Watch reference library
Rolex Day-Date 40 228238 “The President”
In production 2015 to present.
The Rolex Day-Date 40 228238, known as The President, is a 40mm 18 ct yellow gold watch with the calibre 3255, water resistant to 100 meters, made 2015 to present.
Specifications
- Nickname
- The President
- Case size
- 40mm
- Case material
- 18 ct yellow gold
- Bezel
- Fixed, fluted, 18 ct yellow gold
- Dial
- Champagne, black, white, silver and diamond paved variants
- Movement
- Rolex calibre 3255, automatic
- Power reserve
- About 70 hours
- Water resistance
- 100 meters
- Crystal
- Sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date
- Bracelet
- President bracelet in 18 ct yellow gold with concealed Crownclasp and Easylink 5mm comfort extension Part number, lug width and links
- Bracelet part
- 83418, from Rolex's 2016 to 2026 price lists
- Lug width
- 21mm
The story
The Day-Date was introduced in 1956 as the first wristwatch to display the day of the week spelled out in full alongside the date, and it quickly became associated with heads of state and business leaders who wore it on its distinctive three piece link bracelet. That bracelet gave the whole model its enduring nickname, The President, and it remains the one bracelet Rolex reserves for the Day-Date and a handful of precious metal Datejust models.
Reference 228238 belongs to the Day-Date 40 collection Rolex launched in 2015, which replaced two earlier lines at once: the long running 36mm Day-Date, whose final yellow gold version was ref. 118238, and the shorter lived 41mm Day-Date II, ref. 218238, sold from 2008 to 2015. Rolex settled on 40mm as the single modern case size, giving the 228238 sleeker lugs and noticeably more wrist presence than the old 36mm case, without the slightly heavy proportions some collectors felt on the Day-Date II.
Inside is calibre 3255, a ground up automatic movement that replaced calibre 3155. It brought the Chronergy escapement, a paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers, along with a jump in power reserve from roughly 48 hours to about 70. The fluted bezel, instantaneous day and date change at midnight, and the President bracelet with its concealed Crownclasp all carry over from the earlier watch, so the 228238 reads instantly as a Day-Date while running on Rolex's current generation movement architecture.
Collectors value the 228238 in yellow gold because it is the purest expression of the model, solid gold from case to bracelet with no steel anywhere, and Rolex offers it across a wide range of dial and bezel finishes, from a plain champagne sunburst dial to fully diamond set versions, so the same reference can be dressed up or kept relatively understated depending on the buyer.
What to check before you buy
Rolex sells the Day-Date only through authorized dealers as a full set, so in Moda's trading groups a 228238 missing its box or warranty card is a bigger flag than it would be on some sports models where papers get separated more casually over the years. Rolex moved to randomized serial numbers around 2010, so the serial by itself will not confirm a production year. Match the warranty card, any service paperwork, and the specific dial and bezel configuration together rather than relying on the serial alone.
Weight is the other thing that comes up constantly. A solid gold President bracelet is substantial, and buyers who have never handled one in person are sometimes surprised by how it wears compared with a two tone or steel Rolex. Encourage a hands on look before a deal closes if a buyer has doubts. On the service side, gold cases and bracelets pick up fine scratches and stretch at the clasp faster than steel does, so factor in a case and bracelet refinish at a Rolex service center if the watch has seen regular wear, and check that the Crownclasp and Easylink extension move smoothly, since a stiff or loose clasp is a common complaint on well worn examples.
Buying or selling a 228238?
Selling one? Text photos to (605) 521-2821 for an offer within hours, or ask for one below. Moda pays by wire or Zelle within 24 hours of receiving the watch, on its own insured label. Rather sell it yourself? Post it in the Moda watch groups and run the listing through the Post Checker first. Buying one from someone you don't know? Moda's middleman service inspects the watch at Moda HQ and the buyer pays the seller only after approving the condition report. When it ships, it goes fully insured through ShipIFS, the shipping vendor Moda uses for its own watches.
A Serial Check tells you whether this 228238 has been reported stolen and whether its dial and bracelet are the factory originals.
Moda-lytics tracks the live market price of this reference from real wholesale listings.
Moda Watch Club is the Moda group for luxury watches, and Moda Watch Club: 10K & Under covers watches below that line. Both are free to join with a join code.
Common questions
Is the 228238 the same case size as the older Day-Date?
No. The 228238 is part of the Day-Date 40 collection introduced in 2015, with a 40mm case. The traditional Day-Date ran 36mm, and a separate 41mm Day-Date II was sold from 2008 to 2015 before Rolex settled on 40mm as the standard size.
Does this reference only come in one dial color?
No. Rolex offers the 228238 with numerous dial options, including champagne, black, white, silver and fully diamond set versions, all on the same 18 ct yellow gold case and President bracelet.
Can I tell the production year from the serial number?
Not reliably. Rolex switched to randomized serial numbers around 2010, so serials on the 228238 do not run in date order. A warranty card or service record is a better way to establish age.
What movement does it use and how does it compare to the older Day-Date?
It runs Rolex calibre 3255, an automatic movement with the Chronergy escapement and a blue Parachrom hairspring, offering about 70 hours of power reserve. It replaced calibre 3155, which had a shorter power reserve and an older escapement design.
Why is the Day-Date nicknamed The President?
The nickname comes from the bracelet Rolex designed specifically for the model in 1956, which became known as the President bracelet after it was worn by U.S. presidents and other heads of state. The nickname has stuck to the whole model line ever since.