Rolex Day-Date 40
The larger case, in yellow gold or Everose. Came with a newer movement and a broader profile than the 36.
We buy Rolex Day-Date
Sell your Rolex Day-Date
You can sell your Rolex Day-Date to Reuven Watches in Utrecht. In gold or platinum, 36 or 40 millimetres, with or without box and papers. Send a few photos and you will hear what we offer within 24 hours.
- Within 24 hoursSaturdays and Sundays included
- Precious metal onlygold and platinum, we know the hallmarks
- Discreetyour details stay with us
You are not committed to anything. Your details stay confidential.
What is my Rolex Day-Date worth?
With the Day-Date the precious metal sets the floor and the dial decides the rest. Yellow gold, white gold, Everose and platinum each sit in their own market, and within that the dial makes the difference: a plain colour, mother-of-pearl, hardstone or diamond hour markers. The language of the day wheel counts too. We assess the watch and the metal separately, and within 24 hours you will hear the result.
The Day-Date exists only in precious metal: yellow, white or rose gold, or platinum. Since 1956 no series has been made in steel, with the day spelled out above twelve and usually on the semi-circular link bracelet that belongs to this model. That makes the question of what a Day-Date is worth a different question from the sports models: here it starts with the material.
The three questions we ask first
Which precious metal is it, how wide is the case, and what is on the dial? Those three answers usually put us in the right area. The language of the day wheel is the fourth question, and it is almost always forgotten when offering, even though it can weigh surprisingly heavily.
Papers or no papers
We buy every Day-Date, with or without box and papers. On this model we read the material from the hallmarks on the case and the clasp if need be, so you do not have to work anything out beforehand.
Versions
The Day-Date versions at a glance
With the Day-Date the distinction lies in material, size and dial. These are the six versions we are offered most, with the reference range alongside.
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Rolex Day-Date 36
The classic size the model is known for. The 128238 from 2019 has a newer movement than its predecessor.
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Rolex Day-Date Platinum
Platinum is noticeably heavier and usually has a smooth bezel rather than a fluted one. Often with an ice blue dial.
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Rolex Day-Date Stone Dial
Dials in lapis, onyx and malachite among others. Vulnerable to hairline cracks, so we always photograph those close up.
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Rolex Day-Date Everose Gold
Rolex's own rose gold alloy, which fades less readily than ordinary rose gold.
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Rolex Day-Date Vintage
A smaller crown and, on the earliest runs, an acrylic crystal. The 18038 was the first with a quickset day and date.
The Day-Date was made in hundreds of combinations, with dials running from a plain colour to hardstone. If yours is not listed, we buy it just the same.
Reference numbers
Day-Date references we buy often
The reference number sits between the lugs on the twelve o'clock side, under the bracelet. On the Day-Date the first digits give the generation and the case size, and the last digit the precious metal.
| Reference | Version | Period | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1803 | Day-Date 36, vintage | circa 1960 to 1977 | acrylic crystal on the earliest runs, smaller crown |
| 18038 | Day-Date 36 in yellow gold | circa 1978 to 1988 | quickset day and date, sapphire crystal |
| 18238 | Day-Date 36 in yellow gold | circa 1988 to 2000 | double-cut cyclops over the date |
| 118238 | Day-Date 36 in yellow gold | circa 2000 to 2015 | more substantial links in the bracelet |
| 118206 | Day-Date 36 in platinum | circa 2000 to 2015 | smooth bezel, often an ice blue dial |
| 218238 and 218206 | Day-Date II, 41 mm | circa 2008 to 2015 | the first large size, succeeded by the 40 mm |
| 228238 and 228235 | Day-Date 40 | from 2015 | larger case, yellow gold or Everose |
| 228206 | Day-Date 40 in platinum | from 2015 | smooth bezel, fluted dial |
| 128238 and 128235 | Day-Date 36, new generation | from 2019 | the newer movement in the smaller size |
Your reference not listed? We also buy the stone-set versions and the early examples from the sixties, with or without papers.
Specifications
The Day-Date in specifications
The figures below apply to the modern generations. On the vintage references the crown, the crystal and the date setting differ; that is noted per row.
