Reference:218206 - Revision history

Klaudiusz: Tighten 218206 prose and fix related-reference structure

2026-09-29T08:49:09Z

Tighten 218206 prose and fix related-reference structure

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:49, 29 September 2026
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	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 — Platinum Day-Date II with caliber 3156		\|title=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 — Platinum Day-Date II with caliber 3156
	\|description=The Rolex 218206 is the platinum 41mm Day-Date II (caliber 3156, 2008-2015) with ~~the platinum-only~~ ice-blue ~~dial — the "President's President." Smooth bezel only; lineage 18206/118206 to the Day~~-~~Date 40 228206~~.		\|description=The Rolex 218206 is the platinum 41mm Day-Date II (caliber 3156, 2008-2015) with a smooth bezel and documented ice-blue, Arabic, Roman and diamond-set dials.
	\|keywords=Rolex 218206, Day-Date II 218206, platinum Day-Date, ice-blue dial, glacier blue, caliber 3156, President's President, Royal Khanjar		\|keywords=Rolex 218206, Day-Date II 218206, platinum Day-Date, ice-blue dial, glacier blue, caliber 3156, President's President, Royal Khanjar
	\|image=Ref 218206 hero.webp		\|image=Ref 218206 hero.webp
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	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

	{\| class="wikitable rp-facts"		{\| class="wikitable rp-facts"
	\|-		\|-
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	\| crown		\| crown
	\| Twinlock screw-down		\| Twinlock screw-down
	\|-
	\|-		\|-
	\| predecessor		\| predecessor
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	==Where it sits in the line==		==Where it sits in the line==

	The 218206 is the platinum member of the Day-Date II, the generation that scaled the President to 41mm from 2008 to 2015. It stands in a platinum lineage of its own, running from the 36mm 18206 of the 5-digit [[Reference:18208\|18208]] era through the 36mm 118206 to this 41mm reference, and on to the 40mm 228206 that replaced it. The yellow-gold Day-Date II is the [[Reference:218238\|218238]], with white gold the 218239, Everose the 218235, and factory diamond bezels on the gold 218348 and 218349. The cited 218206 records use a smooth bezel; Rolex introduced a fluted platinum Day-Date later, in 2023.		The 218206 is the platinum member of the Day-Date II, the generation that scaled the President to 41mm from 2008 to 2015. It stands in a platinum lineage of its own, running from the 36mm 18206 of the 5-digit [[Reference:18208\|18208]] era through the 36mm 118206 to this 41mm reference, and on to the 40mm 228206 that replaced it. The yellow-gold Day-Date II is the [[Reference:218238\|218238]], with white gold the 218239, Everose the 218235, and factory diamond bezels on the gold 218348 and 218349. The cited 218206 records use a smooth bezel; Rolex introduced a fluted platinum Day-Date later, in 2023.

	==Production outline==		==Production outline==

	The 218206 ran for the Day-Date II's full 2008–2015 life. The 41mm case defined the Day-Date II generation, which ended when the 40mm Day-Date 40 replaced it in 2015. The ice-blue dial appears in later examples, often dated around 2013, but Rolex has not published a serial boundary for the change. No production figure for the 218206 has surfaced.		The 218206 ran for the Day-Date II's full 2008–2015 life. The 41mm case defined the Day-Date II generation, which ended when the 40mm Day-Date 40 replaced it in 2015. The ice-blue dial appears in later examples, often dated around 2013, but Rolex has not published a serial boundary for the change. No production figure for the 218206 has surfaced.

	==Movement notes==		==Movement notes==

	The 218206 runs the caliber 3156, the 41mm derivative of the caliber 3155: 31 jewels, 28,800 vph, a roughly 48-hour reserve, double quickset for day and date, and COSC certification, with the Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock protection of the period. It is the same movement as the gold [[Reference:218238\|218238]], so what separates the two is the case metal and the dial. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage, and the [[Reference:218238\|218238]] entry covers the 3156 in detail.		The 218206 runs the caliber 3156, the 41mm derivative of the caliber 3155: 31 jewels, 28,800 vph, a roughly 48-hour reserve, double quickset for day and date, and COSC certification, with the Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock protection of the period. It is the same movement as the gold [[Reference:218238\|218238]], so what separates the two is the case metal and the dial. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage, and the [[Reference:218238\|218238]] entry covers the 3156 in detail.

