Rolex goes gold for Chinese New Year

GOLD IS A SYMBOL OF prosperity and this Chinese New Year, Rolex rises to the occasion with five timepieces made of the precious metal – and even studded with diamonds for extra sparkle. 

In its relentless dedication to perfection, most of Rolex’s materials and parts are produced in-house. Gold is no exception. While other brands depend on external sourcing, Rolex operates its own exclusive foundry. By doing so, it is unrivalled in casting the highest quality 18 ct gold alloys.

Depending on the amount of silver, copper, platinum or palladium added, different types of 18 ct gold are obtained – yellow, pink or white.

Before the final product is formed, the gold is thoroughly inspected in an in-house laboratory that has the latest state-of-the art equipment. 

Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36

Day-Date models, available only in precious metals, hail from Rolex’s most prestigious collection. The 36 mm timepiece – perfect on a lady’s smaller wrist – is completely made of Everose gold, including the President bracelet, which was created in 1956 for the original Day-Date.

Even the hours on the dial – cut from green aventurine, a stone with a finely crystallised surface – are indicated by 18 ct gold markers. The hour markers, including a Roman VI and IX, are set with 56 diamonds in all. The dial is also crowned with a bezel that sparkles with diamonds.

The diamonds are set by in-house gem-setters who work like sculptors to hand-carve the precious metal to secure each gem perfectly in place. 

The beauty of Rolex gem-setting extends beyond the quality of the stones to the precise alignment of the precious gems, the proportions and the intricate finishing of the metalwork. An in-house self-winding mechanical movement keeps its time precise. 

Price: S$79,800

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Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust 

This diamond-studded, petite 28 mm watch comes in 18 ct white gold, with hour markers in the shape of stars except for the Roman numeral IX at 9 o’clock.

The dial is crafted from pink opal, embellished only with decorative gems that meet Rolex’s exacting aesthetic requirements. It features diamonds in 18 ct gold settings and a Roman IX in 18 ct gold, set with eight diamonds. The Lady-Datejust is available in a President bracelet in 18 ct white gold.

Rolex has developed special expertise in the creation of dials made from decorative stone, such as pink opal. The stone discs destined for the dials are cut from a block of raw material. Only those whose colour and structure fully satisfy the brand’s exacting aesthetic requirements are selected. They grace the dial of a Rolex watch, conferring it with a unique personality.

Price: S$77,050 

Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller 36

The Land-Dweller 36 in Everose gold comes from a line of timepieces with bold lines and integrated bracelets that extend seamlessly from a redesigned Oyster case. The collection, launched last year, boasts 32 patent applications.

The honeycomb pattern that adorns the dial of the Land-Dweller 36 features a satin finish. It’s a work of traditional craftsmanship and high-technology methods, all mastered by Rolex in-house. A femtosecond laser is used to cut and design the honeycomb structure. It’s also used to etch the delicate lines in the grooves separating each cell.

The hours on the intense white dial, surrounded by an angled flange, are marked by 10 baguette-cut diamonds. The dial is also ringed by a bezel decked with diamonds.

The new Everose gold Flat Jubilee bracelet with a hidden folding Crownclasp integrates seamlessly with the watch’s case. The bracelet is joined by links with a distinctive flat surface, unique among Rolex’s metal bracelets.

The links reflect alternate polished and technical satin finishings. Creating the appearance of a continuous spool of ribbon, the top edges of the outer links are also bevelled, as are those of the middle case. 

Visible through the sapphire crystal case-back is the new state-of-the-art mechanical movement, calibre 7135. It is more energy-efficient, robust and better at maintaining chronometric precision in timekeeping.

The movement is regulated by a system made of high-tech materials and innovative components – like the new Dynapulse escapement, which has seven patents pending and is the most significant innovation in the regulating system.

Price: S$139,250

Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea

Unlike its Oystersteel counterparts, this chunky 44 mm ultra-deep diving watch goes even deeper, and comes in full 18 ct yellow gold, including the Oyster bracelet. But this is clearly a watch for divers. 

On its striking blue lacquer dial, the word “DEEPSEA” is stamped in powdered yellow. It also indicates the water-resistance: 3,900 m, whereas the benchmark for a serious scuba diving watch is 100 m.

Then there’s the 60-minute graduated, one-direction rotating Cerachrom bezel that allows divers to precisely and safely track their dive and decompression times. Hidden is a helium escape valve.

The triangular “zero” marker of the graduation, which is coated with a thin layer of yellow gold, is embedded with a luminescence that emits a blue glow in the dark. The glow lasts up to twice as long as that of traditional phosphorescent materials.

The hour markers – triangles, circles and rectangles – and the hands are also laced with luminescence.

Price: S$91,400

Perpetual 1908

Launched in 2023, this dress watch series now unveils its latest model in 18 ct yellow gold – in a 39 mm case that frames an intense white dial.

The matching gold Settimo bracelet exudes elegance. Made up of seven very tiny, slightly contoured link elements that are polished on every surface, this particularly lightweight band comfortably hugs the wrist. 

The Settimo bracelet, which has a patent-pending special system to attach it to the middle case, is only available with the 1908. The elegant and understated timepiece features a slim case crowned with a bezel that is domed on top and finely fluted below. 

Price: S$54,900