Ask people in Europe about the Rolex President watch and they will look at you quizzically. Even in the Rolex's hometown of Geneva, Switzerland, the name "President" will leave most watch aficionados perplexed.

That is because this classical timepiece called the President in the United States is known in Europe only by its original name, the Day-Date, describing, rather prosaically, the watch's primary function.

But there is nothing even remotely uninspiring about this smooth and sleek luxury watch that has steadfastly remained one of the firm's most prestigious models.

How, you may wonder, did the Day Date become known as the President across the big pond? There are two explanations. One, that the name derives from a gold-linked bracelet with a concealed clasp called "the President wristband," and created exclusively for this model. The other explanation is that the name caught on when Rolex gave the Day-Date watch to the then President Dwight Eisenhower. Several other U.S. Presidents, namely Franklin Delano Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford reportedly favoured this model as well.

Hollywood too discovered this universally appealing watch. Whoopi Goldberg wore it in the "The Burglar," (did she steal it? I don't recall!); Sean Penn sported it on his wrist in "Carlito's Way," and I remember seeing Tom Cruise wearing one as well.

The watch was released in 1956 and early versions were much thicker and bulkier than today's, but as the basic configuration was overhauled and modernised over the years, a slender shape of the new generation of Presidents emerged. A few years ago the watch was fitted with a smooth bezel, which gives it a sleeker look, especially in my favourite white gold version.

Obviously, you do not have to be a president of a country or a company to enjoy the Rolex President. If you like the clean and classy look you can wear to work or dressy events, this watch will fit in well with your lifestyle. If, however, you enjoy more rugged pursuits, you might consider a sports model such as the Explorer, the Yacht-Master, the Sea-Dweller or the Submariner.

I always think of the Day-Date/President as synonymous with class and style. Whether crafted in platinum, white, yellow, or pink gold, with polished, fluted, or domed bezel, it has "status" and "elegance" written all over it. And that, after all, is what a Rolex watch is all about.