Rolex Day-Date 36
+87 % above RRP
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ℹ️ 1-month trend
Price change over the past 30 days. Shows the short-term market movement — relevant if you want to buy or sell soon.
ℹ️ 4-month trend
The central metric behind the momentum score. It filters out short-term swings and shows the true, medium-term market trend of this reference.
ℹ️ Volatility
Annualised price fluctuation. Below 10 % = very stable, 10–20 % = normal, above 20 % = volatile. With high volatility the price can change quickly — in both directions. Be cautious about buying without checking the current price.
ℹ️ Momentum score
ChronoCheck's own indicator from 0 to 100, calculated from the 4-month trend, volatility and market direction.
- Above 60 — Upward trend. Good time to sell, prices are rising.
- 40 – 60 — Neutral. Stable price level, no pressure to act.
- Below 40 — Downward trend. Wait or enter at a good price.
ℹ️ Investment Grade A/B/C/D
ChronoCheck's own rating for each reference. A 0–100 point scale, made up of four weighted components:
- Momentum (40 pts) — trend strength from the momentum score.
- Liquidity (25 pts) — number of active live listings.
- Stability (20 pts) — inverse volatility — the calmer, the better.
- Source robustness (15 pts) — number of independent market sources.
- A · 75+ Trend is right, liquidity good, data broad.
- B · 55–74 Solid, but one component weaker.
- C · 35–54 Average, volatility or market breadth weigh on it.
- D · below 35 Downward or too little data — a collector's piece.
Not investment advice. Pure data analysis from aggregated market sources.
The current market value of the Rolex Day-Date 36 (Ref. 118238) is $40,627. The trend points up (plus 52.9% over four months). Last sold at auction: $37,617 (Christie's, 05/2026).
What if you had bought back then …
What would a purchase at the median market price back then have become — at today's level of $40,627. A pure return calculation, excluding insurance, servicing and transaction costs.
Data from an aggregated median time series (watch_market_daily). CAGR = Compound Annual Growth Rate, normalized to 365 days. Not an investment recommendation.
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Technical data
Lift angle 52° — important for timing-machine diagnosis: with this value a watchmaker can correctly measure rate deviation, amplitude and beat error. ChronoCheck verifies such technical details directly from the manufacturers' factory specifications.
Rolex Ref. 118238 — Variants and collector names
Known as: The President, Day-Date 36 YG, Neo-Vintage President, Six-Digit DD36, Transitional President
Production phases and changes
- 2000: Introduction of Ref. 118238 as successor to Ref. 18238; wider lugs (fully polished), solid President bracelet links replacing hollow links, Crownclasp
- 2003: Clasp update: Crownclasp receives all-gold version with Rolex engraving
- 2005: Serial number also engraved on the rehaut (at 6 o'clock, inside between dial and crystal)
- 2006: Introduction of rehaut ring engraving 'ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX' as an anti-counterfeit measure
- 2010: Switch to randomized ('scrambled') serial numbers — 8-digit alphanumeric
- 2015: Certification to the new Rolex Superlative Chronometer standard (±2 sec./day) + 5-year warranty
- 2019: Discontinuation of Ref. 118238; succeeded by Ref. 128238 with Cal. 3255 (70h power reserve)
Movement variants
- 3155 (2000–2019) · 28800 bph
Bezel variants
- Fluted Bezel 18k Gold "Fluted Bezel / Fluted Bezel"
- Smooth Bezel 18k Gold "Smooth Bezel / Lunette Lisse"
Dial variants
- Exotic Dial — OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST, stick indices, date window at 3 o'clock
- Mother of Pearl Dial / MOP — Mother-of-pearl dial with diamond hour markers or baton indices
- Black Diamond Dial — Black dial with factory-set diamond hour indices
- Black Baton — Black dial, applied yellow gold baton indices, black minute track
- Blue Sunburst — Blue sunburst dial, applied yellow gold baton indices
- Champagne Diamond Dial — Diamond baton indices, some with 8 round brilliant diamonds + 2 baguette diamonds
- Champagne Baton — Applied baton indices in yellow gold; day aperture at 12h, date aperture at 3h; minute track with Roman hour markers (5-min intervals)
- Green Dial — Green dial, applied indices and/or Roman numerals
- Ivory Jubilee Arabic — Jubilee Arabic dial (ivory), applied Arabic numerals in yellow gold
- Purple Diamond Dial — Purple dial with diamond hour indices
- Silver Baton — Applied yellow gold baton indices; silver sunburst or rhodium-plated
- White Roman — White/ivory, applied Roman numerals in yellow gold
Crystal variants
- Saphirglas mit Cyclops
Bracelet variants
- President Ref. 8385
- Oyster Solid-Link Ref. 93150
Serial numbers
- A000001 – A999999 (2000–2000) — Approx. 2000; serial number between the lugs at 6 o'clock (bracelet must be removed to read). Letter-prefix system; figures are estimates from collector databases.
- Y000001 – Y999999 (2002–2002) — Approx. 2002; letter-prefix era. Still between the lugs at 6 o'clock.
- F000001 – F999999 (2003–2004) — Approx. 2003–2004.