- Unsure between white gold and platinum? Platinum is noticeably heavier and on this model usually has a smooth bezel. The hallmarks on the case settle it.
- Do not confuse the Day-Date with a gold Datejust. Only the Day-Date has the day spelled out above twelve.
- Case sizes
- 36, 40 and 41 mm The 41 mm is the Day-Date II from 2008 to 2015; the 40 mm came after
- Case material
- Yellow gold, white gold, Everose or platinum Never steel, not in almost seventy years
- Bezel
- Fluted, smooth or stone set Usually smooth on platinum, which is a tell
- Bracelet
- President, Oyster or leather The semi-circular link bracelet is the best known on this model
- Day window
- The day spelled out above twelve Supplied in dozens of languages, which affects rarity
- Date
- Window at three o'clock with a cyclops Quickset only from the seventies generation onwards
- Crystal
- Sapphire The earliest references still have an acrylic crystal
- Water resistance
- 100 metres An Oyster case, but not a watch to dive with
These figures are here to help you place your own watch. For an offer we assess the individual watch, because on this model the same reference varies widely by dial.
Check it yourself
Four things to look at yourself
On a watch made of precious metal, part of the story is in the small marks on the case. Go through these four points in daylight and you will know roughly where you stand.
The hallmarks on the case
On a gold or platinum Rolex, small marks are struck to indicate the fineness, usually on the case side between the lugs and sometimes inside the clasp. They are barely readable with the naked eye. Take a macro photo of them or send the watch in; we read them with a loupe.
The language on the day ring
Run the day all the way round once and note what appears. Rolex supplied the day wheel in dozens of languages, from English and Dutch to Arabic and Hebrew. The less common languages turn up considerably less often, and that is a detail almost always forgotten when offering.
The links of the bracelet
The semi-circular links of the President bracelet stretch at the pins. Hold the watch up by the clasp and see how far they sag apart. On a gold bracelet that is a real part of the whole, because tightening precious metal again is a specialist job.
The dial, hardstone especially
Dials in lapis, onyx or malachite are vulnerable to hairline cracks that only show under a raking light. Tilt the watch slowly under a lamp and see whether any lines light up. If you find one, just tell us; it is rarely a reason for us not to buy.
If you cannot work it out, that is no problem. Send photos of what you can manage; we read the hallmarks with a loupe and will ask for whatever else we need.
Have your Day-Date assessedValuation
What sets the value of a Day-Date?
On this model the material sets the floor and the dial decides the rest. These are the six points that weigh heaviest, in the order we look at them.
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The precious metal
Yellow gold, white gold, Everose or platinum. This is the floor under the value and the first thing we establish. Platinum is the rarest of the four and is noticeably heavier in the hand.
Impact on the value: Large
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The dial
From a plain colour to mother-of-pearl, hardstone or diamond hour markers. On this model that is the part with the widest spread, and some versions are sought far more than others.
Impact on the value: Large
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The language on the day ring
A less common language makes the watch rarer. It appears on no reference list and is almost always forgotten when offering, even though it counts.
Impact on the value: Average
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Factory set or added later
Stones Rolex set itself belong to the reference. Work added later pushes the value down, even when it is neatly done, and on this model that is not rare.
Impact on the value: Large
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The President bracelet
The semi-circular links stretch at the pins. On a gold bracelet that counts for more than on steel, because tightening precious metal again is specialist work.
Impact on the value: Average
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Box, papers and service history
The warranty card makes year and version traceable and helps settle whether the stone setting came from the factory.
Impact on the value: Average
We do not name figures here, because with precious metal the floor moves. With the Day-Date, two examples of the same reference diverge as soon as the dial or the day wheel differs.
Request a valuation
On a Day-Date the day is spelled out. Which language it is in sometimes says more about rarity than the reference number.
Side by side
Day-Date 36, Day-Date 40 or Datejust 41?
