Hands On: Rolex Perpetual 1908 Refs. 52508 and 52509
One of the most compelling new releases at Watches & Wonders (W&W;) was the Rolex Perpetual 1908, brand’s most serious take on the dress watch in decades. Elegantly sized and surprisingly thin, the 1908 is equipped with the all-new, automatic cal. 7140. Perhaps the most significant debut from Rolex in recent years, the 1908 replaces the ill-fated Cellini. Named after the year Rolex was founded by Hans Wilsdorf, the 1908 is significant not so much for what it is – a dress watch with exceptional quality of manufacture – but simply because it is the first new collection of watches from Rolex in decades. Importantly, the 1908 is the first model in the new Perpetual collection, which implies that Rolex will be introducing more watches like this in time to come. Initial thoughts In my view, the Cellini collection always felt underdeveloped. The models introduced in 2017 had potential, but they shared too much in common with their sportier siblings, both in terms of movements and dimensions, leaving them feeling too clunky to be an alternative to the entry-level dress watches from traditional haute horlogerie brands. The 1908, on the other hand, feels like a proper effort. Compared to the outgoing Cellini models, almost every detail has been tangibly upgraded to some degree. In the hand, the 1908 feels like a Rolex – the tactile feel of quality is quickly apparent. Despite being fairly svelte at 9.5 mm high, the case of the 1908 has the solidity of an Oyster case – th...
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