Cellini Dual Time

The Rolex Cellini collection takes its name from the Italian Renaissance sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini, and pays tribute to traditional watch design, while simultaneously embracing modern watch-making techniques. The collection includes some of the manufacturer's best examples of luxury dress watches.

Although it is not widely recognised as one of the major Rolex collections, the Cellini line has a rich history, which dates back to the pre-World War II era. In this article, we take a look at some of the most important models in the Cellini family, in order to build a more complete picture of the collection's history.

The First Rolex Cellini: Prince

The first ever Cellini model was the Rolex Prince, which was initially released all the way back in 1928. That particular model attracted a lot of attention for its avant garde style and distinctive rectangular case, and it remained a popular timepiece throughout both the 1930s and 1940s, before production ceased in the 1950s.

In 2005, the manufacturer re-launched the Rolex Prince as part of the updated Cellini collection, paying particular attention to the model's authenticity as a traditional watch. It is powered by a manual wind calibre 7040 movement and is available in a choice of 18k yellow gold, white gold or rose gold.

Rolex Cellini Time Watch

Released in 2014, the Cellini Time is a classic luxury dress watch, with the emphasis being placed on pure time-keeping function. It is a simplistic, round-shaped timepiece, with central hours, minutes and seconds hands and Roman numerals marking the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions.

The watch is available with a choice of white gold or rose gold case materials, while the case itself measures 39mm in diameter. The model comes with either a black alligator or brown alligator leather strap and wearers also have the option of either a white or black dial. The Cellini Time offers water resistance for 50 metres.

Popular Cellini Model Lines

Aside from the two collections mentioned, the Cellini family also includes a number of other models, such as the Cellini Date and the Cellini Dual Time - both of which were released in 2014, alongside the standard Cellini Time model. The former has a date display function, while the latter displays two time zones simultaneously.

At Baselworld 2017, Rolex unveiled what may be the most complicated Cellini model to date, in the form of the Cellini Moonphase. As the name suggests, the timepiece has a moonphase indicator, showing the various different stages of the lunar cycle, while staying true to the basic design established through models like the Cellini Time.

Celebrities known to wear Cellini models include the golfer Phil Mickleson and the model Helena Coelho.