Rolex Revives "Padellone" With Instantaneous Annual Calendar

Rolex has officially unveiled the Perpetual Padellone, a new 39mm timepiece that marks a significant expansion of its modern Perpetual collection, following the 2023 debut of the 1908 line. This new watch draws direct inspiration from the historic reference 8171, which collectors affectionately nicknamed "Padellone" during its production run from the late 1940s to the 1950s. The Perpetual Padellone introduces an instantaneous complete annual calendar to Rolex's dress-watch offerings. The watch features a refined 39mm case with a thickness of 12.20mm. Its bezel is dual-finished, with a domed top and a fluted lower section. The caseback includes correctors for adjusting the calendar functions. The dial presents a grained central finish complemented by a fine satin-finished outer ring. It displays apertures for the English day and month at the 12 o'clock position. A blue-coated central hand indicates the date on a peripheral track, and a blue-enameled moonphase disk is positioned at 6 o'clock, featuring blue meteorite full and new moons. The timepiece is powered by the newly developed in-house Calibre 7190 automatic movement, which operates at a high frequency of 36,000 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of 66 hours. This calibre is protected by 30 patent applications and incorporates Rolex's silicon Dynapulse escapement, a thick-coiled Syloxi hairspring, and a high-tech ceramic balance staff designed for magnetic resistance. The annual calendar mechanism utilizes the newly patented Haplos system. This system consists of an additional carrier finger and an annual lever, enabling the watch to automatically differentiate between months with 30 and 31 days. Consequently, the calendar requires manual correction only once a year, specifically when February transitions to March. A key characteristic of the Perpetual Padellone is that all three calendar indications—day, date, and month—simultaneously jump forward at midnight within a fraction of a second. The watch is available in either 18-carat Everose gold or platinum, both featuring an ice blue dial. The retail price for the Everose gold version is $57,900, while the platinum model is priced at $65,100. The Perpetual Padellone is positioned as a revival of a historic complication and design, bringing a highly functional and aesthetically refined annual calendar to Rolex's contemporary watchmaking portfolio.