# Rolex's New Perpetual Padellone Shakes Up Watch World

> The $59,000 annual calendar timepiece with moonphase dial honors a rare 1950s classic.
- Title: Rolex's New Perpetual Padellone Shakes Up Watch World · Maxim
- Summary: The $59,000 annual calendar timepiece with moonphase dial honors a rare 1950s classic. Rolex released its first annual calendar watch with moonphase in…
- Keywords: rolex, perpetual padellone, luxury watches, moonphase, reference 8171, milan, annual calendar, platinum, everose gold, caliber 7190, hodinkee, watch collecting
- Source: Maxim — https://maxim.com/style/rolex-just-rattled-the-watch-world-by-dropping-the-new-perpetual-padellone
- Published: 2026-09-17T10:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: rolex, perpetual padellone, luxury watches, moonphase, reference 8171, milan, annual calendar, platinum, everose gold, caliber 7190, hodinkee, watch collecting
## Rolex breaks from tradition
The new Perpetual Padellone features a moonphase dial, a rare complication Rolex hasn't touched in decades. It was unveiled in Milan this week.
## Inspired by a 1950s legend
The watch honors the reference 8171 from the late 1940s to early 1950s, nicknamed 'padellone' by collectors. It's the first Rolex to adopt a collector nickname as its official name.

> This is the first Rolex model… to take its *actual* name from a nickname given by collectors to its historical predecessor
## Milan debut makes sense
The watch launched in Milan, arguably the birthplace of vintage watch collecting. The location holds special meaning for collectors on the secondary market.
## Ingenious calendar mechanics
A patented Haplos system distinguishes between 30 and 31-day months, requiring just one adjustment per year. At midnight, day, date and month change simultaneously in a fraction of a second.
## Premium materials and movement
The 39mm watch comes in Platinum or Everose Gold with a 5-hertz caliber 7190 movement. Two patents are exclusive to this $59,000 timepiece, with 30 total patent applications.
## Key takeaway

Rolex released its first annual calendar watch with moonphase in decades, inspired by the rare 1950s reference 8171 nicknamed 'padellone.'