Just tried on a Datejust 36 “Wimbledon” for the first time and noticed something wild: through my polarized sunglasses the green Roman numerals almost disappeared into a dark charcoal and the slate dial shifted cooler, but the second I tilted the watch or took the glasses off, the green popped vividly again. It felt like the dial had a built‑in privacy filter!
Has anyone else seen this on the 36 Wimbledon? I’m wondering if there are two things at play:
- Crystal/cyclops AR changes over the years (1162xx vs 1262xx) altering how polarized light hits the dial
- The way the Roman numerals are built (applied with green lacquer vs printed) interacting with polarization and the sunburst slate base
Would love data from owners:
- Reference and year (116234/116200 vs 126234/126200), bezel (fluted vs smooth), bracelet (Jubilee vs Oyster)
- Try a quick test: hold a polarized sunglass lens over the dial and slowly rotate it 90°. Do the green Romans fade/shift? Does the effect change under warm indoor light vs daylight?
- If you’ve seen both 36 and 41 in person, does the 41 behave the same under polarization?
- Anyone with macro shots: are the Romans truly applied with a black surround and green lacquer fill, or are we seeing a very raised print? Could a service dial differ?
Bonus curiosity: some photos show the green as a deeper forest tone and others a lighter tennis‑court green. Is that just lighting and polarization, or have there been subtle shade shifts across production?
If this polarization quirk is real, it might explain why the Wimbledon can look flat in some pics and incredible on wrist. Super keen to hear your experiences and see any photos/videos of the “now you see it, now you don’t” green effect!