Watch Archive
The Story of This Timepiece
An enduring symbol of Rolex watchmaking, this 18ct yellow-gold Rolex Day-Date combines one of the manufacture’s most recognisable designs with the distinctive President bracelet, fluted bezel and signature day-and-date display.
This particular example passed through the Marcus Tempus watch workshop in Barnet, where it underwent mechanical servicing together with careful case and bracelet restoration.
The movement was dismantled, cleaned and inspected before being reassembled, lubricated and regulated. Following servicing, the case was reassembled with its seals and tested using our professional water-resistance and pressure-testing equipment to assess the integrity of the case.
Particular attention was also given to the exterior. Working with solid 18ct gold requires a controlled approach: excessive polishing can soften the sharp geometry of the case and unnecessarily remove precious metal. Using our professional watch polishing and refinishing machinery, the case and President bracelet were carefully refinished, restoring the contrast between polished and satin-brushed surfaces while preserving the character and proportions of the watch.
The result demonstrates what thoughtful restoration should achieve — not making an established watch appear artificially new, but allowing its design, finish and craftsmanship to be appreciated once again.
Restored in Our Barnet Workshop
This watch forms part of the Marcus Tempus Watch Archive, documenting watches that have passed through our workshop alongside examples of our restoration work.
Our on-site workshop in Barnet, North London provides servicing and restoration for Rolex and other fine mechanical watches, including:
- Complete mechanical servicing and regulation
- Water-resistance and pressure testing
- Case and bracelet refinishing
- Professional polishing and satin-brushing
- Ultrasonic cleaning of suitable case and bracelet components
- Assessment of crowns, tubes, crystals and seals
- Vintage and modern watch restoration
With precious-metal watches in particular, our approach is conservative: retain the original material, preserve the case geometry and refinish only as much as necessary.
Why This Watch Matters
Few watches are as immediately recognisable as the Rolex Day-Date. Introduced exclusively in precious metals and traditionally paired with the President bracelet, it has become one of Rolex’s defining designs.
For us, however, this particular example has another story. It represents the work carried out behind the scenes in our Barnet workshop — from the mechanical service and pressure testing to the careful restoration of its 18ct gold case and bracelet.
That makes it exactly the sort of watch we want to preserve in the Marcus Tempus Watch Archive.
