Rolex Day-Date II
+25 % above RRP
📱 Track this reference's market value on the go with the watch value app — daily median, price alerts and a watchlist.
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 II (Ref. 218235) is $56,893. The trend points up (plus 23.2% over four months). Last sold at auction: $49,381 (Phillips, 08/2025).
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 $56,893. 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. 218235 — Variants and collector names
Known as: Day-Date II, President 41, Everose President, Rose Gold DD2, Big President
Production phases and changes
- 2008: Launch of Day-Date II ref. 218235 at Baselworld 2008 with new Cal. 3156
- 2008: Serial number location changes to rehaut-only
- 2010: Switch to randomized (scrambled) serial number system
- 2015: 218235 discontinued; replaced by Day-Date 40 ref. 228235 with Cal. 3255
Movement variants
- 3155 (?–today) · 28800 bph
- 3156 (?–today) · 28800 bph
Bezel variants
- Fluted Bezel 18k Gold "Fluted Bezel / Fluted Bezel"
Dial variants
- Black Arabic Concentric — Concentric circle pattern, Arabic/rose gold numeral hour markers
- Black Stick / Black Index — Applied stick/baton index hour markers, rose gold hands
- Black Roman — Roman numeral hour markers, rose gold tone hands, day/date apertures
- Champagne Diamond (chdp) — 2 diamond baguettes + 8 diamond markers as hour indices, rose gold hands
- Champagne Roman Concentric (CRP) — Champagne base, Roman numeral markers, concentric circle pattern
- Chocolate Roman — Rose gold Roman numeral hour markers, minute track outer rim, day at 12h, date at 3h
- Chocolate Wave / Tiger Wave — Wave/concentric pattern, Arabic/bronze hour markers, rose gold hands
- Ruby Baguette / Iced Diamond-Ruby — Diamond and ruby baguette hour markers, luxury serti dial
- Ivory Roman — Ivory dial, Roman numeral hour markers, rose gold hands
- Pink Concentric Roman — Flat center, concentric circles on dial perimeter, applied polished blackened Roman numerals, Everose gold hands
- Rose Diamond — Factory-set diamond hour markers on pink/rose base dial
Crystal variants
- Saphirglas mit Cyclops
Bracelet variants
- Oyster Ref. 97200
Serial numbers
- M000001 – Z999999 (2008–?) — Letter-prefix era: M or Z = 2007/2008, V = 2009. Serial engraved on rehaut only (no longer on case between lugs from 2008). Rolex letter serial prefixes run concurrently; exact serial boundaries per year are approximate.
- Random 8-char – Random 8-char (2010–?) — From ~2010, Rolex switched to randomized 8-character alphanumeric serials (e.g. OT23Q257). These are deliberately non-sequential and cannot be decoded to determine production year. Only engraved on rehaut.
Rolex rolls out reference 218235 in Basel in 2008 — bigger, more modern, powered by the new caliber 3156. The case grows from 36 to 41 millimeters. A Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers come standard from the factory. Available from launch in four metals: Everose, yellow gold, white gold, platinum. Collectors know the watch by five different names, depending on the forum — Day-Date II, President 41, Everose President, Rose Gold DD2, Big President.
## Two Calibers Under One Reference Number
The 218235 doesn't run exclusively on caliber 3156. Caliber 3155 turns up occasionally too — closely related technically, but not documented as identical. For buyers, that means always checking the caliber number during authentication, not just the series.
## Two Production Changes That Complicate Dating
Still within the launch year, the serial number moves from the case flank between the lugs to the rehaut, the inner bezel ring. The next shift comes in 2010: Rolex replaces sequential letter-based serial numbers with a randomized 8-digit alphanumeric system. Anyone trying to date a 218235 made after 2010 by its serial number is out of luck.
## Eleven Dials — the Real Collector's Field
Eleven dial variants are catalogued, ranging from Chocolate Roman to Pink Concentric Roman to the Ruby Baguette with diamond hour markers. All come paired with the fluted 18-karat gold bezel as standard fitment — a signature that sets it apart from plainer President references.
## 2015: The End After Seven Years
Rolex retires the 218235 after seven years, replacing it with the Day-Date 40, reference 228235. New caliber 3255, Chronergy escapement, 70 hours of power reserve, accuracy of -2/+2 seconds a day. The 228235 stands as its own reference, not a direct successor in the strict sense.
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 II
What drives the price here
At $56,893 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 II has risen by +23.2% 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 47.5 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 II 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 II.
- 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 II 218235
Recent hammer prices for this reference from international auction houses:
| Price | House | Date |
|---|---|---|
| $49,381 | Phillips | 08/2025 |
| $25,763 | Christie's | 06/2019 |
| $34,001 | Christie's | 11/2018 |