Rolex usually presents its new models to the public at events such as the Watches and Wonders and Basel fairs. It is not common for the House of the Crown to introduce a new watch alone and outside of the exhibition context.
Even rarer is that Rolex you create limited editions of your timepieces. Yet, in this first period of 2024, both circumstances occurred: not only that Rolex presented an early model on Watches and Wonders, but this Day-Date 36 Vienna Philharmonic it is a limited series. Limited and very special, as we are about to see.
Rolex Day-Date 36 Vienna Philharmonic: a limited edition dedicated to great classical music
rolex, it has been a sponsor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for fifteen years now. In particular, the end-of-year concert, the best-known event of the Austrian ensemble, is particularly dear to Rolex. To pay homage to the Vienna Philharmonic, Rolex has chosen to rely on Vincent de Peyer, the same designer who created the palm tree motif of the Rolex Datejust 126200.
The choice of Rolex Day-Date it's not random: this watch represents the pinnacle of luxury and elegance according to rolex, values that fit perfectly with the atmospheres of great classical music.
Rolex Day-Date 36 Vienna Philharmonic: how it's made
The motif chosen for the dial of this celebratory watch is that of the violin, but what makes it really interesting is the Rolex Day-Date Vienna Philharmonic it is the technique used to create decorations. The dial was in fact adorned thanks to the aforementioned enamelling technique Champlevé Grand Feu. We start from a thin gold disc, which is carved into the shapes we want to obtain in the finished product. We then proceed to apply a very fine glass powder, layer by layer. Each compartment outlined by digging into the metal substrate receives a different shade of color, in the case of this Rolex, green. Then everything is brought to a temperature of around 800 degrees centigrade, sufficient to melt the glass but not to weaken the metal. Cooling is a phase that must be followed with particular care, because a sudden change in temperature would crack the glass, damaging the dial.
In short, to create an enamelled dial less than a millimeter thick requires great work and craftsmanship. That Rolex deciding to use these techniques is commendable, because unlike many other phases of watch production, decoration with enamel cannot be automated. This choice by the Casa della Corona therefore contributes to supporting an art that has ancient roots and which requires all the expertise of a craftsman who effectively becomes an artist.
Rolex Day-Date 36 Vienna Philharmonic: presentation and availability
Rolex chose the theme of violin, which is reproduced in its most recognizable features, the sound box and the anklet with hedgehog, for a watch to be presented on the occasion of the event highlight of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra: the New Year's concert. The Rolex Day-Date 36 Vienna Philharmonic it was worn by several musicians on this prestigious occasion and should, according to the announcement published by the Geneva company in the New York Times, be available in limited quantities for a selected clientele. 
Il price? It is difficult if not impossible to say, also because this type of watch, sold directly by the company to customers, often reaches unpredictable prices at auction. It certainly won't be for all budgets: the Rolex Day-Date in “ordinary” 36 mm yellow gold, list price already 37 euros.
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