The Perpetual 1908 launched by Rolex this year (2023) is considered the “successor” of Cellini. From the appearance point of view, the two series are all formal watches, using precious metal cases and leather straps. Since the release of the Perpetual 1908, Rolex has quietly removed the Cellini model from its official website, confirming its status as a “successor.” The new series attracts attention because of the appearance design, and the Cal.7140 self-winding movement it is equipped with makes its debut. This movement’s meaning is far more critical than the watch itself. Fake rolex watches.
Perpetual model 1908 (Model: m52508-0006)
A product series named after a year must have a deeper commemorative meaning. For example, Girard-Perregaux’s “1966” series aims to pay tribute to the first high-frequency automatic movement, Gyromatic HF, launched in 1966. As a brother brand of Rolex, Tudor’s “1926” series also pays tribute to the Oyster case technology invented and patented in 1926 and is still in use today. The year 1908 was of great significance to Rolex. This year, brand founder Hans Wilsdorf registered the word “ROLEX” as a trademark. The name is named after the year of its founding. On the one hand, it indicates that the Perpetual 1908 will be integrated into the classic design of the same period. On the other hand, it also reflects the brand’s high hopes for the new series by remembering its original intention.
Disk details and pointer shapes
The Perpetual 1908 is considered the successor of Cellini because the two have similar product positioning and the same parameters, such as the 39 mm diameter. It can be said to be Cellini’s “spiritual continuation.” The only difference between the two series is the dial design: the Perpetual 1908 model uses a small three-hand layout, the hour markers at 3, 9, and 12 o’clock are Arabic numerals, and a hollow ring is added to the front of the hour-hand, which looks like an enlarged version of the “Breguet needle.” Some players also call it the hollowed-out “Mercedes Needle”. In any case, this pointer shape appears for the first time in a new Rolex watch. For players familiar with classic elements, it requires an adaptation process.
Crown
At the same time, the Perpetual 1908 model has a smaller crown than Cellini, making the visual appearance more refined. Due to the crown’s non-screw-in (lock handle) design, the crown logo can be rotated to any angle according to preference, which has been recognized by some “obsessive-compulsive disorder” watch friends.
18K gold oscillating weight
In the past, Rolex watches mainly used solid bottom covers, making it difficult for players to see the movement. But this year, the situation is different. The Perpetual 1908 and the new Cosmograph Daytona use a transparent bottom cover to present the movement structure and operating conditions in front of players. Because of this, the Caliber 7140 movement has put a lot of effort into its appearance. Best replica watches.
Polished in Geneva
As you can see, the automatic rotor is made of 18K gold, which is in sharp contrast to Rolex’s many previous “steel rotor” movements. The movement plywood is decorated with a unique Geneva pattern, with polished grooves between each columnar pattern. The lettering above the splint is filled with gold, and the edges of the gemstone bearings are embellished with gold sleeves. All kinds of details give the Cal.7140 movement a high aesthetic value.
Paraflex shock absorber
Since 2015, Rolex has launched the “Superior Chronometer” certification, whose standards are based on the Swiss Official Chronometer (COSC). Every watch that passes the “Superior Observatory Chronometer” certification must first be certified by COSC. The “Excellent Observatory Chronometer” stipulates that the daily error is within plus or minus 2 seconds, and it also requires the watch’s waterproof performance and power reserve, which far exceeds the COSC standard of “minus 4 plus 6”.
Golden sleeve
Judging from the parameters, the vibration frequency of the Rolex 7140 self-winding movement is 28,800 times per hour (4 Hz), and the theoretical maximum power reserve is 66 hours. The movement uses Rolex’s patented Chronergy escapement, and the addition of Syloxi silicon hairspring gives it specific anti-magnetic capabilities. Paraflex shock absorbers are exclusive to Rolex movements. The spring metal sheets have been mechanically calculated, and the structure is more precise than standard shock absorbers (Incabloc, KIF, etc.).
Sylox hairspring
In addition to the Syloxi silicon hairspring, the Cal.3230/Cal.3235 movement also has the above configurations, and even some performance (dynamic storage) surpasses the Cal.7140. So why does the brand want to develop such a new movement? The greater significance of the Cal.7140 movement lies in its size advantage: its thickness is only 4.05 mm (including the automatic rotor), which is about 34% smaller than the Cal.3230/Cal.3235 and is more suitable for assembly in a slim watch case.
Case side
We know that the Cellini series previously had a moon phase watch equipped with the Cal. 3195 self-winding movement based on the 31 series architecture. Although the brand deliberately controlled the thickness, the entire watch (sapphire crystal, case, and bottom cover) is still challenging to describe as “slim.” The Cal.7140 movement, only 4.05 mm thick, can keep the overall thickness within a considerable range even with various complex functional modules. This is an advantage that Rolex movements did not have in the past. Therefore, it is not ruled out that the brand will expand the use scope of the Cal.7140 movement in the future or launch more complex function models based on this movement.
Movement: Automatic
Case Thickness: 15mm
Brand: Rolex
Series: Cellini
Band Color: Black/Brown
Model: m50529-0006
Gender: Men’s