ROLEX Oyster Perpetual Datejust Onyx Diamond Dial 1996

Fully serviced 09/07/2026
Timegrapher -1s/d 282° 0.1ms

The Datejust is Rolex's everyday watch with a date, and Reference 16238 is the version made entirely in 18K yellow gold. Rolex introduced it in 1988, together with a new generation of movements and a sapphire crystal in place of the earlier acrylic one. This example was made in 1996. The case measures 36mm across, excluding the crown, and 44mm from lug to lug.

Inside is the automatic Caliber 3135, which Rolex introduced in 1988 and kept in production for more than twenty-five years. It runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour on 31 jewels, holds about 48 hours of power, and is certified as a chronometer. Two things separate it from the movements that came before. The hairspring is a Breguet overcoil, regulated by four Microstella screws set in the balance itself. And the balance is held by a full bridge rather than a single cock, so it is supported at both ends and the watch stands up better to knocks. The bezel is fluted 18K gold, the crystal is sapphire, and a Cyclops lens sits over the date at three o'clock.

The dial is a slab of onyx rather than a painted surface. Stone does not return light the way lacquer does, so the dial reads as a flat, deep black and changes very little as the watch is turned. Two brilliant-cut diamonds are set at six and nine o'clock, fitted at the factory. Beyond those, the dial carries only the gold printing and a pair of slim baton hands, which are original to the watch.

The watch was fully serviced on 7 September 2026 and now runs to within a second a day. The gold case shows traces of use and the overall condition is good. The strap is a black leather strap, chosen so that the gold case and the black dial carry the watch on their own. It is not original to the watch and fits a wrist of up to 18cm. The lug width is 20mm.