	==Dial map==		==Dial map==
	[[File:Ref 218206 roman.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 218206 ice-blue concentric Roman dial\|The ice-blue concentric-guilloché Roman dial, ~~the most recognised of the platinum~~ 218206 ~~layouts~~.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 roman.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 218206 ice-blue concentric Roman dial\|The ice-blue concentric-guilloché Roman dial, one documented 218206 layout.]]

	Rolex uses an ice-blue or glacier-blue dial on its platinum Day-Date models. The cited 218206 examples include concentric Roman, Arabic-numeral and diamond-set layouts. Auction catalogues also record rhodium, grey, black and white dials; these are individual configurations rather than a complete factory dial register. The deep dial taxonomy that spans the President line sits on the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry.		Rolex uses an ice-blue or glacier-blue dial on its platinum Day-Date models. The cited 218206 examples include concentric Roman, Arabic-numeral and diamond-set layouts. Auction catalogues also record rhodium, grey, black and white dials; these are individual configurations rather than a complete factory dial register. The deep dial taxonomy that spans the President line sits on the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry.

	==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==		==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
			The case is 41mm in 950 platinum, with a sapphire crystal and a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bezel is the smooth, gently domed platinum bezel; the fluting that the gold and Everose Day-Date II references carried was not offered on the platinum in this generation, and the platinum fluted bezel did not arrive until 2023. The 41mm case is larger than the 36mm President cases that preceded it.
	The case is 41mm in 950 platinum, with a sapphire crystal and a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bezel is the smooth, gently domed platinum bezel; the fluting that the gold and Everose Day-Date II references carried was not offered on the platinum in this generation, and the platinum fluted bezel did not arrive until 2023. The 41mm ~~proportions give~~ the ~~218206 markedly more wrist presence than a~~ 36mm President.

	==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==		==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==
			The 218206 wears the platinum President bracelet, the three-piece semi-circular-link bracelet with the concealed Crownclasp, scaled to the 41mm case. The bracelet is solid platinum and contributes substantially to the watch's weight. As with any President, a clasp date code dates the bracelet, which may be older or newer than the head, and the cross-family detail sits on [[Reference:Bracelets]].
	The 218206 wears the platinum President bracelet, the three-piece semi-circular-link bracelet with the concealed Crownclasp, scaled to the 41mm case. ~~Solid~~ platinum~~, it is much of~~ the ~~reference~~'s ~~heft~~. As with any President, a clasp date code dates the bracelet, which may be older or newer than the head, and the cross-family detail sits on [[Reference:Bracelets]].

	==Special branches==		==Special branches==

	===The Royal Khanjar===		===The Royal Khanjar===
	[[File:Ref 218206 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 Royal Khanjar with ice-blue diamond-set dial\|The diamond-set ~~"Royal Khanjar"~~ 218206, an Oman ~~royal~~ commission ~~carrying~~ the Khanjar engraved on the caseback ~~— the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition~~.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 Royal Khanjar with ice-blue diamond-set dial\|The diamond-set “Royal Khanjar” 218206, an Oman commission with the Khanjar engraved on the caseback.]]

	A platinum, diamond-set 218206 with an ice-blue dial was catalogued as delivered to the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman around 2012. Sotheby's catalogued it with the royal Khanjar emblem engraved on the caseback, placing the 218206 at the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition that runs back through the platinum [[Reference:1831\|1831]] and the 6612B "Lone Star."		A platinum, diamond-set 218206 with an ice-blue dial was catalogued as delivered to the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman around 2012. Sotheby's catalogued it with the royal Khanjar emblem engraved on the caseback, placing the 218206 at the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition that runs back through the platinum [[Reference:1831\|1831]] and the 6612B "Lone Star."

	==Auction record==		==Auction record==

	The cited auction record includes a 2025 Royal Khanjar lot whose result was not published, a standard ice-blue example sold by Antiquorum for CHF 45,000, and an ice-blue Arabic example sold by Bonhams for £32,000. These watches differ in dial, provenance and completeness, so the results should not be treated as a current price range or a general premium for any one configuration.		The cited auction record includes a 2025 Royal Khanjar lot whose result was not published, a standard ice-blue example sold by Antiquorum for CHF 45,000, and an ice-blue Arabic example sold by Bonhams for £32,000. These watches differ in dial, provenance and completeness, so the results should not be treated as a current price range or a general premium for any one configuration.

