Rolex Day-Date 40 Yellow Gold — Champagne Bevelled Roman Dial | Ref. 228398TBR

The Day-Date has carried the unofficial designation of the 'President's watch' since its introduction in 1956, worn by statesmen and executives as a quiet declaration of achievement. Reference 228398TBR sustains this tradition in 18ct yellow gold with a champagne dial set with bevelled Roman numerals — a dial configuration that replaces standard applied indices with three-dimensional numeral markers whose angled facets catch light at multiple axes, animating the dial in ways flat printing cannot. At 40 mm, this reference occupies the current generation of the Day-Date lineage introduced in 2015, offering a case footprint better suited to contemporary wrist proportions than the classic 36 mm.

Reference 228398TBR carries Rolex's Calibre 3255 — arguably the most accomplished movement currently in production under the Rolex name. The 3255 incorporates the proprietary Chronergy escapement, a redesigned geometry offering 15 percent greater efficiency than the previous-generation lever and escape wheel. Its 70-hour power reserve, facilitated by a larger mainspring barrel, allows the Day-Date to remain running through a long weekend off the wrist. Every functional component in the movement — escapement, balance spring, rotor — is manufactured by Rolex in proprietary materials, and Superlative Chronometer certification guarantees accuracy of +/-2 seconds per day across all temperature and position variables.

The TBR suffix in reference 228398TBR indicates a diamond-set bezel, replacing the standard fluted yellow gold option with brilliant-cut stones that further elevate the already opulent specification. Champagne dials have long been associated with the Day-Date's most prestigious configurations — their warm, burnished tone harmonising naturally with yellow gold and lending the dial a richness that cooler colours cannot replicate. The President bracelet, available exclusively on precious metal Day-Date and Lady-Datejust references, completes the specification with three-piece semi-circular links in solid 18ct yellow gold, creating a wearing experience of exceptional comfort and appropriate gravitas.