RolexOyster Perpetual 28

This dial features hour markers in 18 kt gold at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, set with 9 diamonds. The colours created for the Oyster Perpetual range start life as a lacquer, which must be meticulously applied in a controlled-atmosphere environment to avoid dust and other contamination. The brass plate of the dial base receives layer upon layer of lacquer, six in all, to form a regular, uniform surface. The last step is varnishing and polishing to bring out the full brilliance and depth of colour. The various inscriptions are then pad printed, and the hour markers and crown riveted by hand. The dial, gleaming in its perfection, is all set to take its place on top of the movement at the watch assembly phase.

Gem-setters, like sculptors, finely carve the precious metal to hand-shape the seat in which each gemstone will be perfectly lodged. With the art and craft of a jeweller, the stone is placed and meticulously aligned with the others, then firmly secured in its gold or platinum setting. Besides the intrinsic quality of the stones, several other criteria contribute to the beauty of Rolex gem-setting: the precise alignment of the height of the gems, their orientation and position, the regularity, strength and proportions of the setting as well as the intricate finishing of the metalwork. A sparkling symphony to enhance the watch and enchant the wearer.

By operating its own exclusive foundry, Rolex has the unrivalled ability to cast the highest quality 18 kt gold alloys. According to the proportion of silver, copper, platinum or palladium added, different types of 18 kt gold are obtained: yellow, pink or white. They are made with only the purest metals and meticulously inspected in an in-house laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment, before the gold is formed and shaped with the same painstaking attention to quality. Rolex's commitment to excellence begins at the source.