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	\|}		\|}

	== Related references ==		==Related references==

	* [[Reference:218238\|Day-Date 218238]], 2008–2015		* [[Reference:218238\|Day-Date 218238]], 2008–2015
	* [[Reference:118235\|Day-Date 118235]], 2005–2019		* [[Reference:118235\|Day-Date 118235]], 2005–2019
	* [[Reference:118208\|Day-Date 118208]], 2000–2019		* [[Reference:118208\|Day-Date 118208]], 2000–2019
	* [[Reference:~~118238~~\|Day-Date ~~118238~~]], 2000–2019		* [[Reference:118239\|Day-Date 118239]], 2000–2019
	* [[Reference:118138\|Day-Date 118138]], 2013–2019		* [[Reference:118138\|Day-Date 118138]], 2013–2019
	* [[Reference:18208\|Day-Date 18208]], 1988–2000		* [[Reference:18208\|Day-Date 18208]], 1988–2000
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

	* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra		* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra
	* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/30667/lot/8/rolex-a-fine-platinum-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-day-date-ii-ref-218206-circa-2010/ Bonhams Watches Department, "Bonhams 218206 Platinum c.2010 production-spec", Bonhams]		* [https://www.bonhams.com/auction/30667/lot/8/rolex-a-fine-platinum-automatic-calendar-bracelet-watch-day-date-ii-ref-218206-circa-2010/ Bonhams Watches Department, "Bonhams 218206 Platinum c.2010 production-spec", Bonhams]

Klaudiusz: Deep audit: 218206 evidence, movement, auction limits and anti-slop prose

2026-09-29T00:10:54Z

Deep audit: 218206 evidence, movement, auction limits and anti-slop prose

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:10, 29 September 2026
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	{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex Day-Date II 218206}}		{{DISPLAYTITLE:Rolex Day-Date II 218206}}
	{{#seo:		{{#seo:
	\|title=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 — ~~The~~ Platinum ~~Ice~~-~~Blue "President's President"~~		\|title=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 — Platinum Day-Date II with caliber 3156
	\|description=The Rolex 218206 is the platinum 41mm Day-Date II (caliber 3156, 2008-2015) with the platinum-only ice-blue dial — the "President's President." Smooth bezel only; lineage 18206/118206 to the Day-Date 40 228206.		\|description=The Rolex 218206 is the platinum 41mm Day-Date II (caliber 3156, 2008-2015) with the platinum-only ice-blue dial — the "President's President." Smooth bezel only; lineage 18206/118206 to the Day-Date 40 228206.
	\|keywords=Rolex 218206, Day-Date II 218206, platinum Day-Date, ice-blue dial, glacier blue, caliber 3156, President's President, Royal Khanjar		\|keywords=Rolex 218206, Day-Date II 218206, platinum Day-Date, ice-blue dial, glacier blue, caliber 3156, President's President, Royal Khanjar
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	</div>		</div>

	The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, ~~the~~ 41mm ~~President made~~ from 2008 to 2015 ~~and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President~~.~~" Platinum is the metal~~ Rolex ~~reserves its ice-blue dial for, and~~ the ~~218206 wears it,~~ with a smooth ~~platinum~~ bezel ~~and the~~ platinum President bracelet ~~on the larger 41mm case~~ and ~~the~~ caliber 3156. ~~It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though~~ the ~~41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to~~ 40mm in 2015.		The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, a 41mm model produced from 2008 to 2015. Rolex paired the platinum case with a smooth bezel, a platinum President bracelet and caliber 3156. The reference was followed by the 40mm 228206 in 2015.


