# REVIEW: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 White Dial (116000)



## aesguerra (Apr 24, 2015)

*TEN DAYS ON THE WRIST - THE OYSTER PERPETUAL 36MM WHITE DIAL*









Up to recently, I have never had a thing for Rolex watches. I didn't HATE em; they just weren't my cup of tea. Between the heavy polishing, the fluted bezels, and the cyclops date, they just struck me as being too fancy for this jeans n t-shirt kind of guy. The sole exception for me would've been the Oyster Perpetuals, but the colorful dial options that were then available didn't exactly suit my decidedly conservative tastes.

Oh, there was also the stainless steel Daytona, and... well, I'm an impatient kind of guy, not suited to years of waiting. Enough said.

Then came 2018, and the OPs were released with dials in the tradition white and black dials! It was the former that got me excited, and as both were selling like hotcakes, I moved on one in the 36mm variety as soon as I can. Ten days later, this guy is happily drinking the Rolex Kool Aid.

*It Is What It Is*
36mm across the case, close to 44mm from lug to lug (45.5mm if including the end links), and 11.6mm thick, the OP36 is categorized as a midsized watch in the Rolex arsenal. Boxy in appearance, the case hearkens back to the to the original days, and you can really see the resemblance to the original Oysters and Oyster Perpetuals cases of yesteryear. It comes with the Oyster Bracelet with the standard Oysterclasp (no EZ Link available), and is powered by the Rolex 3130 in house movement (essentially the dateless version of the venerable 3135), with a power reserve of 48 hours and a Superlative Chronometer Standard accuracy rating of +2/-2 secs. Altogether, it weighs in at approx 124g.








_Unmistakably Oyster in appearance._

The case and bracelet share a common finishing, with the tops and bottoms brushed and the sides polished to a gleaming shine. The polished finish is also applied to the bezel. I don't know if my eyes are playing tricks on me or not, but the claims of 904L steel holding a polished finish better than 316L DOES seem to hold true. Rolex makes a huge deal about being the only company to use this more corrosion resistant metal; well, it appears to pay off. It literally is like looking at a mirror, and not looking at something that has a mirror-like finish.








_The Oysterclasp - perhaps the best clasp of its kind out there._

But it is the WHITE DIAL that brought you to this review; A LOT of interest was generated when this dial was released to the world this year, bringing whispers of a new alternate to the much loved (and heavily wished for new release of the) Polar Explorer. More of an eggshell shade of that color, the white dial of the 2018 OP is less harsh a shade of white than the garden variety ones that you'll find on other white dial Rolexes. It's more a soft muted glowing shade of white, somewhat akin to the difference between a 40w light bulb vs a 100w one. Compare this dial on the OP with one on say a DJ and you'll immediately noticed the change.








_Clean, functional, with a splash of sophistication - now on a white (and black) canvas!_

Rolex appears to have been accomplished by infusing a bit of silver in the dial to tone the whiteness down. What this results in is a white dial that retains the dynamic nature of the standard white dial, but in a softer more muted way. It plays with the ambient light to where standard indoor lighting and direct outdoor lighting brings out the white in the dial, while indirect lighting tends to allow more of the silver to show. It's kind of a two-for-one special, allowing you to enjoy both the white dial and the silver dial simultaneously.








_Indoor lighting vs indirect outdoor - the OP36 plays chameleon.
_
White gold hands, indices, and the 12 o'clock Coronet (the only precious metal used on the watch) compliment the dial greatly. Some people take issue withe the use of double indices at the 3-6-9 while the rest of them are single; I'm not one of them. Sure, the use of all-single indices (like on the OP39 and OP34) would've been nice, but the double-indices give the OP36 its own unique charm, with a hint of sportiness of the Explorer, but without crossing into that watch's territory by using a 3-6-9. Instead, 5-10-15-etc on the minute track further give the OP36 more of its own identity. It's like it's KIND OF sporty, but not.

That leads me into the thing that most people not in the know of Rolex might (and in my case HAVE) observed - it's the LEAST Rolex'y (my coworkers term haha) Rolex they've ever seen. True, it lacks the flash and panache of it's more expensive siblings, almost approaching somewhat austere to some eyes. Yet the OP36 and those like it are unarguably every bit a Rolex as any other in the catalog, not only excellent watches in their own right, but also serving as the backbone that almost every other one of their watches are built upon - there's a reason the words "Oyster Perpetual" precede the model names "Submariner", SkyDweller", "GMT", etc. It's got the quality build, the automatic movement, and the waterproof case, the very characteristics that virtually ever other Hans Wilsdorf timepiece has had since 1931. This watch has three things to say, and only three things - "I'm here to tell the time, I'll wind myself as long as you wear me, and don't worry about taking me into the water." Little more, nothing less.

