When Rolex finally introduced the Oysterquartz model in 1977, its true uniqueness lay in its in-house movement. Caliber 5035 was installed in the quartz-powered Datejust watch along with caliber 5055, which was used to drive the equivalent Oysterquartz Day-Date. Rolex did not want to completely reinvent the wheel, so the two movements share some of the same components found in the new generation of traditional mechanical movements that power the recently released automatic replica watches.
Interestingly, the underlying design of the replica Rolex quartz mechanism is largely based on the concept of a traditional escapement, with the key exceptions being the electronics and the impulse motor. Yet, the Rolex quartz movement is leaps and bounds better than anything a traditional mechanical movement can achieve in terms of timekeeping performance. Compared to the Beta-21, Rolex uses an oscillator that is four times faster and is equipped with a thermistor, making it one of the first-ever analog thermally compensated movements. The quartz technology combined with Rolex’s quest for perfection makes these watches so precise that they easily pass the necessary tests for COSC chronometer certification.
The Oysterquartz Datejust is available in three models: stainless steel, Rolesor stainless steel, and yellow gold, and Rolesor stainless steel and white gold. Part of the larger Datejust collection, the Oysterquartz Datejust also boasts some of the model’s most iconic features, such as the date window at 3 o’clock enlarged by a Cyclops lens, albeit with a major aesthetic overhaul.
A unique feature of the Oysterquartz movements is that they tick very loudly, especially when compared to their mechanical movement-driven siblings. You will also notice that the second’s hand beats in 1-second increments, a telltale sign of a quartz watch, rather than sweeping around the dial like the second’s hand of a traditional mechanical watch.