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	\| Twinlock screw-down		\| Twinlock screw-down
	\|-		\|-
	~~\| nickname~~
	~~\| "President's President"~~
	\|-		\|-
	\| predecessor		\| predecessor
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	==Where it sits in the line==		==Where it sits in the line==

	The 218206 is the platinum member of the Day-Date II, the generation that scaled the President to 41mm from 2008 to 2015. It stands in a platinum lineage of its own, running from the 36mm 18206 of the 5-digit [[Reference:18208\|18208]] era through the 36mm 118206 to this 41mm reference, and on to the 40mm 228206 that replaced it. The yellow-gold Day-Date II is the [[Reference:218238\|218238]], with white gold the 218239, Everose the 218235, and factory diamond bezels on the gold 218348 and 218349. ~~Only~~ a smooth bezel ~~is correct here, since~~ Rolex ~~did not put~~ a fluted ~~bezel on a~~ platinum Day-Date ~~until~~ 2023.		The 218206 is the platinum member of the Day-Date II, the generation that scaled the President to 41mm from 2008 to 2015. It stands in a platinum lineage of its own, running from the 36mm 18206 of the 5-digit [[Reference:18208\|18208]] era through the 36mm 118206 to this 41mm reference, and on to the 40mm 228206 that replaced it. The yellow-gold Day-Date II is the [[Reference:218238\|218238]], with white gold the 218239, Everose the 218235, and factory diamond bezels on the gold 218348 and 218349. The cited 218206 records use a smooth bezel; Rolex introduced a fluted platinum Day-Date later, in 2023.

	==Production outline==		==Production outline==

	The 218206 ran for the Day-Date II's full 2008–2015 life. The 41mm case ~~was the point of the generation and also its problem. It gave the President more wrist presence than it had ever had, at the cost of the 36mm formula that~~ defined ~~the line, and~~ the Day-Date II ended ~~up with the shortest run of any modern Day-Date before~~ the 40mm Day-Date 40 replaced it in 2015. ~~Within the platinum reference, the~~ ice-blue dial ~~arrived partway through the run~~, ~~by most accounts~~ around 2013. Rolex has ~~never documented~~ the change. No production figure has surfaced~~; the platinum DD-II is a low-volume reference within an already short-lived generation~~.		The 218206 ran for the Day-Date II's full 2008–2015 life. The 41mm case defined the Day-Date II generation, which ended when the 40mm Day-Date 40 replaced it in 2015. The ice-blue dial appears in later examples, often dated around 2013, but Rolex has not published a serial boundary for the change. No production figure for the 218206 has surfaced.

	==Movement notes==		==Movement notes==
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	[[File:Ref 218206 roman.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 218206 ice-blue concentric Roman dial\|The ice-blue concentric-guilloché Roman dial, the most recognised of the platinum 218206 layouts.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 roman.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 218206 ice-blue concentric Roman dial\|The ice-blue concentric-guilloché Roman dial, the most recognised of the platinum 218206 layouts.]]

	~~Ice~~-blue~~, the~~ glacier-blue ~~tone Rolex applies only to~~ platinum~~, is the~~ 218206~~'s signature and the reason the reference is collected. It comes in a~~ concentric~~-guilloché~~ Roman ~~layout~~, an Arabic-numeral ~~layout,~~ and diamond-set ~~versions~~. ~~Rhodium and~~ grey, black ~~with Arabic numerals, black diamond~~ and white ~~Roman were all catalogued as well, but the ice-blue is the one that reads as platinum on sight, and the platinum-and-ice-blue pairing is what earns the watch its "President's President" tag~~. The deep dial taxonomy that spans the President line sits on the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry.		Rolex uses an ice-blue or glacier-blue dial on its platinum Day-Date models. The cited 218206 examples include concentric Roman, Arabic-numeral and diamond-set layouts. Auction catalogues also record rhodium, grey, black and white dials; these are individual configurations rather than a complete factory dial register. The deep dial taxonomy that spans the President line sits on the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry.

	==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==		==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==
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	[[File:Ref 218206 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 Royal Khanjar with ice-blue diamond-set dial\|The diamond-set "Royal Khanjar" 218206, an Oman royal commission carrying the Khanjar engraved on the caseback — the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 Royal Khanjar with ice-blue diamond-set dial\|The diamond-set "Royal Khanjar" 218206, an Oman royal commission carrying the Khanjar engraved on the caseback — the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition.]]

	A platinum, diamond-set 218206 with an ice-blue dial, delivered to the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman around 2012~~, sits at the top of the reference~~. Sotheby's catalogued it with the royal Khanjar emblem engraved on the caseback, placing the 218206 at the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition that runs back through the platinum [[Reference:1831\|1831]] and the 6612B "Lone Star."		A platinum, diamond-set 218206 with an ice-blue dial was catalogued as delivered to the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman around 2012. Sotheby's catalogued it with the royal Khanjar emblem engraved on the caseback, placing the 218206 at the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition that runs back through the platinum [[Reference:1831\|1831]] and the 6612B "Lone Star."

