Rolex’s grand dame gets down-to-earth.

You’d have understood the whole Rolex-as-status-symbol sentiment by now. What then, are the symbols behind, well, the status symbol? With Rolex, it always boils down to these fundamentals: brand equity, rock solid dependability, and instant recognisability – more often than not courtesy of the unmistakable crown logo at ‘12’, and the iconic cyclops lens that magnifies the date.

These attributes have been writ large since Rolex shot to fame. Staring with record-breaking precision certifications and the world’s first waterproof watches in the early 1900s, to today’s extensive spread of its hard-to-get sports models and elegant women’s offerings, enduring looks and performance are the bedrock of a Rolex creation – demonstrated in the starkest and most unequivocal terms by this year’s unassuming Lady-Datejust 28.

This is quite possibly the most accessible Rolex women can get their hands on – both price- and looks-wise. Clad in a 28mm steel case with a striking pink sunray-finished dial, the new Lady-Datejust 28 is priced at S$8,490 – almost a grand less than the next most entry-level offering in combination of steel and white gold. Paired with the triple-link Oyster bracelet, as opposed to the dressier Jubilee-style option, this version has a casual demeanour that allows it to transition effortlessly from office accessory to weekend accompaniment.

But the watch is not all about being easy on the eye and purse. The Lady-Datejust 28 is emblematic of Rolex’s mechanical strength and purposeful functionality. The patented instant date corrector, for instance, that defined the entire Datejust collection, first in 1945 for men and later in 1957 for women, remains a key feature. The watch only tells the time and date, but it does so with maximum efficiency and precision.

The automatic Calibre 2236 powering the watch is a Superlative Chronometer that promises only -2/+2 seconds deviation per day, aided by proprietary silicon hairspring that is highly impervious to shocks and 10 times more accurate than normal hairsprings. Of course, these are not qualities that immediately come to mind when you buckle up the watch. But they will be evident soon enough, and like all Lady-Datejusts that came before, reveal to be enduring attributes that will make you brandish the watch with pride – just like that status symbol it’s mean to be.

Case	28mm, 904L steel with polished finish
Dial	Pink with sunray finish
Movement	Manufacture Rolex self-winding Calibre 2236
Bracelet	904L steel Oyster bracelet with Easylink 5mm extension link
Functions	Hour, minute, second and date
Power  Reserve	55 hours
Price	S$8,490