Rolex Day-Date 40 (2282 References)
What is the Rolex Day-Date 40?
The Day-Date is the watch Rolex has always made only in precious metal, with the day of the week spelled out in full above the date. The 40 mm generation in the store's listings is the 2282 reference family: a 40 mm case on the President bracelet with its hidden folding clasp, built around calibre 3255 (31 jewels, a power reserve of about 70 hours), with water resistance to 100 metres recorded across the family's listings. Everything else about a Day-Date 40, metal, bezel, and dial, varies by reference and configuration, which is what makes this family a decoding exercise.
Quick facts
- The Day-Date 40 is made only in precious metal, with the day of the week spelled out in full above the date.
- The 2282 reference family is the 40 mm generation in the store's listings, built around calibre 3255.
- On this family the reference is the metal; the bezel is not in the reference, and the dial is fully individual.
- Read a Day-Date in three passes: reference for metal, eyes for bezel, dial last.
At a glance: specifications
| Case size and material | 40 mm case in precious metal by reference, including yellow gold, white gold, Everose gold, and platinum |
|---|---|
| Movement / calibre | Rolex calibre 3255, 31 jewels |
| Power reserve | About 70 hours |
| Water resistance | 100 metres, recorded across the family's listings |
| Bracelet / strap | President bracelet with a hidden folding clasp |
Which references are there, and how do you tell them apart?
On this family the reference is the metal, and the store's listings cover the full range:
- 228238: 18k yellow gold (five listings, with black, green, champagne, white Roman, and silver Roman dials).
- 228239: 18k white gold (blue Roman, blue ombre Roman, and olive Roman dials).
- 228235: 18k Everose gold (black ombre Roman dial).
- 228236: platinum (black dial, white Roman dial, and a meteorite dial with diamond markers).
- 228206: platinum with an ice blue dial, the dial color Rolex reserves for its platinum pieces.
- 228345RBR: Everose gold with a diamond set bezel and chocolate dial; the RBR suffix is the gem set tell.
| Reference | Metal | Dials in the store's listings | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 228238 | 18k yellow gold | Black, green, champagne, white Roman, silver Roman | Five listings |
| 228239 | 18k white gold | Blue Roman, blue ombre Roman, olive Roman | |
| 228235 | 18k Everose gold | Black ombre Roman | |
| 228236 | Platinum | Black, white Roman, meteorite with diamond markers | |
| 228206 | Platinum | Ice blue | The dial color Rolex reserves for its platinum pieces |
| 228345RBR | Everose gold | Chocolate | Diamond set bezel; the RBR suffix is the gem set tell |
The bezel is not in the reference. Most of the family's listings carry the fluted bezel, but the platinum 228206 listings record a smooth bezel, so two watches can share a metal and differ at the bezel. The dial is fully individual: Roman numerals dominate the store's examples, alongside ombre dials that graduate from color to black, and the platinum meteorite dial, which on this family is a factory Rolex dial. Read a Day-Date in three passes: reference for metal, eyes for bezel, dial last, because the dial is where sellers reach for the loosest language.
What should you check on any example?
- The reference against the metal: a Day-Date is never steel, so any listing describing one as steel is misdescribed at the root.
- The bezel type in hand (fluted, smooth, or diamond set), stated separately from the reference.
- The President bracelet: count the links against the set's contents. A shortened bracelet is the most common quiet deduction on this model.
- The day wheel: confirm the day displays correctly in the language you expect, since the wheel is language specific and a swapped wheel is a real configuration change.
- On a meteorite or ombre dial, that the dial is described as the factory dial for that reference, as the store's listings describe theirs.
A complete set per the store's listings is:
- Inner box
- Outer box
- Booklets
- Both hang tags
- Warranty card
How do you buy from The Stellaris Collection?
Examples of this family are listed on our site, and other examples can be sourced on request.
Warranty: while a manufacturer warranty is in force it applies; a watch out of manufacturer warranty carries a 1-year warranty from The Stellaris Collection. Purchases are completed directly with our team, by invoice, with payment by bank wire. Email info@thestellariscollection.com or call (213) 444-0926. By appointment only. We are an independent dealer, not an authorized Rolex retailer.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Day-Date 40 ever made in steel?
No. The Day-Date is the watch Rolex has always made only in precious metal, so any listing describing one as steel is misdescribed at the root.
What movement does the Day-Date 40 use?
The 2282 reference family is built around calibre 3255, with 31 jewels and a power reserve of about 70 hours.
How do you read a Day-Date reference?
Read it in three passes: reference for metal, eyes for bezel, dial last. The bezel is not in the reference, and the dial is fully individual.
What does the 228206 ice blue dial signify?
The 228206 is platinum with an ice blue dial, the dial color Rolex reserves for its platinum pieces.
What should a complete set for the Day-Date 40 include?
A complete set per the store's listings is the inner and outer boxes, booklets, both hang tags, and the warranty card.