	==Auction record==		==Auction record==

	The ~~218206 trades as~~ a ~~platinum modern classic, and the special commissions sit above the standard ice-blue examples. Sotheby's catalogued the diamond-set~~ Royal Khanjar ~~218206 in 2025 with the~~ result not ~~publicly disclosed. Antiquorum sold~~ a standard ~~platinum~~ ice-blue example ~~in Geneva in 2025~~ for CHF 45,000, and ~~Bonhams~~ an ice-blue Arabic example ~~in London the same year~~ for £32,000. ~~On the secondary market a standard platinum ice-blue 218206 sits~~ in ~~the high forties to mid sixties of thousands of dollars. That is clearly above the gold 218238~~, ~~on metal value~~ and ~~on the ice-blue cachet~~, ~~and generally below~~ the ~~40mm platinum 228206 that followed it in the size the market preferred. The 41mm case is the reference's main drag on~~ price~~, and the real~~ premium ~~concentrates on the commissioned and diamond-set examples~~.		The cited auction record includes a 2025 Royal Khanjar lot whose result was not published, a standard ice-blue example sold by Antiquorum for CHF 45,000, and an ice-blue Arabic example sold by Bonhams for £32,000. These watches differ in dial, provenance and completeness, so the results should not be treated as a current price range or a general premium for any one configuration.

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
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	== Related references ==		== Related references ==

	* [[Reference:218238\|Day-Date 218238]] — 2008–2015		* [[Reference:218238\|Day-Date 218238]], 2008–2015
	* [[Reference:118235\|Day-Date 118235]] — 2005–2019		* [[Reference:118235\|Day-Date 118235]], 2005–2019
	* [[Reference:118208\|Day-Date 118208]] — 2000–2019		* [[Reference:118208\|Day-Date 118208]], 2000–2019
	* [[Reference:118238\|Day-Date 118238]] — 2000–2019		* [[Reference:118238\|Day-Date 118238]], 2000–2019
	* [[Reference:118138\|Day-Date 118138]] — 2013–2019		* [[Reference:118138\|Day-Date 118138]], 2013–2019
	* [[Reference:18208\|Day-Date 18208]] — 1988–2000		* [[Reference:18208\|Day-Date 18208]], 1988–2000

	See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

Admin: Layout: restore the original lead caption

2026-09-06T22:59:35Z

Layout: restore the original lead caption

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:59, 6 September 2026
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	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date II 218206\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206]]		[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.]]
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Layout: hero refreshed

2026-09-06T22:54:07Z

Layout: hero refreshed

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:54, 6 September 2026
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	<div class="rp-lead">		<div class="rp-lead">
	[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 ~~in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.~~\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206 ~~in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.~~]]		[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date II 218206\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206]]
	</div>		</div>

Admin: Layout: hero promoted to lead

2026-09-06T22:29:21Z

Layout: hero promoted to lead

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:29, 6 September 2026
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	}}		}}
	<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] › '''218206'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] › '''218206'''</small>

			<div class="rp-lead">
			[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|center\|640px\|alt=Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.]]
			</div>

	The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, the 41mm President made from 2008 to 2015 and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President." Platinum is the metal Rolex reserves its ice-blue dial for, and the 218206 wears it, with a smooth platinum bezel and the platinum President bracelet on the larger 41mm case and the caliber 3156. It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though the 41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to 40mm in 2015.		The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, the 41mm President made from 2008 to 2015 and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President." Platinum is the metal Rolex reserves its ice-blue dial for, and the 218206 wears it, with a smooth platinum bezel and the platinum President bracelet on the larger 41mm case and the caliber 3156. It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though the 41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to 40mm in 2015.

	[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|260px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 ice-blue dial\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.]]

