirconium, and oxygen, cannot be bent to create a overcoil due to its brittleness. However, one of the key advantages of a silicon hairspring is its unique combination of properties; it possesses the slimness of a flat hairspring, allowing for a thinner profile, while also offering the concentricity of an overcoil. This means that it maintains a consistent shape and performance over time, contributing to improved accuracy and reliability in timekeeping.

The caliber 7140 undergoes the same stringent precision testing as the movements that are equipped with Parachrom haisprings. Each movement receives chronometer certification from COSC before casing. Subsequently, Rolex conducts additional tests to ensure adherence to its Superlative Chronometer standard, ensuring accuracy within +/- 2 seconds per day. But the most striking departure lies in its finishing; it is markedly different from its standard fare of clean, uncomplicated and painfully self-assured style of finish it has employed for years and years. While its rotors are typically made of a dense tungsten alloy, the rotor in the calibre 7140 is made of 18k gold and has a sun-ray brushed finish. At the same time, the bridges are decorated with Rolex’s own interpretation of Geneva stripes. The pattern of striping includes a groove separating each stripe and contributes to an overall neater appearance. The movement’s decoration creates a seamless connection between aesthetics and mechanics, a defining characteristic of fine watchmaking, or, at the very least, of industrial perfection.

This combination of classic sombre elegance, an artisanal dial and the technical distinctiveness of a high tech, high grade chronometer establishes a truly distinctive offering on the market. And with a price tag of CHF 29,600, it is fair value relative to the larger world of luxury watchmaking.

Movement: Calibre 7140, 4Hz or 28,800 vph; 66-hour power reserve
Functions: Centre hour and minute hands, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock. Stop-seconds for exact time setting
Case: 39 mm, platinum, polished finish, water-resistant to 50M
Dial: Ice blue, rice-grain motif
Strap: Leather strap with folding clasp