Datejust the 15 year review......

[mitchy]

very cool review, makes me want one now

[never2late]

Originally Posted by Prince

Love mine!!!



Thanks for a great review of a classic Rolex, Roger!

I've always considered this watch to be The Iconic Rolex. I just found a pre-owned DJ exactly like this the other day and I'm proud to say it is now the second Rolex I own.

[Gerardus]

Bought mine today after selling my DD and EXII.
Why don't ask, personal matters

[Rags]

My only rolex so far & I love it. It will never be sold!!

[dddrees]

Great Review of Such a Great Classic Awesome Watch.

[The Floridian]

Great review.

[airball7]

OK first pic post. Just got back into the collecting game and didn't realize they'd discontinued the tapestry dials. I still love mine.

[jzandf]

.

[mohanr1234]

Originally Posted by Alan111

Thanks for that review, don't know how I missed that.
Anyways, I love my Datejust also. Here's a pic of mine.
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I like the dial. Never seen that before in this colour

[daytonaPro]

Most def. an all time classic. Had mine for well over a decade. Nice write up!

[Jfbhd4]

Great to see you enjoy it in good health.

[larrycarroll]

I love my 84 dj tt jubilee white roman dial it's the studliest watch of them all but the white dial against the gold and stainless is stunning.....

[li21]

WOW.. now i'm thinking twice about selling my handed down TT/Gold face DJ.

I'm only 30 and I want a Rolex in my collection but the gold face might be a bit too mature/dressy for my use, but like you all have said .. its iconic.

Should I sell it and get a SS or TT DJ with a white/black/blue (younger, but less iconic) face instead for daily wear?

(given up on Sub or GMT.. dont need another sporty watch)

[shairan]

For some reason before I joined this forum when teh word Rolex is mentioned, it is actually image of DJ that naturally pops up in my mind. To me that is an indication of how timeless the design is. So although I am partial towards sports model now, I want to get a DJ sometime in the future.

[saber6]

just bought my wife a dj, excellent review thank you

[bakfomysel]

Originally Posted by catman

I can't agree more on the TT DJ, I've had mine for 28 years and it still looks great and works perfect...
My close friends still can believe I still have the same old Rolex watch all these years...

manufacture for The First quarter,1967

[Blue Owl]

That's a great review, Roger! IMO: The classic 16233 DJ will always be remembered as one of the best dress-watches on earth.

Here's mine:

[DCgator]

My first Rolex was a tt Thunderbird R series purchased BNIB in 1990. Worn sparingly all these years as I had other watches. First full service performed on Jan. 2012. Going strong and still a beautiful watch for dress or casual wear. I recently acquired a steel DJII and gave the TBird to my oldest son, and he loves it!

[Rags]

Originally Posted by Blue Owl

That's a great review, Roger! IMO: The classic 16233 DJ will always be remembered as one of the best dress-watches on earth.

Here's mine:

My thoughts exactly. I couldn't have said it better.

[tommyyu]

hi guys. i have a question about datejust.

i bought a ladies 26mm datejust K serial (2001-2003), black dial and white words on.
then i compared it with my men's air king 34mm, also K serial, black dial and white words on.

i noticed the words on the ladies datejust is significantly darker than the words on the air king.

is it normal because the smaller size of the watch? or is it because the words get darker throughout time which means my air king is newer than the datejust?

thank you for reading

[titomalu]

i inherited my dad's 1968 tt datejust. works like a charm. I use it on special ocassions when I want my dad to be with me. It is a special timepiece which holds much more than its value for me. It's my link with dad.

[808Bimmer]

Nice. Just picked up a 16233 recently

[andyboy39]

Originally Posted by padi56

a classic timeless design watch.

+1

[boychild]

Thank you for your insights! 😊

[Eric Chan]

Originally Posted by RogerF

well sort of.



This example of a 16233 is from 1990, a E Serial. This watch spent the first 5 years of its life pretty much in a safe only worn for special occasions as I was too young at the time. My family already knew then what I learned later on in my watch collecting career which is that a Rolex will always be worth its weight in gold (not literally of course, but it will always hold its value at the very least) I see it more and more now that parents are buying fine timepieces to give to their kids when they get older and I believe I will do the same one day when I have a child. Afterall 15-20 years from now after 15-20 price hikes a $4700 Sea Dweller today won't seem so expensive right?


