An indispensable guide thanks to its precise time indications, and a watchmaking icon for almost 70 years, the Geneva-based company’s prestigious watch has added three new variations to its extensive range.

After the birth of the revolutionary Oyster in 1926, which became Perpetual five years later thanks to the innovative rotor of its movement, the company founded by Hans Wilsdorf (1881-1960) continued its watchmaking adventure with the Oyster Perpetual Datejust version in 1945, followed by a more “complete” model in terms of time indications in 1956: the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date. Nicknamed “the presidents’ watch”, proof of its success with leading personalities, this all-18-carat gold or 950 platinum reference has the advantage of displaying, in addition to the date, the day of the week in black on a light background and in full letters, with a choice of 26 languages. In 2024, Rolex is expanding this prestigious collection with a trio of new models in 40mm diameter.

This set, topped by a thin fluted bezel, combines three metal colors – yellow gold, white gold or Everose gold, a brighter, more durable alloy than the traditional one – with three dial variants – slate ombré, a hue that oscillates between steel and chocolate, lacquered white or mother-of-pearl with delicately bluish reflections depending on the light –. The latter is enhanced by baguette-cut diamonds, while a mix of applied Roman numerals and baton-type hour markers appear on the other two. At 3 o’clock, a window topped by a Cyclops magnifying glass reveals the date, and the day appears in a fan-shaped aperture stretching from 11 o’clock to 1 o’clock. A double-disk system integrated into the caliber 3255, a 4hz automatic movement that also drives the trio of central hour, minute and seconds hands and provides 70 hours of power reserve, enables synchronized changeover and instantaneous passage of this calendar information.

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How can an already refined piece be further enhanced? The manufacture solves this with a version amplified by first-rate traditional guilloché.

Last year, Rolex turned the spotlights of the Watches & Wonders trade show on its new features with the Perpetual 1908 collection. The references in this collection are characterized by their classic city-watch style. The models feature the main aesthetic details of the timepieces by the crown-bearing manufacture. A notched bezel encircles a streamlined dial, which has the Arabic numerals 3, 9 and 12. The shape of the hour and minute hands is similar to those emblematic of the brand. The watches are distinguished by the presence of a small second hand, a thin 39mm-diameter case, a leather strap and a sapphire crystal back that reveals the finishing details applied to the components of its mechanism.

Like all Rolex watches, this Perpetual 1908 is fitted with a caliber boasting the Superlative Chronometer certification. The 7140 self-winding movement is accurate to between -2 to + 2 seconds per day. It also delivers a comfortable power reserve of 66 hours. All of these characteristics are still very much present in the variation presented this year, crafted in a platinum case. It also stands out thanks to its delicate guilloché rice-grain motif which enhances an ice blue dial. A rosette unfurls around the small second hand. It highlights it while adding extra elegance to the whole.

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This 1955-launched reference is forever changing to better meet the expectations of demanding travelers. And, its versatile nature is heightened by a choice of bracelets.

In 2022, during Watches & Wonders Geneva, Rolex showcased an appealing upgrade of its GMT-Master II, featuring a crown and a date set on the left and a two-color green and black ceramic bezel disc. This time round, the manufacture rolls out a more classical variation hosting the winder and the date, topped with its Cyclops lens, on the right. Nonetheless, this version of the watch, ready to travel the world, takes on a novel duo of hues. The bidirectional Cerachrom bezel now adorns black and gray. Dial-side, the scenography pursues with the traditional and readability is optimal. The large hour and minute hands hover over an hour chapter comprising XL-sized markers. These indexes stand out as they’re coated with platinum using PVD treatment. All these elements are set off with in-house developed luminescent paint.

Data is still driven by the 3285 caliber, nestling inside a 40 mm-diameter Oystersteel case, waterproof to depths of 100 meters. This selfwinding movement, boasting double Superlative Chronometer and COSC certification, delivers a power reserve of 70 hours. What’s more, the hour hand can be adjusted separately from the second time zone one, recognizable with its triangular tip. To make this model even more versatile, Rolex also invites to choose between a sporty-styled Oyster-type bracelet or a wonderfully-elegant-looking Jubilee one.