	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

Admin: site-wide: layout classes (core-facts card, breadcrumb, entry-point cards)

2026-09-05T01:21:01Z

site-wide: layout classes (core-facts card, breadcrumb, entry-point cards)

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:21, 5 September 2026
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	\|titlemode=replace		\|titlemode=replace
	}}		}}
	<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] -> '''218206'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] › '''218206'''</small>

	The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, the 41mm President made from 2008 to 2015 and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President." Platinum is the metal Rolex reserves its ice-blue dial for, and the 218206 wears it, with a smooth platinum bezel and the platinum President bracelet on the larger 41mm case and the caliber 3156. It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though the 41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to 40mm in 2015.		The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, the 41mm President made from 2008 to 2015 and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President." Platinum is the metal Rolex reserves its ice-blue dial for, and the 218206 wears it, with a smooth platinum bezel and the platinum President bracelet on the larger 41mm case and the caliber 3156. It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though the 41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to 40mm in 2015.
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	==Core facts==		==Core facts==

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable rp-facts"
	\|-		\|-
	! detail		! detail

Admin: Cleanup: remove stale Category:Working Draft — page is fully published, category has no functional gate in code

2026-08-09T23:55:21Z

Cleanup: remove stale Category:Working Draft — page is fully published, category has no functional gate in code

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:55, 9 August 2026
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	[[Category:Day-Date]]		[[Category:Day-Date]]
	~~[[Category:Working Draft]]~~

Admin: Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

2026-08-09T21:12:25Z

Text audit: voice, clarity, source links

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:12, 9 August 2026
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	\|titlemode=replace		\|titlemode=replace
	}}		}}
	<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] → '''218206'''</small>		<small>[[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date]] -> '''218206'''</small>

	The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, the 41mm President made from 2008 to 2015 and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President." Platinum is the metal Rolex reserves its ice-blue dial for, and the 218206 wears it~~: a glacier-blue dial~~, a smooth platinum bezel and the platinum President bracelet, on the larger 41mm case and the caliber 3156. It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though the 41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to 40mm in 2015.		The 218206 is the platinum Day-Date II, the 41mm President made from 2008 to 2015 and the watch most collectors picture as the "President's President." Platinum is the metal Rolex reserves its ice-blue dial for, and the 218206 wears it, with a smooth platinum bezel and the platinum President bracelet on the larger 41mm case and the caliber 3156. It is the Day-Date II in its most coveted form, even though the 41mm size that defines the generation proved divisive enough that Rolex stepped back to 40mm in 2015.

	[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|260px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 ice-blue dial\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 hero.webp\|thumb\|right\|260px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 ice-blue dial\|Rolex Day-Date II 218206 in platinum — the ice-blue dial Rolex reserves for platinum, on the 41mm case and platinum President bracelet.]]
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	==Where it sits in the line==		==Where it sits in the line==

	The 218206 is the platinum member of the Day-Date II, the generation that scaled the President to 41mm from 2008 to 2015. It ~~is the only Day-Date II to wear the ice-blue dial, because Rolex reserves that colour for platinum across the whole catalogue. It sits~~ in a platinum lineage of its own: the 5-digit [[Reference:18208\|18208]]-era ~~platinum 18206 and~~ the ~~6-digit~~ 118206~~, both 36mm, then the~~ 41mm ~~218206~~, ~~then~~ the 40mm 228206 that ~~followed~~ it. The yellow-gold Day-Date II is the [[Reference:218238\|218238]], with white gold the 218239, Everose the 218235, and factory diamond bezels on the gold 218348 and 218349. ~~The~~ smooth bezel is correct ~~for the era:~~ Rolex did not ~~offer~~ a fluted bezel on a platinum Day-Date until 2023~~, so a fluted 218206 does not exist~~.		The 218206 is the platinum member of the Day-Date II, the generation that scaled the President to 41mm from 2008 to 2015. It stands in a platinum lineage of its own, running from the 36mm 18206 of the 5-digit [[Reference:18208\|18208]] era through the 36mm 118206 to this 41mm reference, and on to the 40mm 228206 that replaced it. The yellow-gold Day-Date II is the [[Reference:218238\|218238]], with white gold the 218239, Everose the 218235, and factory diamond bezels on the gold 218348 and 218349. Only a smooth bezel is correct here, since Rolex did not put a fluted bezel on a platinum Day-Date until 2023.

