The white gold Day-Date 40 is the quiet version of Rolex's flagship dress watch, and VS Factory (VSF) builds this one at 40mm in polished 904L steel with a white gold look. Reference 228239 is the genuine white gold Day-Date 40, and this is the blue ombré dial configuration. It's the same deconstructed Roman dial as the grey and blue siblings, but the white metal gives it a cooler, more reserved feel than the Everose.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Factory | VS Factory (VSF) |
| Reference | 228239 (Day-Date 40, white gold) |
| Movement | Dandong 3255 (DD3255) automatic, day-date |
| Power reserve | 72 hours |
| Case | 40mm x 12mm, 904L steel, white gold look finish |
| Bezel | Fluted |
| Crystal | Sapphire, cyclops lens, inner AR coating |
| Dial | Gradient ombré blue, white gold-tone deconstructed Roman numerals |
| Bracelet | President, concealed Crownclasp |
The movement. DD3255 is a true clone of the modern Rolex caliber, with no decorative plate sitting on top of a cheap base. Day and date flip instantly at midnight, the calendar runs on its own gear train, and the winding is smooth. The blue hairspring is worth noting, since it matches the modern Rolex silicon and Parachrom layout rather than the older steel hairsprings. The 72-hour reserve means it's still running after a couple of days off the wrist.
The dial. The blue shifts from a brighter sunburst at the center to a near-black navy at the edge. It's a genuine Rolex ombré pattern, not a flat blue with a painted rim. The Roman numerals are the deconstructed style, cut into facets and finished in a white gold tone so they catch light from several angles at once.
The case and bezel. Milled from 904L with mirror-polished flanks and a white gold look finish. It reads as white metal rather than yellow or rose, which is the whole point of the 228239. The fluted bezel does the work of making plated steel pass for solid 18k, and at 12mm thick it sits at the correct Day-Date 40 height.
The bracelet. President bracelet, three-piece semi-circular links, all 904L. Center links polished, outer links satin-brushed, which is the correct split. The concealed Crownclasp keeps the bracelet running as one continuous band.
The takeaway. This is the white gold Day-Date 40 with the blue ombré dial, and VS Factory (VSF) got the two things that define it right: the DD3255 with the instant day-date jump and the deconstructed Roman dial in white gold tone. The blue ombré is the selling point, and it's a genuine Rolex pattern on a genuine reference number, so no fantasy caveat. If you want the president's watch in a cool white metal instead of yellow or rose gold, this is the one.