Rolex Day-Date Tridor 18239: The tri-Tone President
The Rolex Day-Date, better known as the “President,” has always been instantly recognizable. It has always been made in precious metals - yellow gold, white gold, rose gold or platinum. Never steel, never two-tone. Or at least, almost never….
History of the rolex tridor
In the late 1980s and through the 1990s, Rolex quietly experimented with something bold: a Day-Date that was neither single-metal nor the typical steel-and-gold mix of the era. This short-lived creation was called the Rolex Day-Date Tridor — and it remains one of the most fascinating and overlooked twists in Rolex’s history.
Instead of following the hugely popular steel-and-gold trend of the 1980s, Rolex decided to reinterpret the idea of a multi-metal case and bracelet, and the result was the Rolex Day-Date Tridor. Crafted using three different types of gold, the Tridor had:
A white gold case;
Yellow gold bezel;
President bracelet featuring:
White gold outer links
A central blend of rose gold, yellow gold, and a stripe of white gold
White gold 36mm Oyster Perpetual case, a fluted yellow gold bezel, and a satin finished president bracelet in all three tones of gold.
The Presidential bracelet was the defining charcteristic of the watch - a seamless blend of gold tones running through the bracelet’s center links. Wha’ts interesting though is that these weren’t separate pieces fitted together - Rolex melded and aligned the metals perfectly, something virtually no other brand has replicated. Audemars Piguet has experimented with blended metals in recent years, but Rolex’s Tridor remains in a league of its own.
The Rolex Tridor President Bracelet seamlessly blends rose, yellow, and white gold in full satin finish.
| Rolex Day-Date 18239 | |
|---|---|
| Case/Bracelet Material | White/Yellow/Rose Gold |
| Bezel Material | Yellow Gold |
| Case Diameter | 36mm |
| Thickness | 12mm |
| Water Resistance | 100M |
| Calibre 3155 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacture | Rolex |
| Movement Type | Automatic |
| Power Reserve | 48 Hours |
| Complications | Day-Date |
| Certifications | COSC, Superlative Chronometer |
Rolex in the 80’s
The Tridor wasn’t just a bracelet trick. It reflected Rolex’s willingness to experiment during the 1980s. This was the same era that saw Stella lacquer dials in various colors, wooden dials, and a general spirit of playfulness before the brand doubled down on its reputation for consistency and conservatism.
With its own in-house foundry, Rolex had the freedom to push the limits of metallurgy. The Tridor was one of the boldest expressions of that capability.
A different type of status symbol
At first glance, the Tridor could be mistaken for a 36mm two-tone Datejust - the kind of watch worn by mid-level executives of the era. But closer inspection revealed this was no ordinary watch. This was a time where the yellow gold presdient bracelet paired with an Oyster Perpetual Day-Date was the ultimate display of power, it was the watch a CEO would wear.
But what of the watch on the owner of the company? How do you one up a gold Rolex Day-Date? Simple, by having one made of three different types of gold. At the time the Tridor was even more expensive than the uniform gold Day-Dates, so it provided a perfect answer to the captain of industry seeking out a Rolex to set them apart from the peasants in middle management.
This was the status symbol of all status symbols: a Day-Date with a level of opulence that only the top boss could pull off. In many ways, it is the most “1980s” Rolex imaginable.
Some models even featured diamond indices with both brilliant- and baguette-cut markers in white gold settings - for that extra bit of bling.
Even at 36mm the Day-Date has a commanding presence on the wrist.
The Rolex Tridor Today
By the early 2000s, Rolex quietly discontinued the Tridor. The Day-Date returned to its traditional offerings in yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, and platinum, across 36mm, the short-lived Day-Date II at 41mm, and today’s 40mm versions. But the Tridor remains a fascinating anomaly: a Rolex that dared to be different, blending craftsmanship, status, and subtle audacity into a single watch.
One of the more surprising details is that Rolex kept the bracelet’s center links satin-brushed rather than polished. This gave the Tridor a more discreet appearance compared to the mirror-shine look we associate with modern luxury. Today, without a contemporary equivalent in Rolex’s catalog, it can even fly under the radar - a secret piece of opulence hiding in plain sight. Ironically, the bold crafstmaship that made it more expensive when it was new, is now the same reason it’s more discreet than a regular President today - to the untrained eye it’s just another two tone Datejust, if you know, you know.
The Rolex Day-Date is one of the most iconic and consistent watches ever made — which makes the Tridor all the more intriguing. It’s not just another dial variation or limited edition. It’s Rolex showing what it could do when it decided to have a little fun with its mastery of metals.
For collectors, the Day-Date Tridor represents a forgotten chapter in Rolex history: bold, unusual, and unmistakably from the era of excess.