These three are regularly confused, especially when the Datejust is gold. Where they differ, and what that means if you want to sell one.
| Day-Date 36 | Day-Date 40 | Datejust 41 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day spelled out above twelve | Yes | Yes | No, only a date |
| Material | Gold or platinum only | Gold or platinum only | Steel, Rolesor or gold |
| Case width | 36 mm | 40 mm | 41 mm |
| Most chosen bracelet | President | President | Jubilee or Oyster |
| Since when | 1956 | 2015 | 2016 |
| How often we see it | Regularly | Less often | Often |
Not sure which model you have? Look above the twelve. If the day is spelled out there, you have a Day-Date, even if the rest of the watch looks like a Datejust.
The market
How does the market for the Day-Date behave?
Four things worth knowing before you decide to sell. No predictions, just what we see come through the door.
A quieter market than the sports models
The Day-Date is traded less than a Submariner or a Daytona and therefore moves more calmly. That has an advantage: swings are smaller and today's offer sits closer to one from six months ago. It also means finding the right buyer takes longer if you advertise it yourself.
Here the dial makes more difference than the year
Two examples of the same reference from the same year can sit far apart because one has a plain dial and the other hardstone. On the sports models that difference is smaller. So photograph your dial well and name the colour or the type of stone.
Thirty-six millimetres wears broader than it sounds
Because the case is solid gold and the bezel fluted, a Day-Date 36 reads larger than a steel watch of the same size. Anyone dismissing the 36 as small does the model an injustice; it is still the size most worn and most sought.
Stone setting added later is common here
Precisely because the model is made in gold, a great deal has been added over the years: diamonds on the bezel, on the dial or on the lugs. To the owner that feels like an embellishment; in the market it works the other way. If you are not sure, just have it assessed.
Want to know where your example sits in this picture? Put it to us. You are not tied to the offer and you decide only once you have seen it.
All about selling a RolexClient experiences
Clients who sold us their Rolex
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Arnoud Stigter 5 out of 5 starsAls je vertrouwd een horloge wilt kopen of verkopen is dit echt een aanrader. Ontspannen, eerlijk en enthousiast
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Teun van der Leeuw 5 out of 5 starsHele mooie en puntgave IWC Portuguese gekocht bij Benjamin inclusief originele papieren. Ik werd heel gastvrij ontvangen en Benjamin gaf veel extra uitleg over de klokken. Een aanrader om bij Reuven Watches een horloge aan te schaffen!
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Charissa 5 out of 5 starsZeer goede service! Nog steeds hartstikke blij met mijn horloge! Mocht ik ooit nog een keer een horloge kopen ga ik zeker weer bij hem langs.
A selection of three of the 50 Google reviews, quoted word for word.
All versions
Which Day-Date do you want to sell?
We buy every Rolex Day-Date, from an early 1803 from the sixties to a 228206 in platinum. For each version we look at the precious metal, the case size, the dial and the language of the day wheel. With precious metal the hallmark check counts, and we do that ourselves.
Sell your Rolex Day-Date 40
The 40 millimetre arrived in 2015, with a new movement and a revised case shape. It appeared in yellow gold, white gold, Everose and platinum. If you want to sell a Rolex Day-Date 40, say which material and which dial colour, because in this size those two decide most of the answer.
Sell your Rolex Day-Date 36
The 36 millimetre is the size the model began with in 1956 and is still the most worn version. Because the case is solid gold, it reads larger than a steel watch of the same size. When selling a Rolex Day-Date 36 we look at the generation, because the references with a 1 in front have a newer movement.
Sell your Rolex President
President is the name used in the trade for the semi-circular link bracelet that belongs to this model, and by extension for the watch itself. If you search for selling a Rolex President, it is almost always a Day-Date. When selling we look at the play in the links, because on a gold bracelet that is a real part of the whole.
Sell your platinum Rolex Day-Date
The platinum versions are the rarest of the four materials and recognisable by the smooth bezel, where the gold ones have a fluted one. They often carry an ice blue dial that occurs only on platinum. When selling a platinum Rolex Day-Date we read the hallmarks, because from a distance white gold and platinum look alike.
