Reviewing the Rolex Midsize Date Watch
Sized right in the middle of the 26mm ladies’ Date and the 34mm men’s Date is the midsize Date watch measuring 31mm. Suited for either men or women, the midsize Rolex Date offers plenty of watch despite it being one of the lesser known models from the brands. Let’s discover more about this particular vintage Rolex dress watch.
The Design of the Rolex Midsize Date
Part of the dress watch family of Rolex timepieces, as we mentioned the midsize Date includes a 31mm case. That case is, of course, the famous Rolex Oyster case equipped with a screw-down winding crown and fluted caseback to offer water resistance to 100 meters (330 feet).
Housed within the case of the midsize Date is a dial that includes a date window at 3 o’clock, which is magnified by 2.5 times by Cyclops lens sitting above it for increased legibility. The Cyclops lens is affixed to the exterior of the crystal rather than on the interior, so you can feel a slight bump when you run your finger across the surface—a very Rolex trait.
As its official name suggests, the midsize Oyster Perpetual Date watch runs on a “perpetual” caliber, that is, an automatic mechanical movement. Also, you’ll note that the dials of midsize Date watches include the “Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified” designation on the dial, signaling that the mechanical movement is in fact COSC-certified. Also on the dial is the DATE label (not Datejust) just under the famous Rolex logo.
As vintage models that are no longer in production, the midsize Date 31 watches include acrylic crystals on the dial instead of the more modern sapphire crystals. Furthermore, the automatic movements are non-quickset, meaning that the date window is adjusted by turning the center time keeping hands accordingly.
The Variations of the Rolex Midsize Date
Similar to most Rolex dress watches, the midsize Date offers plenty of variation. They are available in yellow gold, white gold, and even pink gold. There are fluted and smooth bezels to choose from as well as Oyster and Jubilee bracelets. However, due to their age, you’ll find a lot of these particular models outfitted with custom leather straps. As always, dial options are vast, ranging in color, patterns, and index styles.
Some popular vintage references of the midsize Date watch include the ref. 6824 and ref. 6827, produced from the 1960s until the mid-1970s, as well as the ref. 6824 and ref. 6827 manufactured from the mid-1970s until the mid-1980s.
Since Rolex produced so much more of the midsize Datejust watch than the midsize Date watch, they can be a little of a challenge to find. However, there are some fantastic examples in the secondary market and when you find one, they’re definitely worth snapping up!
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