Legibility is never in question, which is always a hallmark of a great watch design. The hands and indices may appear to be darker than the dial to which they are affixed or at times brighter, depending on what the lighting conditions are, but the contrast in anything but dark conditions is ever present. NOTE - reviews of the 2018 Oyster Perpetual see-saw between the lume that is applied to the indices and hands as being Chromolight OR Superluminova - I can confirm that it is the latter. When the darkness settles in, expect a green glow that is on par with expectation of that product.

*How It Wears *
How does the OP36 wear? Putting it succinctly, BEAUTIFULLY! With a 16cm / 6.3in wrist, I find that the weight is well distributed, and with the flat, low profiled caseback, it rarely feels as obtrusive as my other watches. In fact, I have on occasion found myself forgetting it's even there!








_Whether your wrists are like mine or you just want the vintage proportions, the OP36 delivers an excellent fit!_

It lends itself well to casual wear, although I will say that I find it better suited to a polo shirt and jeans rather than t-shirt and jeans (my opinion, YMMV). The Oyster bracelet seems to live up to its hype, and the Oyster Clasp is superb in security and ease of operation. The wear-factor alone has made it the equal of my FOIS for favorite timepiece.

Shsssh! Just don't tell my FOIS I said that. Haha

*Conclusion*
The Oyster Perpetual 36 w/White Dial is a solid watch in it's own right, especially for the traditionalist with an eye for the more period sized cases or those wanting a more conservative timepiece. It fulfills its mission admirably with its reliable automatic movement providing solid day long accuracy and a comfort factor that to me is second to none, yet does so discreetly, flying under the Rolex radar so well that even a Rolex owner might miss it.

Hope this helps those considering this piece.

Cheers,

Alex


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## yankeexpress (Apr 7, 2013)

But is it worth the price?


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## aesguerra (Apr 24, 2015)

yankeexpress said:


> But is it worth the price?


Personally, I think it is. Obviously, getting a deal is a plus, but I didn't mind paying MSRP plus tax. 🙂


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## Horology House (Aug 28, 2018)

Nice mate, I really want to take a look at the 36. I compiled a review of the 39mm, but had some questions about this size vs the 36. 
Looks brilliant on your wrist.


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## aesguerra (Apr 24, 2015)

Horology House said:


> Nice mate, I really want to take a look at the 36. I compiled a review of the 39mm, but had some questions about this size vs the 36.
> Looks brilliant on your wrist.


Thanks!!! Looking forward to reading your own review on the 39.


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## Horrendous (Mar 8, 2018)

Fantastic review, thanks for sharing! Just bought my dad the black dial OP39 for his retirement and he is in love with the subtleness of it. Very much under the radar, yet spectacular nonetheless. I was torn between that beautiful white dial and the black dial, but ended up going black.


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## xherion (Jun 29, 2017)

Excellent review and pictures.

I myself was drawn to the white OP39, the eggshell white is nicer and warmer than other Rolex whites.


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## mt_timepieces (Sep 11, 2018)

OP is an excellent watch. My wife has a 36, she couldn't be happier! Excellent write up.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using Tapatalk


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## Toothbras (Apr 19, 2010)

Great write up Alex, glad you're loving it. My friend has the 39 and I agree about how the dial seems to shift between white to silver depending on lighting. Here's me wearing his 39 for a quick shot for comparison


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## HmJ_FR (May 19, 2017)

That's a nice review, congrats


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## Nippon Rookie (Mar 11, 2016)

I'm not much of a Rolex fan, but that watch looks very good on you.


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## fracture. (Aug 11, 2018)

Great review, great watch. One of the very few models I like from Rolex, but it’s also one the most beautiful watches out there for me. Will be buying this one for sure by the end of the year, but probably the 39mm version.


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## aesguerra (Apr 24, 2015)

Horrendous said:


> Fantastic review, thanks for sharing! Just bought my dad the black dial OP39 for his retirement and he is in love with the subtleness of it. Very much under the radar, yet spectacular nonetheless. I was torn between that beautiful white dial and the black dial, but ended up going black.


I considered the black dial for some time, but the white one was a fun departure in my collection where most of them have black dials anyways.  Of course, I do here a distant voice telling me to go grab one so that I can have both my Yin and my Yang. haha


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## Horrendous (Mar 8, 2018)

aesguerra said:


> I considered the black dial for some time, but the white one was a fun departure in my collection where most of them have black dials anyways.  Of course, I do here a distant voice telling me to go grab one so that I can have both my Yin and my Yang. haha


Ha, that sounds like the obvious solution to me! You must restore balance to your oyster collection.