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To celebrate the 100^th anniversary of Le Mans 24 Hours, the crown-logoed manufacture, official timekeeper since 2001, unveiled a special edition of its iconic chronograph, which has already become a collector’s piece.

June 10, 2023. 4pm. The flag dropped to mark the start of the world’s most legendary motor endurance race. 24 hours later, the event delivered on its promises as Ferrari took the win. To celebrate the occasion, Rolex showcased a one-of-a-kind version of its famed chronograph, the Cosmograph Daytona Le Mans. The timepiece is created around a 40 mm-diameter white gold case. Its dial center stages an historic sunburst-black “reverse panda” scenography, featuring white counters. The hour and minute hands as well as the white gold indexes are set off with blue-glowing Chromalight^® that ensures optimal readability under any conditions of light. The composition is encircled by a black ceramic bezel boasting a tachymetric scale. And, as a tip of the hat to Le Mans 24 Hours’ centenary, the number 100 is dressed in bright red.

The time data and short-cycle time measurements are driven by the caliber 4132. This selfwinding movement equipped with a column wheel and vertical clutch is a masterpiece of all the manufacture’s latest innovations. And, the result? Superlative precision and performances guaranteed! What’s more, its power reserve exceeds 72 hours. Its COSC-certified timekeeping goes way beyond the Swiss testing institute’s recommendations as it boasts a daily -2 / +2 seconds variation. The sapphire-crystal caseback invites to admire the mechanism at work, in particular its skeletonized, yellow gold oscillating weight. And, last but not least, the 4132 ensures 24-hour timekeeping instead of the traditional 12 hours.

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For the Geneva-based watchmaker, it’s time to celebrate with a turquoise dial sparkling with colorful bubbles on three new steel watches unveiled in early spring.

A lyrical flight of colored balloons in a cerulean sky. This is the image that comes to mind when discovering the faces of the new Oyster Perpetual references presented last spring at the Watches and Wonders trade show in Geneva. Following on from the success of the plain shades – cotton candy pink, azure blue, sunshine yellow, coral red and emerald green – unveiled three years ago, Rolex has used this color chart to create “Celebration”, a festive decoration composed of bubbles of different sizes bordered by a thin black edging.

Gathered in the lower part of the dial, between 3 and 9 o’clock, on a turquoise background, in a joyful ensemble, some of which escape to join the crown, the symbol of Rolex, applied at 12 o’clock, these spheres are contained, like an enclosure, by a luminescent hour circle. In the center, two baton-shaped hands, also phosphorescent, flanked by a tapering second hand, display the essentials of time: hours, minutes and seconds.

The OysterPerpetual is available in three diameters: 41mm, 36mm and 31mm, with a water-resistant to 100m case in Oystersteel. The first two house the caliber 3230, an automatic movement equipped with the Chronergy escapement that delivers 70 hours of power reserve, while the latter houses the caliber 2232 providing 55 hours of energy autonomy when fully wound. Machined from the same sturdy steel, the Oyster bracelet, formed of rows of three links, is fastened to the wrist by a folding clasp equipped with an Oysterclasp and the Easylink system, which allows it to be lengthened or shortened by around 5mm in the twinkling of an eye, for optimum comfort.

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As a sign of the times, at the latest edition of Watches & Wonders Geneva, the manufacturer unveiled a watch machined in titanium. More than a mere variation, this is a revolution!

Throughout the 2021 SailGP season, a competition involving hydrofoil catamarans, Sir Ben Ainslie, skipper of Team Great Britain, wore a Rolex prototype at every regatta. What makes it special? Its titanium RLX case. Apart from the 50mm Deepsea Challenge of 2022, no other Rolex watch has ever been offered in this material. For the very first time, the brand with the crown proposes one of its models equipped with a case made from this alloy combining grade 5 titanium with aluminum and vanadium. Thus, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42 takes advantage of both its technical and aesthetic properties. Sturdy and lightweight, the timepiece stands out for its distinctive grey hue, enhanced by a satin, gloss, and polished finish. With this configuration, the timepiece now weighs in at approximately 100 grams, a third less than the steel version.

