The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 causes a scene with its aubergine dial, giving us a chance to look at the collection in greater depth

- Ashok Soman

The difference between the pedestrian and the extraordinary can be a fine line, as far as watchmaking goes. Once a new watch arrives in stores, we begin to get a real sense of where that line might be, as far as that model goes. This is a complicated affair, and we usually advise careful consideration over impulsive action. Generally speaking, this is why some models take off in popularity after a few years. There are exceptions to every rule though, which brings us to our jewelry watch of the year, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31. Arguably, every watch that bears the name Rolex is an immediate contender for your wrist, especially if you are driven by the idea that a watch should express a sense of value and power while being tough enough to wear as a daily beater. But this does not explain the allure of the watch at all.

Normally, we do not delve into the subject of why a watch is attractive - beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the images alone should do the job. However, in electing to put this on our cover, we can offer an explanation of why we made this decision. After putting the Patek Philippe Twenty~4 on the cover last year, it felt appropriate to complete the picture of what might be the most desirable ladies' watches in the world. If you recall our 2019 edition, which does feel like it was a lifetime ago, then an obvious objection might come to mind: that Twenty~4 was entirely new while the Datejust 31 is not. Fair enough, but the appeal of the Datejust 31 is just now coming into its own.