- D000001 – D999999 (2004–2005) — Approx. 2004–2005.
- Z000001 – Z999999 (2006–2007) — Approx. 2006–2007. From ~2005, serial number also engraved on the rehaut (at 6 o'clock, inside).
- M000001 – M999999 (2007–2008) — Approx. 2007–2008. From ~2008, rehaut engraving only, no more lug engraving.
- V000001 – V999999 (2008–2009) — Approx. 2008–2009.
- Random/Scrambled – Random/Scrambled (2010–2019) — From ~2010, fully randomized 8-digit alphanumeric serial numbers ('scrambled serials'). Production year not derivable from the serial number; can only be dated via warranty card/Rolex service.
The reference 118238 hits the market in 2000, succeeding the 18238, and brings several substantial changes with it. Rolex carries over the caliber 3155 unchanged, but fits solid President bracelet links in place of the earlier hollow links — making the watch noticeably heavier, with the gold content alone increasing significantly. The bezel comes in two versions, fluted or smooth, both in 18-karat yellow gold.
## 2003 to 2010: Three Years, Three Security Upgrades
In 2003, the Crownclasp is made entirely from gold and engraved, a direct response to mounting counterfeiting pressure in this segment. Between 2005 and 2007, the Geneva workshops additionally engrave the serial number on the rehaut, and from 2008 the "liar dial" engraving disappears in favor of the rehaut-only solution. In 2006, the signature "ROLEX ROLEX ROLEX" ring etching is added — early examples from 2000 to 2005 lack it entirely, making it a reliable detail for dating a piece. Then comes the break in 2010: randomized eight-digit serial numbers replace the chronological numbering system, and from that point the year of manufacture can only be pinned down via the warranty card.
## Twelve Dials, One Caliber
The 118238 shipped with a remarkably wide range of dials, from Champagne Baton to Blue Sunburst to diamond indices in black, purple, or champagne, plus mother-of-pearl variants. Through it all, the caliber 3155 stayed technically unchanged — the only update came in 2015, when it adopted the new Superlative Chronometer standard of ±2 seconds a day with a five-year warranty. Production ends in 2019 after nearly two decades, with the 128238 taking over as successor, powered by caliber 3255 and offering 70 hours of power reserve.
Brand profile: Rolex
Rolex is the most counterfeited watch brand in the world. Super-clones (VSF, ARF, Clean — the latter inactive since the 07/2025 raid, with only old stock still circulating) reach 95%+ similarity. Authenticity can almost always only be identified through micro-details and caliber behavior.
- Case back: ALWAYS solid and closed — any display window means it's definitely fake (exception: vintage Ref. 6085 only)
- Minute hand length: genuine Rolex minute hands end EXACTLY at the minute chapter ring. 1 mm too long = fake. The strongest VSF tell.
- Seconds hand: smooth sweep without any hesitation — the slightest tick-tock motion means it's fake
- Cyclops lens (on Date models): must magnify exactly 2.5×, with the date filling almost the entire window
Serial number format: Since 2010, a random alphanumeric combination (e.g. 'G3M9K721'). 2000-2010: a letter plus 6-7 digits. Serial number engraved on the rehaut at 6 o'clock (from ~2005). Older models: between the lug shoulders at 6 o'clock on the case.
Further sources
Buying guide: Rolex Day-Date 36
What drives the price here
At $40,627 the watch sells well if the condition is right. A market rule of thumb: a complete set with box, papers and warranty card brings 10 to 15 percent more than the bare watch. Buying without papers can pay off, but you take the same discount again later when you resell.
Where the price stands
The price of the Day-Date 36 has risen by +52.9% over the past four months. Anyone selling now hits a good window. If you want to buy: no need to wait — the market is currently more hot than cold, and a clear end to the trend is not in sight.
Watch out for swings: This reference has an above-average volatility of 90.5 percent. In concrete terms: the price can move by several hundred euros within a few weeks. Check the current value before buying or selling — old listings or auction results from two months ago are of little help.
What to look out for when buying?
- Authenticity: The serial number and reference on the case must match the papers. A professional authenticity check of the Rolex Day-Date 36 reliably rules out counterfeits.
- Condition: Check scratches on the case and bezel — professional refurbishment can leave traces.
- Service history: A documented service by the manufacturer or a certified watchmaker increases the value.
- Scope of delivery: Box, papers and warranty card make a noticeable price difference on the Day-Date 36.
- Independent certification: The CPS-52 standard covers 52 checkpoints — from the serial number and the timing machine to water resistance. The result is secured on the blockchain and can be verified at any time.
Check the market value live now
Interactive price analysis with momentum indicator and buy/sell signal.
Go to the market value tool →Auction results Rolex Day-Date 36 118238
Recent hammer prices for this reference from international auction houses:
| Price | House | Date |
|---|---|---|
| $37,617 | Christie's | 05/2026 |
| $24,753 | Sotheby's | 12/2025 |
| $22,003 | Sotheby's | 06/2025 |
| $40,138 | Phillips | 04/2025 |
| $94,308 | Phillips | 03/2025 |