Launched in 1992 and designed for yachtsmen, this timepiece offers all the contemporary features: Cerachrom^® ceramic bi-directional bezel disc, Cyclope^® date magnifier, and large Chromalight^® hands and hour markers for optimum performance under all conditions. At the heart of this 42mm-diameter case lies the Chronomètre Superlatif-certified caliber 3235. This self-winding movement is equipped with a 70-hour power reserve designed to rigorously coordinate the time data. For added comfort when worn on the wrist, this Yacht-Master 42 is fitted with a wristband composed of titanium links. A 5mm Easylink extension system ensures precise length adjustment.

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To celebrate its iconic chronograph’s 60^th anniversary, the crown-logoed brand unveiled a novel version of its sporty model boasting a caliber that’s evermore efficient.

We’d be putting it mildly if we said that Rolex announcements during Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023 were awaited on like the coming of the proverbial Messiah. This year, the manufacture met aficionados’ expectations by center staging a shrewd upgrade of its Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona. Its revamped 40 mm-diameter case, waterproof to depths of 100 meters, features the archetypal three-counter dial. The tapered hour and minute hands hovering above point to shorter indexes. Time data reading is just as exemplary as ever. These functions are still fringed by a bezel crafted in ceramic or decorated with a tachymetric scale, based on the version.

And, for the first time, the 950 platinum version hosts a sapphire-crystal caseback inviting watch owners to discover the openworked 18-karat yellow gold oscillating weight of the column-wheel 4131 caliber. This now wonderfully-visible selfwinding movement is set off with meticulous adornments. Its bridges are embellished with special Côtes de Genève enhanced with delicately-polished grooves. This high-performance device (72 hours of power reserve) stands out with Rolex’s latest innovations including the non-magnetic Parachrom hairspring and shock absorbers. Like in previous models, all the steel and precious metal (Everose gold, yellow gold and platinum) Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona references have been granted Superlative Chronometer certification. All that’s needed to give a legend a new lease of life!

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To discover unknown territories. To confront the unexpected. The manufacturer has always been there for explorers. It offers them a new tool endowed with outstanding performance.

On March 26, 2012, film director James Cameron defied the abysmal depths of the Mariana Trench by attaching an impressive steel Rolex to an articulated arm positioned outside his submarine. The body-built watch braved the hellish pressure encountered at -10,908m, returning to the surface in perfect working order. Ten years later, the crowned manufacturer introduces the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge whose technical specifications are inspired by this historic prototype. To ensure resistance down to a depth of 11,000 meters, the 50mm diameter case in RLX titanium is equipped with the Ringlock architecture. The case features a 9.5mm thick sapphire crystal, a nitrogen-enriched steel compression ring, and a titanium caseback secured by a screwed ring. The presence of a helium valve and a Triplock crown equipped with three sealing zones also contributes to the remarkable performance.

At the heart of this veritable strongbox beats the 3230 caliber. This self-winding movement incorporates the latest innovations such as the paramagnetic Parachrom balance spring. It offers a comfortable power reserve of approximately 70 hours. As with all of the manufacturer’s timepieces, this Superlative Chronometer-certified diving watch boasts a chronometric precision of -2/+2 seconds per day. Equally at home in the deepest depths, the Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge accompanies you on all your land adventures with its wristband machined from the same material as the case, finished with an Oysterlock buckle, and its Glidelock extension system.

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Dazzling with the diadem of colored sapphires and diamonds that encircles its intense black face, this watch cut for nautical activities has reigned on the wrist for three decades now.

It was in 1992, 30 years ago, that the Yacht-Master collection was created. Dedicated to the world of water sports, it pays tribute to the strong link that has united Rolex with sailing for some seven decades. This year, presented at the 2022 edition of Watches and Wonders, a new member of this family has been added to the Geneva-based company’s watchmaking catalog, featuring colorful gems while retaining its natural Professional watch qualities: the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 model.

