Rolex just put a nickname from the 1940s back on a dial. The new Perpetual Padellone revives the name collectors gave the vintage reference 8171: "the big frying pan," Italian slang for a case that looked oversized in 1949. This one is not a reissue. It is a modern annual calendar built around Rolex's newest escapement technology.
The short answer: The Rolex Perpetual Padellone (refs. 53505 in Everose gold and 53506 in platinum) is a 39mm annual calendar with a meteorite moonphase, powered by the new caliber 7190 and its silicon Dynapulse escapement. Pricing starts at CHF 52,500 for the leather strap version, according to Monochrome Watches.
The Rolex Perpetual Padellone reference 53505 in 18k Everose gold on an alligator leather strap.
What the Perpetual Padellone actually is
Rolex almost never revives a nickname. The brand does not officially name most of its watches, collectors do, and "Padellone" has followed the reference 8171 since the early 1950s.
That original watch ran a triple calendar and moonphase in a 38mm case, oversized for its era. Roughly 1,000 to 1,200 were made between 1949 and 1953. Values today run into the hundreds of thousands at auction for clean examples.
The new watch borrows the name and the spirit, not the case. At 39mm and 12.20mm thick, per WatchTime, it reads closer to a modern Datejust than a vintage dress watch.
The two references
| Reference | Case metal | Strap/bracelet | Price (CHF) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53505-0002 | 18k Everose gold | Alligator leather | 52,500 |
| 53505-0003 | 18k Everose gold | Settimo bracelet | 64,800 |
| 53506-0002 | 950 platinum | Leather | 59,000 |
Rolex has not published US pricing as of this writing. We will update this post once ADs confirm dollar figures.
The meteorite moonphase disc and day/month windows on the Perpetual Padellone dial.
The Dynapulse escapement, explained plainly
Every mechanical watch needs an escapement, the part that releases the mainspring's energy in controlled ticks. Most watches, including most Rolex watches, still use a variant of the Swiss lever escapement patented in the 1700s.
The Dynapulse is different. It is a silicon escapement Rolex says is roughly 30% more efficient than a conventional Swiss lever, according to Monochrome's technical breakdown.
Caliber 7190 spec sheet
- Frequency: 36,000 vibrations/hour (5Hz)
- Power reserve: 66 hours
- Jewels: 35
- Certification: Superlative Chronometer, -2/+2 seconds per day
- Hairspring: Syloxi
- Balance wheel: high-tech ceramic
- Shock protection: Paraflex
That accuracy standard is the same Superlative Chronometer tier Rolex strengthened across its 2026 lineup, and it runs tighter than the base COSC chronometer spec most Swiss watches carry. If you want the deeper mechanics of what a chronometer certification actually tests, we broke that down here.
The reference 53505-0003 on the Settimo bracelet, shown alongside watchmaker's tools.
The Haplos annual calendar system
An annual calendar only needs one manual correction a year, typically at the end of February, instead of the monthly adjustments a simple date function requires.
Rolex's version, which it calls Haplos, does this with only two added parts: an extra driving finger and a year lever. Rolex has filed seven patent applications around the system, per WatchTime.
The dial shows day and month in a double window at 12 o'clock, a date pointer hand, and a moonphase disc rendered in meteorite at 6 o'clock. If moonphase mechanics interest you beyond this watch, our explainer on how the complication actually works covers the gear math.
The screw-down sapphire caseback on the platinum reference 53506, showing the finished caliber 7190.
What a working dealer thinks
The Padellone name gives this watch a story that a plain new reference number would not. That matters in the pre-owned market. Nicknamed references hold collector attention long after the initial release news cycle fades, the way "Pepsi," "Hulk," and "Batman" still move Submariners and GMTs years later.
The execution earns the attention. A 39mm case with a genuinely new escapement and a patent-pending calendar system is not a marketing exercise. It is Rolex spending real engineering on a low-volume complicated watch, the kind of release that used to be rare from a brand built on sports models.
Buyers chasing a vintage 8171 should not expect this to replace it. The new Padellone is a different case size, a different movement architecture, and a different price tier entirely. It is a fresh watch that borrows a good name, not a reissue.
The Perpetual Padellone on the wrist, alongside vintage Rolex reference catalogs.
FAQ
What does "Padellone" mean?
It is Italian for "big frying pan," a nickname collectors gave the vintage Rolex reference 8171 because its 38mm case looked oversized for the 1940s and 1950s.
What movement powers the Rolex Perpetual Padellone?
The in-house caliber 7190, an automatic movement running at 36,000 vibrations per hour with a 66-hour power reserve and a new silicon Dynapulse escapement.
How much does the Rolex Perpetual Padellone cost?
Pricing starts at CHF 52,500 for the Everose gold reference 53505 on a leather strap, rising to CHF 64,800 on the Settimo bracelet and CHF 59,000 for the platinum reference 53506, per Rolex's published Swiss pricing.
Is the Perpetual Padellone a reissue of the vintage 8171?
No. It shares a nickname and general spirit with the vintage triple-calendar reference 8171 from 1949 to 1953, but the case size, movement, and calendar mechanism are entirely new.
What is an annual calendar complication?
A watch function that tracks 30- and 31-day months automatically and needs only one manual correction a year, usually at the end of February, unlike a simple date function that needs monthly adjustment.
Browse authenticated pre-owned Rolex watches at 5dwatches.com, or check our complete Rolex price guide for where the rest of the current catalog trades.