Rolex Datejust 36 Yellow Rolesor — Grey Sunbeam Roman Dial, 52-Diamond Bezel | Ref. 116243

Reference 116243 in Yellow Rolesor brings together two of the Datejust 36's most compelling decorative elements: a grey sunbeam dial with Roman numeral hour markers and a factory-set 52-diamond bezel of exceptional brilliance. The sunbeam treatment — achieved through a radial brushing process applied before lacquering — creates a dynamic play of light across the dial surface, shifting from near-black at the centre to silvery-grey at the periphery as the angle of illumination changes. Paired with the yellow gold fluted bezel set with 52 brilliant-cut diamonds, the contrast between warm gold and cool grey is particularly striking.

This reference belongs to the pre-3235 generation of the Datejust 36, housing Calibre 3135 — Rolex's long-running self-winding movement that powered the 36mm Datejust for decades before the 126xxx series introduction. The 3135 is rightly celebrated for its robustness and longevity; featuring a Parachrom hairspring, bidirectional rotor, and quick-set date mechanism, it set the standard for high-volume Swiss manufacture movements and remains among the most serviced and well-documented calibres in watchmaking history.

For collectors, the 116243 occupies an interesting transitional position: it is a discontinued reference from the era immediately preceding Rolex's current generation, lending it the appeal of a recent vintage combined with the familiarity of widely available service parts. The 52-diamond bezel configuration at the 36mm size represents a jewellery-grade investment proposition within a sport-capable Oyster case. With growing collector interest in 116xxx-series Datejusts as the 126xxx generation becomes the new standard, well-preserved examples of the 116243 are attracting increasing secondary market attention.