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At Baselworld 2017, Rolex unveiled the Cellini Moonphase, the latest addition to the model family named after the famous Italian Renaissance artist. Its namesake complication is a real eye-catcher and differs in several details from conventional moon phase displays. We are taking this new arrival as an opportunity to look at this special watch from the Rolex Cellini family.
Unjustly in the Shadow of the Brand's Icons
In the public eye, the Cellini collection may at times stand somewhat in the shadow of other collections bearing the crown logo, yet it is one of the oldest product lines still in production at the manufacture founded by Hans Wilsdorf. Long before today's brand icons such as the Submariner or the Cosmograph Daytona came onto the market, watches bearing Cellini's name were being made in its workshops. The collection began with the Cellini Rolex Prince, launched in 1928, which caused a sensation not only with outward features such as its distinctive tall rectangular case and its dual dial, but above all with its elegance and precision. The Prince was produced until the end of the 1940s and was the first wristwatch made in large numbers to be certified as a chronometer.
The divided dial, with hours and minutes shown in the upper half and seconds in the lower half, is no longer found on today's Cellinis, and their cases are perfectly round. But just like the original model, its contemporary successors stand out for their combination of utmost precision and exceptional elegance. Rolex itself sees this collection as a modern tribute to classicism and to the timeless elegance of traditional timepieces. This sets it apart within the overall range, above all from the brand's dive watches and other sportier models, and makes it an exclusive dress watch.
Benvenuto Cellini – a "Uomo Universale" of the Italian High Renaissance
The collection's namesake, Benvenuto Cellini, was born in Florence in 1500. Today he is regarded above all as a celebrated goldsmith and sculptor of the period of transition from the Italian High Renaissance to Mannerism, and at the same time as one of the most important sculptors since antiquity. True to the ideal of the "uomo universale" that had emerged during the Renaissance, however, he did not confine himself to these fields, but also worked as a medalist, writer, and musician. After his death in 1571, his work initially fell into obscurity, but it was rediscovered in the early 19th century and increasingly recognized for its art-historical significance. His father, an architect in the service of the Medici who worked mainly on fortifications, had also been active as a craftsman on the side and had, among other things, built musical instruments.
He had actually intended his son Benvenuto to become a musician, but at the age of 14 the boy preferred to devote himself to the goldsmith's craft.
After years of traveling and training under various masters, he worked in Rome, in France, and finally back in Florence. His works can be found in numerous churches and museums, and his hometown honored him with a bust on the famous Ponte Vecchio. Alongside his artistic work, he wrote an autobiography – though he never completed it – two treatises on goldsmithing and sculpture, and several short essays on architecture.
Rolex Cellini – a Look at the Current Collection
The Cellini collection currently comprises more than two dozen models, from the three-hand watch to versions with a pointer date, a second time zone, and small seconds, all the way to the Rolex Cellini Moonphase, each available in various color and material combinations. Unlike Rolex's other collections, which are dominated by watches on stainless steel or gold bracelets, the models in the collection dedicated to Cellini's memory are offered exclusively on dark brown or black leather straps.
The particularly elegant, calm, and self-assured presence of the Rolex Cellini Moonphase and its sister models stems largely from the round case and the pared-down dials with their baton indexes and especially delicate-looking minute track. At 39 millimeters, the case diameter is perfectly suited to a dress watch. The watches are powered by Perpetual movements – mechanical in-house self-winding calibers with a power reserve of up to 48 hours.
Rolex Cellini Moonphase – the Flagship of the Collection
The Moonphase version features a white lacquered dial and a blue enamel moon phase disc at 6 o'clock. This disc differs from other moon phase discs in that it is not merely partially visible through a special aperture, but always fully on display. The full moon symbol, made from an applied piece of meteorite, sits opposite the new moon symbol, which consists of a silver circle. A small moon phase indicator at the 12 o'clock position of the moon phase display points to the current phase of the moon.
On the Moonphase model, the date is shown by a fourth central hand, with the corresponding date scale running around the outermost edge of the dial. To drive the moon phase function and the central pointer date, the watch is equipped with the new self-winding caliber 3195, developed specifically for this purpose. Rolex has patented the in-house moon phase module developed for the Rolex Cellini Moonphase. It displays the moon phase accurately for the next 122 years.
As is now standard for all of the brand's products, the movement is certified as a "Superlative Chronometer" and thus meets even stricter accuracy requirements than watches that have passed the conventional COSC chronometer test.