Now this watch started getting some real wrist time about 10 years ago and it has been to hell and back. The watch saw a lot of extracurricular activities that would have been the death of other makes. It has hit brack walls while doing garden work, it has hit exhaust pipes, fallen from top shelves onto tile and concrete, it was basically put through the torture tests you see on tv for timex and glad garbage bags The only thing that the watch has had to visit Rolex for other than for regular scheduled maintenance is for a crystal when I hit the edge on a door. Other than that it has been one tough SOB.


Now on to the watch itself (and not my clumsiness)

Movement:

The movement is the bread and butter movement from Rolex the 3135. It is the date movement found in many watches in Rolex's stable such as current DJs, Submariner, Yacht Master, and Sea Dweller. I can pretty much say it is the most shock proof movement I have ever owned since I put my watches through a lot in my day to day life.


Case/Bracelet/Dial:

The case is your typical oyster, water resistant to 100m or 330ft. The caseback and crown is of the screw down type (pretty much standard these days for watches that are water resistant)

The bracelet on this model is the jubilee one in SS and 18k YG. I cant say that this watch scratches easily (something that ppl say happens to the gold portion) since the scratches are all my fault I cant really blame the design or material used for the signs of typical daily wear. Some complain about this bracelet design being noisey, but I dont find that the case and it has never been an issue with me.

The stick marker dial is again another classic trait of the DJ line, clean and simple to read with no BS. However I am also a fan of the Romans and would pick either one if I were to buy this watch again.
The only issue I have had with this watch and dial is that its difficult to read in the dark as the luminous dots on the ends of the stick markers have pretty much had their day. Even though the lume is gone on this dial I still prefer it over the 116233 dial with the big lume markers as I feel the new ones are too sport watch like for the DJ.

Design:

What can I say the 16233 (and now 116233) is THE watch in Rolex's lineup that screams the company name. The Jub bracelet coupled with the fluted gold bezel in Two Tone has become an icon in Asian countries ( and many others) as being the watch to have once you have "arrived" (if you dont believe me go visit HK LOL ) The design is classic, and with the DJ line having so many dial choices overall its hard not to be able to find something you like in this series.

The TT models are a little dressier than their SS siblings but I have not found a reason as to why it cannot be worn with casual attire, just like a Sub and SD can be worn with a tux.


Overall I give this watch 9/10

Fantastic review of one of if not the most popular Rolex models in the world. This is an old review, but a good one. It is a shame there are not more reviews like this on the Datejust. It does truly inspire me to write a review off own for one of my favourite Rolex models of all time.

I am fortunate enough to own a 16234, 116231 and a 116333. Will never part with the 16234 as that is my first Rolex, purchased beans new over 10 years ago.

Glad to have discovered this post.

[w6ada]

I have the same watch, also purchased about 15 years ago...Love it...Great review

[dysondiver]

still looking great

[mywatchllc]

Great review, just purchased my first DD TT and can see myself writing a similar review in 15 years.

[Wacker23]

Great review I bought my first Rolex in 1993 I still have it. Ill have it forever.

[Parrotguy]

I purchased my Rolex SS/Gold Oyster Perpetual DateJust new in 1982. I have had it serviced at an RSC twice and had a few plastic crystals replaced since then and it still runs like a champ. After 32 years, I am more attached to it than I have ever been to a physical object and have never regretted the cost ($1,900 back then). Someone who isn't a watch person would never understand, but I have never looked at it without thinking how much I love it (I know, get a room). It looks great no matter what you are wearing. I plan on getting a new case back and having it inscribed to my daughter so she will have it to remember my by after I am gone. Some people think that we get these to impress other people, but I can't remember a time when anyone else has ever commented on it; that has nothing to do with my enjoyment of it. There is something about having a fine precision mechanical watch at a time when so many things are electronic and computerized.

I recently purchased an Omega Speedmaster Professional and a Hamilton Jazzmaster Maestro and am seriously thinking about getting a used Submariner, but I know that I will never be attached to them as I am to my Rolex Oyster.