The Best Platinum Rolex Watches For Fans Of Heavy Metal
There’s nothing quite like the weighty presence of a platinum watch on your wrist, especially when there’s a Rolex crown on the dial.
Among the noble metals, platinum stands head and shoulders above the rest in watchmaking, both for its remarkable lustre and the challenges that come with crafting it. As a result, Rolex watchmakers reserve platinum for only the most special watches within the brand’s catalogue, further emphasising its exceptional qualities and making it all the more attractive to collectors.
Beyond its weight on the wrist, corrosion resistance, and price, platinum also offers an understated charm that comes with white metal watches, looking similar to steel or white gold to the untrained eye. This stealthy quality makes platinum watches ideal for anyone looking to wear a remarkable timepiece, without attracting too much attention while out and about.
So for those hunting their next Rolex who’ve already explored what’s on offer in stainless steel and gold, platinum makes for a logical next step in the collecting journey and one that focuses on the best of the best. To that end, we wanted to pull together a brief guide on collecting platinum Rolex watches, to provide an overview of what’s out there and what might make for a perfect new addition to any collection.
Rolex Day-Date
In a guide to the best platinum Rolex watches, the coveted Day-Date collection is a perfect place to start. Not only because the Day-Date is the collection that offers the widest range of different configurations in platinum, but also because the Day-Date has become so synonymous with power and success over the decades.
Within the world of platinum Day-Dates, the most elementary references are also some of the most attractive and wearable, such as the Day-Date 40 ref. 228236-0018, the Day-Date 36 ref 128236-0008, or even the diamond bezel Day-Date 36 ref. 128396TBR-0002. As an example of just how difficult platinum is to work with, it was only in 2022 that Rolex released the first fluted bezel platinum Day-Dates, with the process to machine the precisely angled facets having been deemed too challenging to reliably produce in the past.
While almost all platinum Rolex watches can be quickly identified thanks to their signature ice blue dials, there are some examples without this dial colour and many of them are within the Day-Date collection. These include the Day-Date 36 ref. 128396TBR-0006 with full diamond pave set dial and rainbow sapphire hour markers, the Day-Date 40 ref. 228206-0036 with a meteorite dial, or the Day-Date 36 ref. 128396TBR-0009 with a pink dial and diamond-set Roman numeral hour markers. While its diamond-set bezel might disqualify it from being a truly under-the-radar reference, the Day-Date 36 ref. 128396TBR-0004 with an unpretentious silver dial is another stealthy example that could easily be mistaken for white gold.
The last subcategory of platinum Rolex Day-Dates you need to know about are those adorned with Eastern Arabic numerals for hour markers. Produced specifically for the ever-growing Middle Eastern market, these Day-Dates are some of the rarest in the world and have a history that dates back to the late 1950s, making them some of the most collectable Day-Dates in the world right now. This is a far from exhaustive list of platinum Rolex Day-Date references, so consider this a broad overview of what to consider.
Rolex Daytona
Turning our attention now to the highly coveted Daytona, it was in 2013 that the first Daytona in platinum was released to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the famed racing chronograph. Produced with the signature ice blue dial that contrasted nicely against the slightly warmer tones of the chestnut brown ceramic bezel, the most commonly found platinum Rolex Daytona is available with either regular hour markers in the ref. 116506-0001 or baguette-cut diamond hour markers in the ref. 116506-0002.
With a similar logic to the Day-Date collection, platinum Daytonas are also available with diamond-set bezels and even pave-set dials, as well as very rare examples with Eastern Arabic numeral dials. A final detail that every collector should know before considering the purchase of a platinum Rolex Daytona is the exhibition-caseback reference that made its debut in 2023, replacing the solid caseback reference that was produced for the previous decade and giving collectors a clear indicator as to the production date of a Daytona they’re looking at.
Rolex Cellini & Rolex 1908
Arriving next at the most formal member of the platinum Rolex line-up, both the Cellini and the 1908 that replaced it have been produced in platinum, with the platinum 1908 making its debut at Watches & Wonders 2024.
The original platinum Rolex Cellini was produced in a range of different dial colours, including ice blue, but also in black, silver, and mother-of-pearl, and featured a 38mm round case with a polished bezel.
It was 2023 when we saw the discontinuation of the Cellini collection as the 1908 collection made its debut — originally produced in gold — before 2024 saw the debut of the platinum 1908 ref. 52506-0002. Featuring a 39mm case and powered by the calibre 7140 (visible through the exhibition caseback) the 1908 in platinum features an ice blue dial that’s distinguished from its Cellini forefathers with an engine-turned guilloché pattern dial.
Rolex Yacht-Master
Last, but not least, is the most accessible option in the world of platinum Rolex: the Yacht-Master. The reason the Yacht-Master 42 is the most affordable Rolex to use platinum in its construction is that it is a predominantly stainless steel watch with only the bezel made from sandblasted platinum, adding a touch of luxurious elegance to an otherwise sporty collection.
One of the reasons the Yacht-Master 42 features a touch of platinum was that it was the first new collection introduced by the late Patrick Heiniger, when he took over as Rolex CEO in 1992. In fact, the collection held such an important place in his heart that when it came time to celebrate the ten millionth chronometer movement produced by Rolex, Heiniger commissioned a unique platinum Rolex Yacht-Master to be made with sapphire and diamond hour markers.
The Rolex Yacht-Master 42 arrives either with a navy blue dial in the ref. 126622-0002 or a light grey dial in the ref. 126622-0001, both of which feature 42mm stainless steel cases and are powered by the calibre 3235 with 70 hours of power reserve.