Sell your Rolex Day-Date Stone Dial
Dials in lapis, onyx, malachite or other hardstone appear from the seventies onwards and form a collecting field of their own. They are vulnerable to hairline cracks that only show under a raking light. So send a photo taken while tilting the watch slowly under a lamp.
Sell your gold Rolex Day-Date
The Day-Date appeared in yellow gold, white gold and Everose, Rolex's own rose gold. When selling a gold Rolex Day-Date, the fineness, the weight and whether case, bracelet and clasp belong together weigh heavily. The hallmarks on the case side settle that.
Sell your vintage Rolex Day-Date
The references from the sixties, seventies and eighties have a smaller crown and, on the earliest runs, an acrylic crystal. Some of them do not yet have a quickset day and date. On vintage we look especially at the dial and at whether all the parts belong together.
Have a Rolex Day-Date valued without selling
If you only want to know what your Day-Date is worth, that is fine too. A request commits you to nothing and you decide only once you have seen the offer. Send a photo of the dial and of the hallmarks and you will hear from us within 24 hours, weekends included.
Also searched for
- Sell your Rolex Day-Date
- Sell your Rolex President
- Sell your Rolex Day-Date 40
- Sell your Rolex Day-Date 36
- Sell your gold Rolex Day-Date
- Sell your platinum Rolex Day-Date
- Sell your Rolex Day-Date Stone Dial
- Sell your Rolex Day-Date Everose
- Sell your Rolex Day-Date 1803
- Sell your vintage Rolex Day-Date
- Rolex Day-Date valuation
- What is my Rolex Day-Date worth
Frequently asked questions
Questions about selling a Day-Date
Is there a Day-Date in steel?
No. Since 1956 the Day-Date has only been made in precious metal: yellow gold, white gold, Everose or platinum.
If you come across a steel example, something is wrong. Do show it to us in that case, because we say honestly what we find.
What is my Rolex Day-Date worth?
The precious metal sets the floor and the dial decides the rest. A platinum version with an ice blue dial sits in a different market from a yellow gold one with a plain dial.
We do not give guide prices on this page. Send a photo of the dial and of the hallmarks and you will hear what we offer within 24 hours.
My Day-Date has a Dutch day wheel. Does that matter?
Yes, and in your favour. Rolex supplied the day wheel in dozens of languages, and the less common ones turn up considerably less often than an English one.
So mention it in your request. It is a detail that is almost always forgotten when offering.
What is the difference between white gold and platinum?
From a distance they look alike. Platinum is noticeably heavier and on this model usually has a smooth bezel rather than a fluted one.
The hallmarks on the case settle it. If you do not know, send a photo of the case side between the lugs.
Do you also buy a Day-Date Stone Dial?
Yes, including the versions with lapis, onyx or malachite on the dial.
Those are vulnerable to hairline cracks. Tilt the watch slowly under a lamp and send a photo of that, then you know in advance where you stand.
Diamonds were set on my Day-Date later. Does that count?
Setting Rolex applied itself belongs to the reference and simply counts. Work added later does the opposite, even when it is neatly done.
On this model setting added afterwards is relatively common. We look at the setting with a loupe and always say what we see.
Is a Day-Date the same as a Rolex President?
President is the name used in the trade for the semi-circular link bracelet that belongs to this model, and by extension for the watch itself.
If someone searches Rolex President, it is almost always a Day-Date. Officially the model is called Day-Date.
How soon do I get an offer on my Day-Date?
Within a day, and the weekend is no exception.
You do not have to decide anything before you have read the offer.
Assessed by
Beni Reuben
Owner and valuer at Reuven Watches
With a watch that exists only in precious metal, Beni Reuben looks differently than with steel. His assessment of a Day-Date starts with the hallmarks on the case and with the dial, because on a watch made only in precious metal those are the two places where the story is told.
Ten years in the watch trade
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Who Reuven Watches are
Showroom in Utrecht, 4.8 out of 5 across 50 Google reviews.
No obligation
Curious what we would offer for your Day-Date?
Send photos of the dial and of the hallmarks on the case, and you will hear what we offer within 24 hours. Weekends included.
You are not committed to anything. Your details stay confidential.