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## sci (Aug 6, 2009)

Thank you for the nice review. What you wrote in the beginning sounded like me - generally not a Rolex fan, but I like the Oyster and Daytona. I had the dilemma - OP 39 vs Tangente 38 and today ended up with the Tangente, but still appreciate this model.


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## Londongirl (Sep 30, 2018)

I’m a bit Old School when it comes to inner bezel engraving, but it’s undeniably a handsome piece.


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## B-Bop (Sep 15, 2017)

aesguerra said:


> How does the OP36 wear? Putting it succinctly, BEAUTIFULLY! With a 16cm / 6.3in wrist, I find that the weight is well distributed...
> 
> Hope this helps those considering this piece.


Hi there,
Thanks for the review, good work.
I owned a DJ36 black, flipped, now looking to add an OP34 or 36 (both 2018s), likely black-faced. White looks incredible too, prob not quite for me.
One Q - did you try on the 34mm?
Cheers!


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## ronkatct (Sep 27, 2018)

Nice. It looks great with the white dial on you. It is very striking and looks well on your wrist. There is something about the simplicity about an Oyster Perpetual with only the hour, minute, and second. It is a minimalist watch, and gorgeous. 


I did try an Oyster Perpetual 36 and 39, and the DateJust 36 and 41. I deciding between the OP and the DJ and went with the Datejust 41 for the newer 3235 movement with 70 hour reserve. I went with Black.


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## Arte Technica (Jan 3, 2018)

nice read. loved the banner


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## Texas82 (Oct 24, 2018)

Awesome write up/review. That’s one great looking piece. I myself just made a recent acquisition the 116621 and me just say- I’m completely utterly in love with it!!!


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## jchenge (May 29, 2017)

Ok this has officially become my next piece to acquire. Or maybe the 114200 34mm version of the 2018 white dial... decision decision...


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## DripCassanova (Oct 15, 2018)

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is so simple and elegant


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## JDMLS430 (Aug 16, 2018)

Can't go wrong with a Rolex. Good choice


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## kdtri1 (May 22, 2018)

Great review! Was never into Rolex or the OP model in particular but its really grown on me.


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## dwczinmb (May 28, 2018)

Fantastic review and beautiful pictures!

I absolutely love the double indices at 3-6-9 and the 5-10-15 etc. minute track. I have a milestone coming up that I plan to celebrate with a watch and this just may end up being my first Rolex instead of the DJ. 

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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## benny (May 24, 2008)

Nice review, thinking of this one as my first watch purchase in a long time.


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## dealer-1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Beautiful Pictures, Class watch , very clean Dial


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## Edmen Tam (Jan 30, 2019)

Toothbras said:


> Great write up Alex, glad you're loving it. My friend has the 39 and I agree about how the dial seems to shift between white to silver depending on lighting. Here's me wearing his 39 for a quick shot for comparison


What's the size of your wrist? 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Renaissance Reddy (Dec 22, 2012)

Honestly, one of the best watches rolex makes.


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## carlosimery (May 13, 2019)

This one has never been my favorite,... but I can see how someone who is conservative may like it.


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## samanderson (Aug 16, 2011)

sci said:


> Thank you for the nice review. What you wrote in the beginning sounded like me - generally not a Rolex fan, but I like the Oyster and Daytona. I had the dilemma - OP 39 vs Tangente 38 and today ended up with the Tangente, but still appreciate this model.


Hey, you've got good taste!

I've had the Tangente Date for a couple of years now and I love it. I've got the 39mm OP white a couple of months ago and it has hardly come off my wrist. Both a terrific watches, and I'm stoked to be lucky enough to have both.


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## jeeeeefff (Sep 6, 2018)

The OP 36 is the quintessential Rolex. I love my 3-6-9 blue dial, but would very gladly wear the new white and black dials as well. I wish the Olive dial existed in the 36mm version.


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## krh7 (Apr 22, 2017)

jeeeeefff said:


> The OP 36 is the quintessential Rolex. I love my 3-6-9 blue dial, but would very gladly wear the new white and black dials as well. I wish the Olive dial existed in the 36mm version.


i agree. most say the explorer, but the applied rolex crown on these is so nice.


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## krh7 (Apr 22, 2017)

carlosimery said:


> This one has never been my favorite,... but I can see how someone who is conservative may like it.


it does lack a wow factor, but you could say that about most datejusts too.


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