Undoubtedly inspired by the hues of the horizon as the sun sinks into the sea, the bi-directional rotating bezel hosts a ribbon of pink, azure, navy and mauve trapeze-cut sapphires and white diamonds, including a triangular one. The brilliance continues on the lugs and crown guard lined with brilliant-cut diamonds of different sizes. This diadem of a thousand lights encircles a black lacquered dial on which geometric indexes and central hour, minute and second hands are placed, all highlighted with white luminescent material with blue emission. The date is displayed in black on white in an aperture at 3 o’clock and is highly legible thanks to the Cyclope magnifying glass integrated into the sapphire crystal.

The 40mm diameter case, machined in white gold and water-resistant to a depth of 100m, houses the caliber 3235, a self-winding movement with a Perpetual rotor that delivers a formidable 70-hour power reserve. This Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 is worn on an Oysterflex bracelet made of two curved metal blades covered with black elastomer for optimal comfort, equipped with an Oysterlock safety buckle with Rolex Glidelock quick-extension system.

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Always fashioned in precious metal, the “Presidents’ Watch” this year sports a silhouette made of platinum and an azure face to present a time display as complete as it is useful.

Born in 1956, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date model from Rolex asserts its role as a daily companion by offering a time display that is as complete as it is useful: the classic hours/minutes/seconds trio of the Oyster Perpetual, the calendar usually found on the Oyster Perpetual Datejust and easily recognizable thanks to the Cyclope magnifying glass, and all this married to the indication of the day of the week in all its letters and available in 26 languages. Always fashioned in precious metal, the watch nicknamed “the Presidents’ watch” imagined by Rolex takes center stage this year with its platinum dress and azure look.

At the heart of its 40mm diameter case beats the 3255 automatic caliber, equipped with the famous Perpetual rotor and all the innovations (Chronergy escapement, Parachrom balance spring, Paraflex shock absorbers) developed by Rolex for greater precision, autonomy and resistance, which delivers a power reserve of 70 hours.

On the delicately sunrayed glacier blue dial, the faceted appliques of the hour markers and Roman numerals are swept by two baton-type hands, all in white gold, while the second hand is adorned with blue PVD. Inscribed in black on a white background, the day appears in a large fan-shaped window that stretches from 11 o’clock to 1 o’clock and the date appears in a window at 3 o’clock. This Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40 is worn with a President bracelet with platinum links and a folding clasp with a very discreet Crownclasp.

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After its entry into a new dimension, the professional nautical watch sets sail in a refined finish. Perfect to stand out at sea as well as on land!

Ever since its debut in 1992, Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master watch never ceases to be firmly in tune with the times, responding with style to the need for elegance among gentlemen sailors. Introduced in 2019 exclusively in white gold in an unprecedented diameter, 42mm, it is this version enjoying a new personality with, for the first time, a case machined in yellow gold, water resistant to a depth of 100 meters. The warm hue of the precious material combines ideally with the bi-directional rotating bezel equipped with a graduated matte black ceramic disk. This enables, as the manufacturer points out, to measure the time between two buoys in a regatta. It is also aptly combined with the Oysterflex wristband adorned with the same dark tone.

On the black lacquered dial, the emblematic hands and the large hour markers forming the hour circle are dressed in Chromalight. This is a high-intensity luminescent paint with prolonged emission to ensure optimal legibility of the hours and minutes under all light conditions. As for the date at 3 o’clock, it is amplified by the inevitable Cyclops magnifying glass. The reference 226658, as with the previous variations, is driven by the powerful caliber 3235 with 70 hours of power reserve. It is equipped with a nickel-phosphorus escapement insensitive to magnetic fields. As with all of the Rolex models, it holds the Superlative Chronometer certification. Let us recall that this self-winding movement has a precision measured at -2/+2 seconds per day.

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Created more than 60 years ago to pay tribute to the rise of civil aviation in the 1930s, the Geneva-based firm’s 2022 version of the watch features a few discreet modifications for improved ergonomics.

