Rolex Day-Date Platinum Ref. 118296 — Meteorite Dial, Full Set, Seddiqi Dubai 2007

A highly elegant and seldom-seen platinum Day-Date, distinguished by its meteorite dial and the unusual restraint of its smooth bezel — a configuration that gives Rolex’s most emblematic calendar watch a notably quieter and more refined presence.

The Rolex Day-Date reference 118296 belongs to that particularly appealing category of modern Rolex production in which material, weight, and finish speak more persuasively than overt ornament. Cased in 36 mm platinum and fitted with the President bracelet, it retains all the authority of the Day-Date line while expressing it in a more discreet register. In place of the more familiar fluted surround, the smooth platinum bezel lends the watch a cleaner, more architectural profile, softening neither its stature nor its preciousness, but giving it a rarer and more understated form of elegance. The reference 118296 is documented as a 36 mm platinum Day-Date with smooth domed bezel, sapphire crystal, and 100 metres of water resistance.

The dial is the defining feature of this example. Cut from natural meteorite, it carries the irregular crystalline structure that gives each piece its own visual identity. Rolex describes meteorite as a natural extraterrestrial material, primarily composed of iron and nickel, whose slow cooling over millions of years creates distinctive crystallization impossible to reproduce on Earth. These formations, known as Widmanstätten patterns, are precisely what give meteorite dials their singular depth and character. On a Day-Date in platinum, the effect is especially compelling: the cool tonality of the metal and the softly reflective surface of the dial produce a composition that feels at once restrained, luminous, and unmistakably uncommon. 

Powering the watch is Rolex calibre 3155, the self-winding movement long associated with the classic 36 mm Day-Date and known for its independent day and date adjustment. The calibre 3155 is identified as a self-winding mechanical movement developed and manufactured by Rolex for the Day-Date, with day and date display and approximately 48 hours of power reserve.

This example is offered with its full set, with guarantee stamped by Seddiqi, Dubai in 2007, and is sourced from the original owner in the UAE. That combination of complete accessories, regional provenance, and original ownership adds meaningfully to its appeal, particularly in a reference whose best configurations are increasingly difficult to source with clarity and coherence. More than simply a precious-metal Day-Date, this is a platinum example with a particularly composed personality — one defined by material quality, discreet rarity, and the unusual elegance of a smooth-bezel meteorite-dial execution.

A refined, highly attractive, and rarely encountered interpretation of the Rolex Day-Date in one of its most quietly sophisticated forms.

Brand: Rolex
Model: Day-Date
Reference: 118296
Year: 2007
Case Material: Platinum
Case Diameter: 36 mm
Bezel: Smooth domed platinum bezel
Dial: Meteorite
Crystal: Sapphire crystal with Cyclops lens
Movement: Automatic, calibre 3155
Functions: Hours, minutes, central seconds, day and date
Bracelet: Platinum President bracelet
Water Resistance: 100 m
Delivered With: Full set
Guarantee: Stamped Seddiqi, Dubai, 2007
Provenance: Sourced from the original owner in the UAE