Which Rolex model was the first to display the date?

The Rolex model that was the first to display the date is the Rolex Datejust. More precisely, it was the first self-winding chronometer wristwatch to show the date in a window on the dial.

Rolex introduced the original Datejust in 1945 as part of the company’s 40th-anniversary celebration. The first version, reference 4467, combined an Oyster case with a fluted bezel and Rolex’s new Jubilee bracelet. Its date aperture at 3 o’clock made the calendar information easy to read without using a separate subdial.

The Datejust’s early date mechanism changed gradually shortly before midnight. By 1955, Rolex had developed an instantaneous date change, which became a defining practical feature. The Datejust should not be confused with the Day-Date, introduced in 1956: the later model displays both the date and the weekday. Nor does the claim mean the Datejust was the first calendar watch ever made; it refers specifically to the self-winding chronometer wristwatch category and date window.