Rolex Day-Date 40 · Reference 228238
Rolex Day-Date 40 228238
Known as Day-Date 40 President (yellow gold)
The 228238 is the 18kt yellow gold Day-Date 40 on the President bracelet, the reference that put the flagship back in the right proportions. Rolex launched it at Baselworld 2015 to replace the oversized 41mm Day-Date II, trimming the case to 40mm, slimming the bezel, and narrowing the lugs so the watch sits flat and dresses cleanly under a cuff. More important to anyone who actually collects these: the 228238 was the debut of the caliber 3255, the first of Rolex's new-generation movements with the patented Chronergy escapement and a 70-hour power reserve. So this is the yellow gold President you want if you care about the modern movement and the classic case size in one watch. It runs the full spread of factory dials, from champagne with baton indexes to Roman-numeral configurations to diamond and baguette-set dials, and every one of them wears the same solid gold case and President bracelet.
Produced: 2015 to present. Introduced at Baselworld 2015 as the replacement for the 41mm Day-Date II (218238) and the outgoing 36mm 118238, and still in the current Rolex catalog.
In stock at Ultimate Diamond
3 pieces on the counter right now.
Specifications
- Case Material
- 18kt yellow gold
- Case Diameter
- 40mm
- Bezel
- Fluted 18kt yellow gold
- Movement
- Rolex caliber 3255, self-winding mechanical, Manufacture Rolex
- Power Reserve
- Approximately 70 hours
- Escapement
- Chronergy escapement, paramagnetic
- Hairspring
- Blue Parachrom, paramagnetic; Paraflex shock absorbers
- Accuracy
- -2/+2 seconds per day after casing (Superlative Chronometer)
- Certification
- Superlative Chronometer, officially certified (COSC plus Rolex in-house certification after casing)
- Water Resistance
- 100 meters / 330 feet
- Crown
- Twinlock screw-down, double waterproofness system
- Crystal
- Scratch-resistant sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date
- Functions
- Instantaneous day (spelled out in aperture at 12) and date, with rapid-setting
- Bracelet
- President, semi-circular three-piece links, 18kt yellow gold
- Clasp
- Concealed folding Crownclasp
Market & Value
Retail on the yellow gold Day-Date 40 sits around $49,600 for a standard dial after the recent price increases, and dial choice drives everything above and below that on the secondary market. Standard configurations in 18kt yellow gold trade roughly $38,000 to $48,000 pre-owned, while sought-after factory dials push higher. The champagne dial is the most liquid and the easiest to move because it is instantly recognizable as a gold President. Roman-numeral dials, particularly the green Roman dial that collectors call the money dial, command a real premium and clean examples with box and papers regularly clear $50,000 and up. Diamond and baguette-set dials from the factory sit in their own tier and are priced on the stones as much as the reference. Full set with box and card matters here more than on a steel sport model, because this is a gift-and-heirloom watch and buyers expect the paperwork.
What to Know Before You Buy
Three things separate a good 228238 from a problem one. First, confirm the caliber and the case size match a real 228238 and not a rehoused older President; the caliber 3255 and the 40mm case are the whole point of this reference, and a 36mm 118238 or a 41mm 218238 is a different watch at a different price. Second, know your dial. Factory dials carry the value, and aftermarket diamond or baguette dials that were set outside Rolex are worth a fraction of a genuine factory diamond dial, so a dial that is not original changes the number dramatically. Third, weigh the gold and check the bracelet stretch; a solid gold President that has been worn hard loosens at the links, and a tired bracelet is a real cost to service. Box, card, and matching serial make this watch far easier to sell later. On the wear side, the 40mm case is the sweet spot for most wrists, noticeably more balanced than the old Day-Date II.
Rolex Rolex Day-Date 40 Encyclopedia
Read the full guide →Buying or selling a 228238?
We buy and sell the 228238 every week at our counter at 19 West 47th Street. We have handled every dial variation of this reference, from plain champagne to factory diamond and baguette dials, so when you bring one in we can tell you fast whether the dial is genuine Rolex, whether the bracelet needs work, and what it is actually worth today on both the buy side and the sell side. If you are selling a yellow gold Day-Date 40, bring it in with the box and card if you have them and we will make you a real offer on the spot. If you are buying, call us or stop by and we will show you what we have in the case and what we can source. Request an offer or come see us in person on 47th Street.