The Crown unveiled a major surprise in the classic 1908 collection, with precious metal and gemstone updates for its Professional Sports models.
After breaking the Internet last year with its Day-Date 36 Puzzle featuring champlevé enamel and the colorful Oyster Perpetual Celebration series, not forgetting as well the platinum Daytona with a sapphire case back, Rolex has certainly shown us how it is every bit the haute horlogerie manufacture. Thereafter, with the release of the Daytona Le Mans, once again the Crown proves that it is not always and exclusively forward thinking but well capable of paying tribute to its rich heritage. These acts of horological creativity have certainly fueled the already scorching hot demand for its timepieces, leading collectors to wonder what would the Rolex Watches & Wonders 2024 novelties bring? As it turns out, there are some seriously big surprises all around.
For a start, Rolex has updated some of its strongest watch icons with a fresh new look. All across the board, there is a laser-sharp focus on materials, colors and textures. Each new Rolex novelty reveals yet another area of watchmaking expertise, along with the brand’s vast manufacturing scope, offering insights to the in-house mastery within Rolex.
In addition, it is amply clear that Rolex is playing on the highest levels of haute horlogerie, especially with this year’s novelties, where the majority of the models are offered in gold or platinum. Gem-setting and ornamental stones also figure prominently in the new collection, along with Rolex’s biggest key message of the year, the spotlight on its dial-making expertise. Last year’s champlevé enamel Puzzle watch already provided more than a hint on this aspect of the manufacture, and this year Rolex goes all in — as you will see with the fantastic Day-Date 40 models and the new platinum Daytona with a refreshing take on the Paul Newman dial, using black and white mother-of-pearl.
Next of course we must go into the 1908 with an incredible ice blue guilloché dial done in a rice grain motif which Rolex confirms is indeed guilloché à main. This beautifully slim model in platinum truly takes Rolex into the realm of classical fine watchmaking, offering as well a sapphire case back displaying the movement Caliber 7140 which is the first movement that combines the Chronergy escapement with a Syloxi hairspring.
With all these amazing haute horlogerie novelties in 2024, it really is time to stop thinking that Rolex is only about stainless steel professional sports watches.
GMT-Master II Ref 126710GRNR
As one of Rolex’s most beloved sport models, the GMT-Master II has consistently been updated with new Cerachrom bezel color tones in the previous years. Beyond the red-and-blue Pepsi and the black-and-blue Batman, there is the super popular black-and-brown Rootbeer and last year, a new black-and-grey one delivered on a two-tone yellow and steel case with Jubilee bracelet.
So what should be really exciting to Rolex fans this year is the GMT-Master II Ref. 126710GRNR made in full Oystersteel. The entire watch exudes a monochromatic aesthetic (save for the green tone GMT hand) and that feels completely modern in spirit. Should you be able to score an allocation for this piece, you would be able to choose if you’d like to wear it on an Oyster bracelet or a Jubilee bracelet.
GMT-Master II 126710GRNR Specifications
Movement: Calibre 3285, Manufacture Rolex
Functions: Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. 24-hour display. Second time zone with independent rapid-setting of the hour hand. Instantaneous date. Stop-seconds for precise time setting
Case: 40 mm, Oystersteel, 100M water-resistance
Dial: Black
Strap: Oystersteel
With dials and dial-making being a core focus for Rolex for 2024, it should come as no surprise to see a lively selection for the Day-Date, which is always beloved among Rolex enthusiasts but in recent years overwhelmingly so with the rising popularity of stone dial watches. Dials at Rolex are produced at the Chêne-Bourg Essentially, there are four new references introduced this year across the two main sizes of 40 and 36mm Day-Dates. Two new models each but all of them showcase something particularly unique to Rolex’s dial expertise, finesse and design.
