Rolex Perpetual Padellone Brings A Forgotten Icon Back To Life

An elegant new Perpetual revives the spirit of Rolex’s historic “Padellone” with an instantaneous annual calendar, moonphase and the new Calibre 7190.

There are watches in Rolex’s history that became icons, and then there are those that remained quietly fascinating to collectors. The original Reference 8171 belongs firmly to the second category. Introduced in 1949, the triple-calendar moonphase watch was unusually large for its era and eventually became known as the “Padellone”, an Italian nickname meaning “large frying pan”. Now, more than seven decades later, Rolex has brought that unusual chapter of its history back into the modern collection with the new Perpetual Padellone.

The connection to the original is immediately apparent in the way information is arranged on the dial. Like the 8171, the new Padellone places a date scale around the perimeter, with a central pointer hand indicating the current date, while two apertures at 12 o’clock display the day and month. At 6 o’clock, a moonphase display completes the calendar layout. The concept is familiar, but the execution is unmistakably contemporary, combining the proportions and refinement of the Perpetual collection with a completely new movement architecture.

A Modern Interpretation Of The Padellone

The original Reference 8171 was produced between 1949 and 1953 and is estimated to have been made in roughly 1,000 to 1,200 examples. Its 38mm case was considered remarkably large at the time, contributing to the nickname that would eventually become part of its identity. Its combination of triple calendar and moonphase also made it one of only two Rolex watches of the period to offer this configuration, alongside the Reference 6062.

The new Perpetual Padellone remains close to those proportions, measuring 39mm in diameter, but its construction belongs entirely to the present. The case is available in 18 ct Everose gold or 950 platinum and features a domed, subtly fluted bezel, gently chamfered lugs and a domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective treatment. Correctors are integrated into the case sides for the calendar functions, while the transparent caseback provides a view of the new movement. Water resistance is rated at 50 metres.

The dial is deliberately restrained, allowing the complexity of the calendar to remain legible rather than overwhelming the design. Most of its surface receives a grained finish, framed by a fine satin finish around the outer edge. A blue central hand, finished with a crescent moon at its tip, travels around the peripheral date scale, while the day and month appear through the two apertures at 12 o’clock. The result has a distinctly classical character, but with enough contrast and detail to give the watch a contemporary identity.

A Moonphase Made From Meteorite

The moonphase at 6 o’clock is one of the most poetic elements of the watch. Its blue enamelled disc completes one rotation every 29.53 days, following the length of a lunar month. The representations of the full and new moon are made from meteorite, with the new moon receiving a dark blue PVD treatment, while silver stars are pad printed across the surrounding surface.

This display gives the Padellone an element that goes beyond pure calendar functionality. The watch does not simply indicate the date, day and month; it connects the passage of terrestrial time with the rhythm of the Moon, reinforcing the balance between technical precision and the more traditional poetry associated with complicated watchmaking.

Calibre 7190: A New Heart For The Padellone

Behind the restrained appearance sits the real technical story of the watch: Calibre 7190. Entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex, the self-winding movement is exclusive to the Perpetual Padellone and is protected by 30 patent applications, two of which are exclusive to the watch. It operates at 5 Hz, or 36,000 vibrations per hour, and combines Rolex’s Dynapulse escapement with the new Haplos annual-calendar system.

Haplos is particularly interesting because Rolex has approached the annual calendar through a remarkably compact mechanism. The system uses only two additional components connected to the date mechanism: an additional carrier finger and an annual lever. Programming for the different month lengths is incorporated into the reverse side of the month disc, allowing the movement to distinguish between 30- and 31-day months. As a result, the date, day and month all change instantaneously at midnight, with the calendar requiring only one correction at the end of February.

The movement is based on the architecture of Calibre 7135, introduced with the Land-Dweller in 2025, and incorporates the same Dynapulse regulating system. The silicon escapement is designed around high efficiency and resistance to strong magnetic fields, while the movement also uses a Syloxi hairspring, a ceramic balance staff, an optimized brass balance wheel and Paraflex shock absorbers.

Despite the high frequency and additional calendar mechanism, Calibre 7190 offers approximately 66 hours of power reserve. Through the sapphire caseback, the technical character of the movement is complemented by Rolex Côtes de Genève on the bridges and a cut-out yellow-gold oscillating weight, giving the Padellone a level of movement decoration that is not usually associated with the brand’s more utilitarian creations.

Three Versions, One Character

Rolex is introducing the Perpetual Padellone as part of the permanent collection in three configurations. The 18 ct Everose gold version is available either with a matt brown alligator leather strap or with the refined Settimo bracelet, while the 950 platinum model pairs its ice blue dial with a matt black alligator strap.

The Settimo bracelet is particularly suited to the character of the watch. Its construction uses seven very small, slightly contoured polished elements per link, allowing the bracelet to follow the shape of the wrist while remaining lightweight. A concealed Crownclasp completes the bracelet, maintaining the uninterrupted appearance of its polished surface. The leather versions use a green calfskin lining, tone-on-tone stitching and Rolex’s Dualclasp double-folding clasp.

The pricing reflects the precious-metal positioning of the Padellone. The Everose gold model on leather is priced at CHF 52,500, while the Everose gold version with the Settimo bracelet reaches CHF 64,800. The 950 platinum version is priced at CHF 59,000, with all prices including taxes.

With the Perpetual Padellone, Rolex has taken one of its more unusual historical watches and resisted the temptation to simply recreate it. Instead, the brand has preserved the visual language of the 8171 while placing it around one of its most technically advanced modern movements. The result is a watch where an old idea — displaying the rhythm of the calendar and the Moon — becomes a showcase for Dynapulse, Haplos and a new generation of Rolex engineering.

Technical Specifications

For more information, please visit the official Rolex website.

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