Question on color of (glacier) blue dial on 118206 platinum DD36

[Boopie]

I’ve read the DD President threads here on TRF. I know the 36mm DD in platinum was discontinued in or around 2019.

During the run of the 118206, it had a blue dial exclusive to the platinum DD. According to online listings, the dial seems to have been called ice blue or glacier blue. Regardless, one of the blue dials is a much lighter and subtler blue than the other. Wrist shots of the platinum DD36 here on TRF also show different shades of blue, which also seems to be dependent on the lighting.

Today’s DD40 with the same blue dial (called ice blue on Rolex’s website) is very blue. The Rolex website also refers to the blue dial on the Platinum Daytona as ice blue.

Side by side photos of the platinum DD36 and DD40 indicate that the DD40’s blue is a deeper and darker blue than that of the DD36. I haven’t seen either in person, and it’s difficult to determine exact color when looking at photos online, which were taken in different lighting conditions.

My question is, using the photo of the DD40 platinum on Rolex’s website as the benchmark, was the blue dial on the platinum DD36 ever that same color, or was the DD36’s blue dial always lighter than that of today’s DD40 ice blue dial?

If at some point the DD36’s dial was the same as that of the DD40’s dial, what is the approximate date of that color change? As of around 2009 the DD36’s dial was still much lighter than that of today’s DD40.

Many thanks!

[DAC2]

Originally Posted by Boopie

I’ve read the DD President threads here on TRF. I know the 36mm DD in platinum was discontinued in or around 2019.

During the run of the 118206, it had a blue dial exclusive to the platinum DD. According to online listings, the dial seems to have been called ice blue or glacier blue. Regardless, one of the blue dials is a much lighter and subtler blue than the other. Wrist shots of the platinum DD36 here on TRF also show different shades of blue, which also seems to be dependent on the lighting.

Today’s DD40 with the same blue dial (called ice blue on Rolex’s website) is very blue. The Rolex website also refers to the blue dial on the Platinum Daytona as ice blue.

Side by side photos of the platinum DD36 and DD40 indicate that the DD40’s blue is a deeper and darker blue than that of the DD36. I haven’t seen either in person, and it’s difficult to determine exact color when looking at photos online, which were taken in different lighting conditions.

My question is, using the photo of the DD40 platinum on Rolex’s website as the benchmark, was the blue dial on the platinum DD36 ever that same color, or was the DD36’s blue dial always lighter than that of today’s DD40 ice blue dial?

If at some point the DD36’s dial was the same as that of the DD40’s dial, what is the approximate date of that color change? As of around 2009 the DD36’s dial was still much lighter than that of today’s DD40.

Many thanks!

Hello... I read this yesterday and didnt have time to respond. This a question i have been wondering myself and have even asked before on here. It was so long ago i dont remember if i got any response... but i dont think so.
I have seen those very light silvery bluish dials on the platinum 36mm. the one i have is a 2008 and i had to swap out the dial from a P series 118206 36mm to keep the lovely blue green glacier blue dial that was on the one i had.

I keep getting different stories from different dealers... grey and AD that the dial on the 40mm platinum is a different blue. I have seen pictures sent to me by some dealers with the dial looking VERY MUCH like the 36mm
blue green glacier blue of the dial i have. YET...I have been told that the dial is not bluish green on the 40mm..... but just a richer shade of ice blue.

I have not been able to find out what year they changed over the dials from that deep bluish green to that light silvery blue that they were STILL calling glacier blue. you would think that SOMEONE here would have a 2019 36mm platinum DD but.... I have NOT found anyone that does. maybe there is a member here that has both the 40mm and a 36mm platinum and can comment on the dials.

My wonderful AD is working on getting me a platinum 40mm with that ice blue
dial. I am also keeping my 36mm with the deeply colored glacier blue dial.
i have heard from other 228206 owners that their watch seems to ALSO
look blue green in certain light. So... we'll see. its going to likely be a few months till i get the new guy.

I dont know how to post pictures here... every time i think i got it figured out i find i dont. but i WILL figure it out and post the big guy and the little guy side by side. for dial color comparison when the big guy arrives.

