Rolex Day-Date 36 118388
Day-Date → 118388
The 118388 is a 36 mm yellow-gold Day-Date with a diamond-set bezel and diamond-set case lugs. Rolex’s 2011 US price list specifies 52 diamonds in the bezel and 32 across the lugs. Its 118348 entry lists a diamond bezel; the 118388 entry also lists the 32 lug diamonds, which distinguishes the two yellow-gold references in the catalogue.
It belongs to the six-digit Day-Date generation and uses caliber 3155. Christie's dates individual examples to circa 2000 and 2001, and Rolex lists the reference in 2011 and 2012. The final production year remains uncertain.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 118388 |
| family | Day-Date 36, six-digit generation |
| documented by | circa 2000 in a Christie's lot; listed in Rolex's 2011 US price list |
| movement | caliber 3155, automatic, 31 jewels |
| case | 36 mm, 18 ct yellow gold |
| bezel and lugs | 52-diamond bezel; 32-diamond case lugs, per Rolex's 2011 US list |
| crystal | synthetic sapphire, per Rolex's price list |
| bracelet options | President 83208; Oyster 73208 or 73858; diamond-set President 84208 |
| crown and back | screw-down crown and screw back, documented on Christie's circa-2000 example |
Place in the line
The 118388 shares its basic format with the yellow-gold 118348, but the cases are set differently. Rolex's 2011 list specifies a 52-diamond bezel and 32-diamond lugs for the 118388. Its 118348 entry lists the bezel, while the 118388 entry also describes set lugs. The white-gold 118389 has the same 52-diamond bezel and 32-diamond lugs. The platinum 118346 has a 52-diamond bezel; Rolex listed it with a President bracelet.
| reference | metal | documented setting |
|---|---|---|
| 118348 | 18 ct yellow gold | 52-diamond bezel; the 2011 entry describes no lug setting |
| 118388 | 18 ct yellow gold | 52-diamond bezel and 32-diamond lugs |
| Reference:118389 | 18 ct white gold | 52-diamond bezel and 32-diamond lugs |
| 118346 | platinum | 52-diamond bezel |
The plain-bezel yellow-gold reference is Reference:118238. Calling the 118388 simply a set version of the 118238 misses the bezel and lug work, and the catalogued bracelet choices also differ.
Production outline
Christie's dates one 118388 to circa 2000 and another to circa 2001. Rolex's US price list effective May 2011 describes the 36 mm yellow-gold case, its stone counts, caliber, crystal and bracelet choices. A June 2012 Rolex price list repeats the main specification. The latest dated Rolex listing located is from 2012; the final production year remains uncertain.
The 118388 belongs to the 118xxx Day-Date generation. Rolex introduced the next Day-Date 36 generation with caliber 3255 in 2019. Its 2012 list is the latest dated Rolex catalogue entry for the 118388 located here; the reference's final production year remains uncertain.
Movement notes
Rolex listed caliber 3155 as a 31-jewel chronometer movement for the 118388. Christie's independently identifies the 3155 in a circa-2001 example. The movement runs at 28,800 vibrations per hour, has about 48 hours of power reserve, and quicksets both calendar displays. See Reference:Movements for the shared caliber record.
Dial map
Rolex's 2011 list offers the President bracelet with a Jubilee dial set with eight round diamonds and two baguettes. The same list directs buyers to the 118238 entry for the broader additional-cost dial list, so it does not provide a complete 118388 menu.
Auction catalogues document several 118388 dials. Christie's described a circa-2001 green-lacquer dial with green Arabic numerals and a pavé diamond chapter ring. A circa-2000 example had a mother-of-pearl dial set with diamonds and rubies. Christie's catalogued a circa-2005 example with a diamond- and emerald-set dial. These are lot descriptions; they establish those individual configurations, not how often they were ordered or whether every setting remained original.
The 118388 configuration index lists meteorite, Bull's Eye, and green and lavender jade carousel dials. It is an index for further checking, not a Rolex production ledger. The Rolex list directs readers to the 118238 entry for additional-cost dials, so the full 118388 dial menu remains uncertain.
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Green jade carousel dial -
Bull's Eye dial
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
The 2011 Rolex price list gives the 118388 a 36 mm 18 ct yellow-gold case, synthetic sapphire crystal, bezel set with 52 diamonds, and lugs set with 32. The 2012 list gives the same stone counts. These are the clearest checks when distinguishing it from the 118348: both have a diamond bezel, while the 118388 is the model whose lugs are specified as set.
Christie's describes a circa-2000 example with a screw-down crown and screw back. Its catalogue measured that individual case at 36 mm; another Christie's 118388 catalogue gives 35 mm. Rolex's specification is 36 mm, so the 35 mm auction measurement should not be used as the reference size. The catalogue wording does not identify the crown-locking system as Twinlock.
Bracelets, end links, and clasps
Rolex's 2011 list pairs the 118388 with President bracelet 83208 and Oyster bracelets 73208 or 73858. It also lists bracelet 84208 set with 300 diamonds for the 118388 and related models. A June 2012 list again records these bracelet families. The list documents offered combinations; it does not prove which bracelet left the factory on a particular watch.
Christie's circa-2000 and circa-2001 lots show the 118388 on a yellow-gold President bracelet. The 2011 list confirms the Oyster option, so an Oyster-bracelet example is not automatically a mismatch. For any individual watch, check the bracelet reference, end links, clasp and service history. A clasp code dates the bracelet, not the watch head; see Reference:Bracelets.
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Diamond-set President bracelet -
Oyster bracelet
Documented auction examples
| source and date | catalogued details | limit |
|---|---|---|
| Christie's, case P906547, circa 2000 | 36 mm; caliber 3155; mother-of-pearl dial with diamond and ruby setting; President bracelet | Describes one example; the lot page does not establish the broader dial range |
| Christie's, case K596962, circa 2001 | Green lacquer dial, green Arabic numerals, pavé diamond chapter ring; diamond-set bezel and lugs; President bracelet | Christie's gives a 35 mm case measurement, unlike Rolex's 36 mm specification; its sale-room notice clarifies the dial description |
| Christie's, case K589998, circa 2005 | Diamond- and emerald-set dial; 36 mm case; diamond-set President bracelet | Catalogued description only; it does not by itself establish original delivery or later service history |
These lots document individual configurations. Three examples are too few to establish a reference-wide price range or a premium over plain-dial models.
Related references
- Day-Date 118238, yellow gold, fluted bezel
- Day-Date 118348, yellow gold, diamond bezel; the 2011 entry describes no lug setting
- Day-Date 118389, white gold, diamond bezel and set lugs
- Day-Date 118346, platinum, diamond bezel
- Day-Date family index
Gallery
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Green jade carousel dial
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Bull's Eye dial
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Meteorite dial and set lugs -
Diamond-set President bracelet
-
Oyster bracelet
Sources
- Rolex, "Rolex US price list, effective May 10, 2011", Rolex, 2011-05-10
- Rolex Deutschland, "Rolex Germany price list, June 2012", Rolex Deutschland, 2012-06
- Rolex, "Rolex Baselworld 2019 Day-Date 36 presentation", Rolex
- Christie's, "Rolex Day-Date 118388, case K596962, lot 75", Christie's
- Christie's, "Rolex Day-Date 118388, case P906547", Christie's
- Christie's, "Rolex Day-Date 118388, case K589998", Christie's
- Fratello editorial, "Exploring Evergreens: The Rolex Day-Date 18238", Fratello Watches
- WatchBase, "Rolex Day-Date 36 118388 — configuration index", WatchBase