Beginning with the Day-Date 40, Rolex releases two new dial variations, the first of which is the Slate Ombré dial reference 228235 in Everose gold, which debuted at the 2024 Academy Awards in March. Constructed in full Everose gold this watch brings together the slate ombré dial with the classic fluted bezel and a President bracelet. Here, the dialmaking expertise comes through as you see how the beautiful dial color goes from lightest at the center to darkest around the edges.
The sunburst effect as well lends an elegant shimmery light effect, with additional dazzle provided by the faceted Roman applied indexes and of course the fluted bezel. Something extra special to note about the Day-Date 40 with Slate Ombré dial is that this is the only brown-tone dial with the ombré effect in the Day-Date range, as the Day-Date 36 is more of a classic brown and has diamond indexes as well.
Next, Rolex introduces a Day-Date 40 in white gold with pearlized white mother-of-pearl which offers a gorgeous play on textures all around the watch. Rolex reveals that the mother-of-pearl dial is cut from the most ancient part of the shell, primarily the thickness part where the greatest nuanced patterns can be seen. Evoking a voluminous effect and richness that’s akin to a view towards a sky full of clouds, the dial is accompanied by baguette-cut diamond indexes and completed with the signature fluted bezel, all worn on the perpetually elegant President bracelet.
Following the Day-Date 40, Rolex presents two new dial variations for the Day-Date 36, both of which exude a clear sense of modernity and embodiment of contemporary luxury. Leading the conversation here is the Day-Date 36 reference 128395TBR in Everone gold with a vibrant blue-green dial first seen last year in the Sky-Dweller range. Accentuated by baguette-cut diamond indexes, this model elevates the luxury touch with a bezel fully set with 60 trapeze shaped diamonds, one for every minute of the hour. Naturally Rolex’s gem-setting expertise gets a little shoutout here as well. See the precise alignment of the height of the gemstones, their precise orientation, position and colorlessness, along with the regularity, strength and proportions of the intricate metalworking.
The final new model in the Day-Date collection is the new Day-Date 36 in yellow gold reference 128238. This classic model with a pristine white lacquer dial forefronts Rolex’s incredible attention to the smallest details. Crafting this dial requires the manufacture to deposit successively six thin layers of lacquer on the base plate, and thereafter a layer of colorless finish to give it that impeccable depth and shine. The final step is a polishing given to the dial after the colorless layer dries which brings out a truly intense dial color tone.
Apart from the lacquer, the hour markers as well were subject to an incredibly detailed manufacturing process. Seven different operations were needed to fabricate each hour marker and the result as you will see are the most ramrod straight edges, high shine facets and ultra-precise angles.
Moving unequivocally towards the direction of haute horlogerie, Rolex’s big highlight for 2024 is most certainly the new 1908 reference 52506 in platinum with an ice blue guilloché dial. Notably, guilloché is new element in the contemporary portfolio of Rolex but the manufacture is known to have made some Day-Date models in the 1950s featuring guilloché dials, so this really is a tribute to its past.
Referring to the guilloché dial as a rice grain motif, the rosette-like pattern emanates from the small seconds sub-dial which is itself given a sunburst finish. Around the minute track there is a finely crimped guilloché border as well. Rolex worked with a guilloché specialist on this dial and completes the watch with the 1908 collection’s elegant divided bezel that is part domed and part finely fluted, and as well refined lugs.
The watch is also nice and slim, highly wearable at 39mm with a height of 9.5mm as with the existing 1908 models. On the inside is the phenomenally innovative Caliber 7140 featuring both the Chronergy escapement and the Syloxi balance spring. With this new 1908, Rolex is pursuing the course it has set for the Perpetual collection as a tribute to the classic art of watchmaking infused with the brand’s know-how and creativity. It is one step closer by Rolex to really emphasize the appeal of métiers d’arts in its luxury timepieces.