BUT... as far as the dates go on when the color changes on the 36mm dial happened... i have no clue. I even called Rolex to ask about it. They said they didnt have that information.... or at least the girl at the desk didnt know.
Maybe a Tech. would know. There was a time you could actually talk to one there.

I dont know what to think because i have seen pictures of that 40mm ice blue dial that look just as blue green as the dial on my 36mm.

Anyway..... who knows? its a mystery. lol

[Boopie]

Thanks. This is helpful. Many of the exemplar photos may have been through color saturation that we see in online real estate listings (where everyone’s lawn is very, very green), design websites etc.

Maybe someone with a 2010-2019 DD36 can weigh in.

[jgottsman11]

My 118206 from 2004 is a very mild blue

[DAC2]

Originally Posted by Boopie

Thanks. This is helpful. Many of the exemplar photos may have been through color saturation that we see in online real estate listings (where everyone’s lawn is very, very green), design websites etc.

Maybe someone with a 2010-2019 DD36 can weigh in.

I keep hoping that someone with a 2019 118206 would show up but as of yet.... nobody here has one.

I think when the 40mm platinums came out... people
stopped buying the 36mm. Thats the ONLY reason i can think of as to WHY there are no later date 118206 around. the latest date i have been able to find is 2010.... and NOTHING after that. I am sure they are out there but.... one has not shown up here. Maybe someone with a later date 118206 will see this and post a picture. I would be VERY interested to see what the glacier blue dial colors evolved to before the watch was discontinued.

[Apheaven]

Originally Posted by DAC2

I keep hoping that someone with a 2019 118206 would show up but as of yet.... nobody here has one.

I think when the 40mm platinums came out... people
stopped buying the 36mm. Thats the ONLY reason i can think of as to WHY there are no later date 118206 around. the latest date i have been able to find is 2010.... and NOTHING after that. I am sure they are out there but.... one has not shown up here. Maybe someone with a later date 118206 will see this and post a picture. I would be VERY interested to see what the glacier blue dial colors evolved to before the watch was discontinued.

That’s what I did… traded my 118206 towards my 228206.


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[fixinbones]

This is a 2009 with the glacier waves Arabic dial. I think this blue is deeper then the one previously shown with the Roman numerals here

[DAC2]

Originally Posted by Apheaven

That’s what I did… traded my 118206 towards my 228206.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LOL VERY jealous ! I have NO idea when i will get mine.
Post a picture of yours if you would. That would be great !
Congratulations !

[DAC2]

Originally Posted by fixinbones

This is a 2009 with the glacier waves Arabic dial. I think this blue is deeper then the one previously shown with the Roman numerals here

These glacier blue dials are very hard to photograph. Mine is very deep
blue green BUT ! its VERY hard to get the true color in a picture.

When i finally figure out how to post pics..... i'll try to put one up of the
really deep blue green dial.

Love your dial too.... i have not seen many like that.

[fskywalker]

Had the 118206 ice blue / glacier blue colored diamond version on my 18239 for a while; the dial color would change tone from silver to green to blue depending on lighting:















It ended up being too flashy for me because of the diamond markers so swap it to a different dial. For me the battons / stick version:



would be my preferred choice as it has lume on markers and hands, followed by the arabic version



on the 6 series white metal (PT / WG) DD’s


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[padi56]

Dials are made in 3 different factories now all owned by Rolex, so there always has been and always will be tiny variations to colours, fonts, spacing etc on most all Rolex dials through production years.

[kevinjb]

such a shame they discontinued the DD 36 Platinum...And there's not a lot on the grey market.. :/

[Boopie]

Thanks for the photos and insight from owners of the platinum DD36. It’s interesting to see how the dial changes in the light.

It seems it’s not certain that the DD36’s ice/glacier blue dial was ever the same shade as that on the current DD40, even though some online listing photos suggest that it was.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by jgottsman11

My 118206 from 2004 is a very mild blue

And it’s a beauty too …

Poet and I didn’t know it

[Incroyable12]

Does anyone know when they introduced the Ice Blue dial? Did it start for the 118206?