Within the walls of Rolex, evolutions are always done gently. “Change without change” could be the motto that expresses the philosophy of the Geneva-based watchmaker, which has always been at the forefront of innovation, whether mechanical or aesthetic, since its inception. It is in this same perspective that the new Oyster Perpetual Air-King watch was presented at Watches and Wonders in Geneva. The model born in 1958 to pay tribute to the takeoff of civil aviation in the 1930s and the first Oyster that accompanied, on the wrist or in the cockpit, the explorers of the sky, has gone through several “phases” before becoming the one we know since 2016, with this typical personality composed of a black dial, large 3-6-9 Arabic numerals and a highlighted minute track.

The 2022 version offers a few changes here and there for more performance and ergonomics without altering its identifying features. To begin with, its 40mm diameter Oystersteel case, equipped with a hermetically sealed caseback for immersion to a depth of 100m, has been slightly redesigned. It features a Twinlock crown framed by two reinforcements for added protection and straight case sides. Its bracelet has also been redesigned with an enlarged central link and the introduction of the secure Oysterlock clasp with folding clasp and Easylink quick-release extension. The black lacquered dial is adorned with Arabic numerals and a triangular marker in Chromalight white gold, a white pad-printed minute track with a 0 in front of the 5 for greater visual coherence, a pair of hour/minute hands and a Rolex green varnished second hand. The time indication is guaranteed by the automatic caliber 3230 that delivers a significant 70-hour power reserve.

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A reference among travelers’ watches, this surprising new development of the manufacturer’s dual time-zone model has all the attributes to become highly coveted.

To say that Rolex’s new products are awaited like the second coming is a mild euphemism. Before each trade show, the watchmaking world goes into a frenzy, wondering about the watches that will be presented. Watches and Wonders, which just concluded in Geneva, was an opportunity for the manufacturer to surprise enthusiasts, collectors, and journalists alike with an original variation of its GMT-Master II model featuring a crown and a date display topped with a Cyclops magnifying glass, both positioned at 9 o’clock. A major first!

As with all GMT-Master II references since 2018, the caliber 3285 with Chronergy escapement with optimized performance integrates the 40mm diameter Oystersteel stainless steel case that is waterproof to a depth of 100 meters. This self-winding mechanism with a 70-hour power reserve enables the hour hand to be set independently of the second time zone hand, recognizable by its triangular ending, and that of the minute hand. Like all of the timepieces from the brand with the crown, this one has the Superlative Chronometer certification obtained from the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). Its precision tolerates only two seconds more or less per day. This traveler’s watch is worn on an Oyster wristband fastened with a folding clasp. It also stands out thanks to its two-tone, bi-directional, 24-hour graduated bezel in green and black ceramic. Alongside “Pepsi” and “Batman”, this new GMT-Master II has all the qualities to make a name for itself!

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The evermore-exclusive Daytona showcases new finery this year as it takes on a precious, elegant metal case and a dial that has come straight out of the heart of the sky.

Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, pure chronograph quintessence, is now proposed in three prestigious variations. What makes them stand out? Well, apart from their 40 mm-diameter case, waterproof to depths of 100 m, crafted in white gold, yellow gold and Everose gold, all boast a dial made from a meteorite stone comprising iron and nickel. Nothing new here as such for the crown-logoed brand as it already used this material in the past in other references such as the Day-Date 40. It always stands out with its Widmanstätten patterns, a motif featuring random striations. They are formed when temperatures slump from over 1,000°C when an asteroid explodes to a chill which is initially brutal then spaced out over several million years. In this interstellar scenescape, we discover the 30-minute and 12-hour totalizers side-by-side and the small seconds at 6 o’clock. The ensemble is encircled by a bezel adorned with a tachymetric scale dressed in black ceramic, yellow gold or Everose gold, depending on the version.

All these watches are driven by the high-performing 4130 caliber. This selfwinding movement that embraces all of Rolex’s latest innovations delivers autonomy of 72 hours to the chronograph. Each of these references carries the Superlative Chronometer certification, a sure pledge of great precision.

Based on the dial material, the timepiece is worn on an Oysterflex or Oyster strap attached by an Oysterlock safety clasp

Price: EUR32,150 (white gold) – EUR38,650 (yellow gold) – EUR41,250 (Everose gold)

By Dan Diaconu

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