	==Production outline==		==Production outline==

	The 218206 ran for the Day-Date II's full 2008–2015 life. The 41mm case was the point of the generation and also its problem~~: it~~ gave the President more wrist presence than it had ever had, ~~but it strayed from~~ the 36mm formula that defined the line, and the Day-Date II ~~had~~ the shortest run of any modern Day-Date before ~~Rolex replaced it with~~ the 40mm Day-Date 40 in 2015. Within the platinum reference, the ice-blue dial arrived partway through the run, by most accounts around 2013. Rolex has never documented the change. No production figure has surfaced; the platinum DD-II is a low-volume reference within an already short-lived generation.		The 218206 ran for the Day-Date II's full 2008–2015 life. The 41mm case was the point of the generation and also its problem. It gave the President more wrist presence than it had ever had, at the cost of the 36mm formula that defined the line, and the Day-Date II ended up with the shortest run of any modern Day-Date before the 40mm Day-Date 40 replaced it in 2015. Within the platinum reference, the ice-blue dial arrived partway through the run, by most accounts around 2013. Rolex has never documented the change. No production figure has surfaced; the platinum DD-II is a low-volume reference within an already short-lived generation.

	==Movement notes==		==Movement notes==

	The 218206 runs the caliber 3156, the 41mm derivative of the caliber 3155: 31 jewels, 28,800 vph, a roughly 48-hour reserve, double quickset for day and date, and COSC certification, with the Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock protection of the period. It is the same movement as the gold [[Reference:218238\|218238]]; the ~~platinum~~ case and ~~ice-blue~~ dial ~~are what set the 218206 apart, not the calibre~~. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage, and the [[Reference:218238\|218238]] entry covers the 3156 in detail.		The 218206 runs the caliber 3156, the 41mm derivative of the caliber 3155: 31 jewels, 28,800 vph, a roughly 48-hour reserve, double quickset for day and date, and COSC certification, with the Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock protection of the period. It is the same movement as the gold [[Reference:218238\|218238]], so what separates the two is the case metal and the dial. The [[Reference:Movements]] page holds the caliber lineage, and the [[Reference:218238\|218238]] entry covers the 3156 in detail.

	==Dial map==		==Dial map==
	[[File:Ref 218206 roman.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 218206 ice-blue concentric Roman dial\|The ice-blue concentric-guilloché Roman dial, the most recognised of the platinum 218206 layouts.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 roman.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex 218206 ice-blue concentric Roman dial\|The ice-blue concentric-guilloché Roman dial, the most recognised of the platinum 218206 layouts.]]

			Ice-blue, the glacier-blue tone Rolex applies only to platinum, is the 218206's signature and the reason the reference is collected. It comes in a concentric-guilloché Roman layout, an Arabic-numeral layout, and diamond-set versions. Rhodium and grey, black with Arabic numerals, black diamond and white Roman were all catalogued as well, but the ice-blue is the one that reads as platinum on sight, and the platinum-and-ice-blue pairing is what earns the watch its "President's President" tag. The deep dial taxonomy that spans the President line sits on the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry.
	Ice-blue, the glacier-blue tone Rolex applies only to platinum, is the 218206's signature and the reason the reference is collected. It ~~appears~~ in ~~several layouts: the~~ concentric-guilloché Roman ~~dial~~, ~~the~~ Arabic-numeral ~~dial~~, and diamond-set versions. ~~The reference was also offered in rhodium~~ and grey, black with Arabic numerals, black diamond and white Roman, but the ice-blue is the one that reads as platinum on sight~~. Because ice~~-~~blue is platinum~~-~~exclusive, an~~ ice-blue ~~dial~~ is ~~itself a marker of~~ the ~~metal~~. The deep dial taxonomy that spans the President line sits on the [[Reference:1803\|1803]] entry~~; on the 218206 the ice-blue dial is the whole point~~.

	==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==		==Case, bezel, crystal, and crown==

	The case is 41mm in 950 platinum, with a sapphire crystal and a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bezel is the smooth, gently domed platinum bezel; the fluting that the gold and Everose Day-Date II references carried was not offered on the platinum in this generation, and the platinum fluted bezel did not arrive until 2023. The 41mm proportions give the 218206 markedly more wrist presence than a 36mm President~~, the defining trait of the Day-Date II and the one collectors are most divided on~~.		The case is 41mm in 950 platinum, with a sapphire crystal and a Twinlock screw-down crown. The bezel is the smooth, gently domed platinum bezel; the fluting that the gold and Everose Day-Date II references carried was not offered on the platinum in this generation, and the platinum fluted bezel did not arrive until 2023. The 41mm proportions give the 218206 markedly more wrist presence than a 36mm President.

