Rolex Day-Date 36 Yellow Gold — Dark MOP Roman Dial, Fluted Bezel | Ref. 118238

Reference 118238 is a canonical Day-Date 36 in 18ct yellow gold—the combination that defined presidential wristwear for half a century. Here, the fluted yellow gold bezel frames a dark mother-of-pearl dial with Roman numeral hour markers, producing a rich visual contrast between the warm metallic case and the dial's deep, shifting colour that ranges from slate grey to aubergine depending on the light.

Calibre 3155 drives the 118238, an in-house self-winding movement with a 48-hour power reserve, independently adjustable hour hand, and instantaneous date display. The dark mother-of-pearl dial is sourced from select oyster shells, chosen for consistency of colour and depth, then lacquered to protect the natural surface. Roman numerals applied in polished yellow gold echo the bezel material, and the fluted treatment—machined from solid gold—provides tactile and visual depth that smooth bezels cannot replicate. The President bracelet in yellow gold completes the reference's formal identity.

For collectors, the yellow gold Day-Date 36 with Roman numerals on a mother-of-pearl dial is a timeless, conservative specification that has never gone out of fashion and shows no signs of doing so. Reference 118238 in this dial variant is consistently sought after by buyers who want the authentic Day-Date experience—full yellow gold, President bracelet, dressy dial—without the premium commanded by platinum or more exotic complications. It is among the most recognisable references in Rolex's entire portfolio.