{"id":3940,"date":"2019-10-11T12:41:50","date_gmt":"2019-10-11T12:41:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/TheWatchClub\/?p=3940"},"modified":"2022-10-13T08:03:31","modified_gmt":"2022-10-13T08:03:31","slug":"rolex-cellini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/thewatchclub\/2019\/10\/11\/rolex-cellini\/","title":{"rendered":"Rolex Cellini: Getting to Know the Underrated Rolex"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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Rolex is very well-known for their tool watches, and when the occasion calls for something more formal, Rolex fans look to the Datejust or Day-Date as their go-to watch.<\/p>\n

The Rolex Cellini<\/a>, the brand\u2019s dedicated line of dress watches, tends to go unnoticed. With a long history, diverse assortment of designs, and eventual discontinuation, the Rolex Cellini<\/a> collection always took a backseat to the brand\u2019s well-defined series of watches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Elegant, storied, and creative, there\u2019s a lot to be appreciated in the Rolex Cellini<\/a>. Take a closer look at the line-up and find out why you shouldn\u2019t sleep on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Beginnings of the Rolex Cellini<\/a> Collection<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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The Rolex Cellini<\/a> line has been part of the brand\u2019s portfolio since its earliest days, but has gone largely unnoticed. It was in the 1960s that Rolex began to market the Cellini as a purpose-built line of elegant dress watches.<\/p>\n

In the decade prior, the brand\u2019s Director for Marketing, Rene-Paul Jeanneret, began to craft the ideal mindset of the Rolex collector \u2013 one who gets a Rolex for specific purposes, instead of buying just one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Rolex Cellini<\/a> watches, flanking the Vacheron Constantin<\/a> Patrimony.
\nThe Cellini was created as a dedicated line of formal dress watches.<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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As tool and sport watches like the Rolex Submariner<\/a>, GMT-Master, and Explorer became successful in the market, it was time to offer a dedicated line of \u201ctuxedo\u201d dress watches: the Rolex Cellini.<\/a><\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Wide Assortment of Designs<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Unlike Rolex\u2019s series of watches, such as the Daytona and the Datejust, the Rolex Cellini<\/a> was a catch-all for the dress watches of the brand. It didn\u2019t have a single aesthetic and this resulted in a very wide range of designs.<\/p>\n

In the 1960s, the Rolex Cellini<\/a> had bold, angular, and unusually-shaped designs like the King Midas; while the 1970s inspired decidedly vintage, cushion shaped watches like the Cellini Danaos.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Rolex Cellini<\/a> Danaos watches in stainless steel and 18k rose gold<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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In the following decades,\u00a0there were a range of designs that also took inspiration from Rolex\u2019s formative years. The Cestello and Cellini Classic for example, had smaller cases in the mid-30s that are reminiscent of the old Bubbleback designs.<\/p>\n

In the new millennium, Rolex also re-introduced the unorthodox Rolex Cellini<\/a> Prince. A modern iteration of the\u00a01928 design, the unique, rectangular watch\u00a0really stood out from the brand\u2019s line-up of Oyster watches<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Rolex Cellini Prince<\/a> in 18k yellow gold<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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While well-made and impeccably crafted, these changes gave the Rolex Cellini<\/a> a confusing multitude of designs. It lagged behind the rest of Rolex\u2019s well-defined collections and was eventually discontinued.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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The Modern Rolex Cellini<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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In 2014, the Rolex Cellini<\/a> line came back in a big way – this time, with a well-defined aesthetic. It’s still different from the rest of the Rolex portfolio, but its identity is clear: it’s the dress watch by Rolex, for Rolex lovers.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s contemporary line of Rolex Cellini<\/a> watches are now composed of four watches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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from left: Rolex Cellini Date<\/a> and Rolex Cellini<\/a> Dual Time in 18k Everose Gold<\/em><\/h5>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Each have the same curved 39mm case that is either crafted in 18k white gold, or Rolex\u2019s proprietary Everose gold. The models either have a simple black lacquered dial or an intricate guilloch\u00e9 dial with the \u2018rayon flamm\u00e9 de la gloire\u2019 motif.<\/p>\n

Three versions were launched first:<\/p>\n