1908 52506 Specifications
Movement: Calibre 7140, manufacture Rolex
Functions: Centre hour and minute hands, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock. Stop-seconds for exact time setting
Case: 39 mm, platinum, polished finish, water-resistant to 50M
Dial: Ice blue, rice-grain motif
Strap: Leather strap
Rolex Deepsea reference 136668LB
The Rolex Deepsea has always been that inimitable tool watch of the deep, an indestructible diving instrument that will survive even the most apocalyptic of events. This time, Rolex puts a luxurious spin on the watch, the likes of which the manufacture had done before with the Submariner and also the Sea-Dweller with full and half-gold iterations respectively. Indeed, just because these are professional diving instruments, doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to bling out a little — once in a while at least.
But there’s more. This full solid yellow gold Deepsea is also decked out in ceramic and RLX titanium, providing a symphony of high performance materials in one singular timepiece. Obviously the turning bezel is fashioned in polished ceramic but what is super exciting here is the compression ring also made of blue ceramic, and in the exact same color tone as the Cerachrom bezel. Decorated with a circular satin finish, this component forms part of the Ringlock system, which is a case architecture unique to the Deepsea that allows it to withstand the extreme pressure of depths up to 3,900 meters or 12,800 feet. Additionally, the watch features a helium escape valve made of RLX titanium
Movement: Calibre 3235, Manufacture Rolex
Functions: Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. Instantaneous date with rapid setting. Stop-seconds for precise time setting
Case: Oyster, 44 mm, yellow gold
Dial: Blue
Strap: Yellow gold bracelet
Cosmograph Daytona reference 126589RBR and 126579RBR
New Daytona models always make a splash, whether it’s something ground-breaking like the platinum Daytona with the new open case back of 2023 or the eye-wateringly fabulous rainbow models in the years before. This year Rolex once again unveils two new references for the Daytona while providing additional insights into its dial making and gem-setting expertise.
Reference 126589RBR offers a poetic take on the familiar Paul Newman dial, also known as a panda dial, and a second model done in the reverse panda dial. Its material of choice is ornamental stones, specifically mother-of-pearl which comes either black or white in these watches. Rolex mentions that the discs for the three chronograph counters are all cut from the same piece of mother-of-pearl to ensure consistency in color tone but also preserving the specific nuances of different parts of the raw material.
Two variations are being presented here, one with white mother-of-pearl sub-dials on a black mother-of-pearl dial which is the reverse panda style, and the other with black mother-of-pearl sub-dials on a white mother-of-pearl which is the Paul Newman style. This model is offered with an Oysterflex bracelet while the other comes with a white gold bracelet. Both watches feature bezels fully set with 36 extra large round brilliant diamonds
Cosmograph Daytona 126589RBR (Oysterflex) 126579RBR (Oyster)
Movement: Calibre 4131, manufacture Rolex
Functions: Centre hour and minute hands, small seconds hand at 6 o’clock. Chronograph via centre seconds hand, 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and 12-hour counter at 9 o’clock. Stop seconds for exact time setting
Case: Oyster, 40 mm, white gold and diamonds
Dial: White and black mother-of-pearl set with diamonds
Strap: Oysterflex or white gold bracelet, depending on reference
Sky-Dweller Reference 336935 and 336938
Rounding up the Rolex novelties for 2024 are the new Sky-Dweller models now in full yellow gold or Everose gold. These models are worn on Jubilee bracelets which have been updated with ceramic inserts for greater quality and flexibility. The yellow gold model is paired with an immaculate white dial while the Everose model comes with a lovely slate dial. Everything else remains the same, the movement Caliber 9002 offering the Saros Calendar and Ring Command System.
Sky-Dweller 336935 (Everose) 336938 (yellow gold) Specifications
Movement: Calibre 9002, manufacture Rolex
Functions: Centre hour, minute and seconds hands. 24-hour display on off-centre disc. Second time zone. Instantaneous annual calendar at 3 o’clock and rapid-setting of the date. Month display via 12 apertures around the circumference of the dial. Stop-seconds for precise time setting
Case: Oyster, 42 mm, Everose or yellow gold
Dial: Slate (Everose) or white (yellow gold)
Strap: Jubilee
