The Rolex Perpetual 1908 is an ice-colored dial with guilloche in the form of rice grains, applied in a traditional technique.

Continuing the tradition of the Rolex dial color, unique to platinum models, the new 1908 has an ice-colored dial with guilloche in the form of rice grains applied in traditional technique.

The release of 1908 was unexpected and marked the brand’s departure from its focus on sports watches. However, the models released last year were made in a conservative style. The introduction of the guilloche dial, for the first time in the line, revives the aesthetics of 1908 while maintaining the overall design.

A year ago, Rolex introduced the Perpetual 1908, which replaced the discontinued Cellini line as a more traditional, classically elegant wristwatch. Named after the year of its founding by Hans Wilsdorf, the 1908 watch marked a significant turning point for the brand. At a time when many watch brands were switching to sports watches, Rolex, the main manufacturer of such watches, instead followed the path of sophistication. The 1908 watch is essentially an exercise in perfecting the art of simple wristwatches by one of the world’s greatest watch brands.

They have raised the bar in terms of finishes to compete in the market, while offering a level of engineering and technology that only they possess. This distinctive combination makes the 1908 watch an exceptionally attractive offering. They were originally available in both yellow and white gold with a silver or black dial. But now Rolex has brought 1908 to an unexpected but quite logical climax. The new model 1908 ref. 52506 is not only made of platinum, the most noble of metals, but also complemented by a real guilloched dial, which makes it one of the most unusual and attractive watches in its modern catalog.

Rolex’s decision to create an authentic guilloche dial speaks to the company’s ambitions for this line and its broad intention to compete in a higher market segment.

The new product follows the Day-Date Emoji Puzzle, which debuted with the first ever Rolex dial with a notched enamel. These developments hint at a shift towards craft decor within the brand and a potential expansion of the craft experience. However, while the gouged enamel dial was made internally by a craftsman, the guilloched dial was made by an outside manufacturer. The shortage of lathes in Switzerland is an ongoing problem faced by watchmakers seeking to preserve these age—old tools to preserve the craft. But Rolex’s almost limitless resources are real for such an undertaking, which potentially marks the beginning of a significant initiative.

The rice grain pattern, better known as the fish scale pattern, comes from a small circular-grain second dial. For a more refined finish, the chemin de fer minute scale is framed by corrugated borders, which creates a holistic aesthetic that complements the design of the case. It is equipped with white gold Arabic hour markers, which are mirror-polished, and faceted indexes in the shape of a stick.

Traditional guilloche gives the dial a three-dimensional effect, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. In addition, it adds a touch of craftmanship to the model.

The latest issue shows a striking ice-colored dial, decorated with an intricate guilloche motif “rice grain”, obtained using the engraving technique guilloche, in which the engraver uses a lathe to carve a pattern on the blank dial. This motif stands out for its three-dimensional, repeating geometric waves that cover the surface of the dial.A closer look reveals a texture that has the features of a classic guilloche with visible traces of a cutting tool.

This striking, unexpected, but very attractive dial consists of two different textures: a rice grain motif covering most of the dial, with its rosette design and repeating pattern emanating from the center of the small seconds counter, and a double filet honeycomb with a corrugated pattern framing the minute track around the dial’s periphery. Some “industrial” techniques are still visible in some areas. For example, the indentations around the logo, mentions of the chronometer and small seconds are undoubtedly the result of milling techniques rather than the traditional guilloche process.

In real life, the pattern looks much more subtle and attractive than on the official images of the brand. Upon careful examination, almost no visible flaws are found, while handmade guilloche dials are characterized by flaws (especially at the texture boundaries), leading some to believe that the 1908 dial was the result of CNC machining, which it is not. In line with current offerings, the rest of the dial retains the familiar layout, including the subsecond dial located at six o’clock, the superimposed numbers at three, nine and twelve, and faceted markers, all made of 18K white gold. The inscription “Superlative Chronometer” is also preserved above the dial of the subseconds.

It is noteworthy that, despite the attractive pale blue shade and the rather dynamic guilloche pattern, the overall impression is still restrained and majestic. One of the most attractive features is the arrows. Although they bear a passing resemblance to the Breguet arrows, their triangular tips are more distinctive.

Waterproof up to 50 m, the case has a width of 39 mm and a thickness of 9.5 mm. It has a pleasant weight, which helps to create a more balanced feel on the wrist. One of the most attractive and thoughtful elements of the watch is its bezel. It is partially sloping on the inner circumference and fluted on the periphery. The fluting is not too thin or excessive to hide the bezel, and not too large and pronounced to change the character of the watch, and the overall effect is extremely elegant.

The caliber 7140 has a stop-seconds function, operates at a frequency of 28,800 half-vibrations per hour and provides a power reserve of 66 hours. It is equipped with a Chronergy trigger mechanism and is one of the few Rolex mechanisms that uses a Syloxi hair spring instead of a Parachrom Blue spiral.

Although there are various alternative Swiss anchor escapement designs that have been successfully implemented in wristwatches today, the continued progress made towards the traditional Swiss anchor escapement is noteworthy given its excellent basic design and the advanced advances offered by today’s technology.

Compared to the standard Swiss lever escapement, Chronergy was designed with narrower pallets, while the impulse surface on the trigger wheel tooth was made wider, consisting of two separate planes for higher efficiency. The escapement design essentially ensures that the escapement wheel can quickly adjust to the speed of the balance wheel from a stationary position.

In addition, the trigger wheel was manufactured using a 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-phosphorus, which reduces its vulnerability to magnetic fields. On the other hand, the spiral of the Syloxi hair is made of silicon, which, unlike the blue spiral of the Parachrom hair, which consists of an alloy containing niobium and zirconium, cannot be bent to create a bead due to its fragility.

However, one of the key advantages of the silicon spiral hair is its unique combination of properties; it has the fineness of a flat hair spring, which allows for a thinner profile, and also ensures the concentricity of the spiral spring. This means that it maintains a consistent shape and performance over time, contributing to increased accuracy and reliability of timekeeping.

The 7140 calibre passes the same rigorous accuracy tests as mechanisms equipped with Parachrom springs. Each movement receives a chronometer certification from COSC. Subsequently, Rolex conducts additional tests to ensure compliance with its Superlative Chronometer standard, ensuring accuracy within +/- 2 seconds per day. But the most striking difference lies in its finish; it is noticeably different from the standard clean and simple finishing style that has been used for many years.

While rotors are usually made of dense tungsten alloy, the 7140 caliber rotor is made of 18k gold and has a radiant guilloche finish. At the same time, the bridges are decorated with their own interpretation of the Rolex Geneva stripes. The stripe pattern includes a groove separating each stripe and contributes to an overall neater appearance. The decoration of the movement creates a seamless connection between aesthetics and mechanics, which defines the characteristic of high watchmaking, or at least industrial perfection.

This combination of classic understated elegance, an artisan dial and the technical distinctiveness of a high-tech, high-quality chronometer creates a truly unique offering on the market.

The combination of an elegant, modern platinum watch and a beautifully crafted guilloche dial is spectacular, elegant and adds a traditional feel to a brand that is mostly appreciated for its impeccable industrial design. More than the visual appeal of the novelty, the strategic decision to engage in traditional craftsmanship is surprising. This collection was presented as a “tribute to the classical art of watchmaking,” and this model did an excellent job!

Technical Specifications of the Rolex Perpetual 1908

The caliber is 7140, 4 Hz or 28,800 half-vibrations per hour, with a power reserve of 66 hours. Functions: hour and minute hands, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock. Stop seconds for precise time setting.