Rolex Datejust 36 Dial and Lume
Depending on the year of production, the new Datejust watches use either Super-LumiNova or Chromalight to provide luminescence to the dial and hands, Super-LumiNova will glow green and the newer Chromalight will glow a bright blue.
The vintage Datejust will have tritium light, which will no longer glow due to the radioactive substance’s half-life of only 12.3 years. In addition, the older Rolex Datejust 36 dials have only small dots of luminescence next to the hour markers, while many of the current models are filled with luminescence.
The bezels on Rolex Datejust replica watches can be smooth, fluted, engine-turned, or gem-set. While certain options (such as solid gold construction or engine-turned bezels) have been discontinued in the current 36mm line, the Datejust still offers a very diverse range of configurations.
Over the years, the Rolex Datejust 36 has been powered by several movements, but always with a self-winding movement. Caliber 3135 was first introduced in the late 1980s and was the movement for all Datejust 36 watches until a few years ago.
It is a chronometer-certified self-winding movement at 28,800vph with a balance bridge (rather than the less stable balance cock) and Rolex’s paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring. Caliber 3135 is a precise and reliable movement offering a 48-hour power reserve and over a quarter of a century of proven performance.
The Rolex Datejust 36 received a movement upgrade in 2018 with the Caliber 3235 movement. The new movement is not a slight evolution of the previous 3135, but a whole new generation of movements built around Rolex’s new, more efficient Chronergy Escapement. The Caliber 3235 offers many new features, including Rolex’s Paraflex shock absorber, offering an accuracy rating of +/- 2 seconds per day and a longer 70-hour power reserve.