	==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==		==Bracelets, end links, and clasps==
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	==Special branches==		==Special branches==

	~~===Ice-blue, the platinum signature===~~

	Ice-blue is the colour Rolex gives only to platinum, and the 218206 is the only Day-Date II that wears it. That exclusivity is the reference's identity: the dial announces the metal, and the platinum-plus-ice-blue combination is what earns the watch the "President's President" tag. The concentric-guilloché Roman dial is the most recognised of the ice-blue layouts.

	===The Royal Khanjar===		===The Royal Khanjar===
	[[File:Ref 218206 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 Royal Khanjar with ice-blue diamond-set dial\|The diamond-set "Royal Khanjar" 218206, an Oman royal commission carrying the Khanjar engraved on the caseback — the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition.]]		[[File:Ref 218206 khanjar.webp\|thumb\|right\|250px\|alt=Platinum Rolex Day-Date II 218206 Royal Khanjar with ice-blue diamond-set dial\|The diamond-set "Royal Khanjar" 218206, an Oman royal commission carrying the Khanjar engraved on the caseback — the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition.]]


	A platinum, diamond-set 218206 with an ice-blue dial, delivered to the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman around 2012, sits at the top of the reference. Sotheby's catalogued it with the royal Khanjar emblem engraved on the caseback, placing the 218206 at the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition that runs back through the platinum [[Reference:1831\|1831]] and the 6612B "Lone Star."		A platinum, diamond-set 218206 with an ice-blue dial, delivered to the Diwan of the Royal Court in Oman around 2012, sits at the top of the reference. Sotheby's catalogued it with the royal Khanjar emblem engraved on the caseback, placing the 218206 at the modern end of the Gulf-commission tradition that runs back through the platinum [[Reference:1831\|1831]] and the 6612B "Lone Star."
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	==Auction record==		==Auction record==

	The 218206 trades as a platinum modern classic, and the special commissions sit above the standard ice-blue examples. Sotheby's catalogued the diamond-set Royal Khanjar 218206 in 2025 with the result not publicly disclosed. Antiquorum sold a standard platinum ice-blue example in Geneva in 2025 for CHF 45,000, and Bonhams an ice-blue Arabic example in London the same year for £32,000. ~~The~~ standard platinum ice-blue 218206 sits ~~roughly~~ in the high-forties to mid-sixties of thousands of dollars ~~on the secondary market,~~ clearly above the gold 218238 on metal value and the ice-blue cachet, and generally below the 40mm ~~Day-Date 40~~ platinum 228206 that followed it, the size the market preferred. The 41mm ~~proportions are~~ the reference's main drag on price; the ~~genuine~~ premium concentrates on the commissioned and diamond-set examples ~~rather than standard production~~.		The 218206 trades as a platinum modern classic, and the special commissions sit above the standard ice-blue examples. Sotheby's catalogued the diamond-set Royal Khanjar 218206 in 2025 with the result not publicly disclosed. Antiquorum sold a standard platinum ice-blue example in Geneva in 2025 for CHF 45,000, and Bonhams an ice-blue Arabic example in London the same year for £32,000. On the secondary market a standard platinum ice-blue 218206 sits in the high forties to mid sixties of thousands of dollars. That is clearly above the gold 218238, on metal value and on the ice-blue cachet, and generally below the 40mm platinum 228206 that followed it in the size the market preferred. The 41mm case is the reference's main drag on price, and the real premium concentrates on the commissioned and diamond-set examples.

	{\| class="wikitable"		{\| class="wikitable"
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	\| Sotheby's		\| Sotheby's
	\| platinum "Royal Khanjar", diamond-set, ice-blue, Oman, c.2012		\| platinum "Royal Khanjar", diamond-set, ice-blue, Oman, c.2012
	\| published ~~lot reference~~		\| result not published
	\|-		\|-
	\| 2025		\| 2025
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	\| £32,000		\| £32,000
	\|}		\|}


	== Related references ==		== Related references ==

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	See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].		See also the [[Reference:day-date\|Day-Date family index]], [[Reference:Movements\|movement reference]], [[Reference:Bracelets\|bracelet & clasp guide]], and [[Reference:Serial-numbers\|serial numbers by year]].

	==Sources==		== Sources ==

	* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra		* ''The Vintage Rolex Field Manual'' — Colin A. White, Morning Tundra

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