Rolex expands its Perpetual collection with the Perpetual Padellone, a new timepiece that brings together an instantaneous complete annual calendar, moonphase display and contemporary mechanical innovation.
Presented in Milan on 15 September 2026, the watch takes its name from reference 8171, the Rolex complete-calendar model produced in the late 1940s and early 1950s and known among collectors as the ‘Padellone’. Rather than reproducing the vintage watch, the new model translates its character into a modern creation centred on technical refinement and a distinctly celestial display.
The result is a watch that displays the hours, minutes and seconds alongside the day, date, month and phase of the Moon. Its 39 mm case is available in 18 ct Everose gold or 950 platinum, with the design balancing a domed, subtly fluted bezel against a finely textured dial.
Reading the calendar through the Moon
The most expressive element sits at 6 o’clock. A blue enamelled disc completes one rotation every 29.53 days, corresponding to the lunar month. Rather than using a conventional aperture to reveal the moonphase, Rolex places full and new moons crafted from meteorite directly onto the rotating disc.
The new moon is finished with a dark blue PVD coating, while silver stars are pad printed across the enamel. Both lunar faces feature their own expressions, recalling the whimsical celestial motif associated with the original Padellone.
Above it, a blue central hand tipped with a crescent moon indicates the date around the outer scale. The day and month appear through two apertures at 12 o’clock, creating a layout that remains visually balanced despite the complexity of the functions.
More importantly, the annual calendar distinguishes between 30- and 31-day months through Rolex’s new Haplos system. The mechanism requires adjustment only once a year, as February gives way to March. At midnight, the date, day and month advance simultaneously in an instantaneous jump.
Calibre 7190 beneath the surface
The mechanical heart of the Padellone is calibre 7190, an entirely in-house developed and manufactured self-winding movement created exclusively for this model. Beating at 5 hertz, it combines the Haplos annual-calendar mechanism with Rolex’s Dynapulse escapement and Syloxi silicon hairspring.
Visible through the transparent case back, the movement reveals Rolex Côtes de Genève decoration and a cut-out yellow-gold oscillating weight. Its power reserve extends to approximately 66 hours, while the oscillator incorporates a ceramic balance staff and Paraflex shock absorbers for additional resistance to magnetic fields and shocks.
The calibre is protected by 30 patent applications, including two exclusive to the Padellone. Its technical architecture builds upon calibre 7135, introduced with the Land-Dweller in 2025.
Heritage in a modern form
The Perpetual Padellone arrives in three configurations: 18 ct Everose gold with an intense white dial and Settimo bracelet, 950 platinum with an ice-blue dial and matt black alligator leather strap, and 18 ct Everose gold with an intense white dial and matt brown alligator leather strap.
The Settimo bracelet, composed of seven-piece links and finished with a concealed Crownclasp, brings a jewellery-like softness to the gold version. Meanwhile, both leather straps feature a green calfskin lining and Dualclasp.
As the second model in Rolex’s Perpetual collection, following the 1908 introduced in 2023, the Padellone places an intricate complication within an elegant, restrained design. Its blend of lunar poetry, historic references and advanced mechanics offers a distinctly contemporary interpretation of the calendar watch.
