Rolex’s jewelled legacy

ROLEX WATCHES ARE KNOWN TO withstand pressure and still tell time perfectly. Such tough resilience has always been synonymous with the luxury brand and its watchmaking prowess, but there’s another area that it also excels in – jewelled timepieces.

Rolex’s Chene-Bourg site is home to the brand’s gemmology laboratory and gem-setting workshops. Using only the noblest of stones in its watches, each stone is rigorously checked by the in-house gemmology department. 

With a seasoned eye and experience, combined with state-of-the-art equipment, in-house gemologists first select the highest grade of diamonds, sapphires, rubies and emeralds. The precious stones are then entrusted to the gem-setters who skillfully position them individually in the watch, assuring precision within hundredths of a millimetre.

The tight tolerances guarantee that each stone shines with optimal brilliance, perfectly aligning with those around it. Repeated hundreds of times, these time-honoured gestures ensure that each gem-set timepiece Rolex produces sparkles with exceptional intensity, in keeping with its standards of excellence – as the following gems of the brand’s classic and new collections attest. 

Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust

Paved with diamonds from the dial to the bracelet, this petite 18-ct yellow gold watch has 596 brilliant-cut gemstones on its three-piece link President bracelet, which is also in yellow gold. 

The fully diamond-studded dial is framed in a 28 mm wide yellow gold case, crowned by a bezel bearing 44 brilliant-cut diamonds.

The Lady-Datejust records a precision rate of -2/+2 seconds per day. It is waterproof to 100 m and powered by an in-house, state-of-the-art mechanical self-winding movement, fitted with a Syloxi hairspring in silicon with patented geometry. The movement has a power reserve of approximately 55 hours.

Price: S$211,900

Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

In place of the emblematic tachymetric scale, the bezel of this gem-set version of the iconic chronograph is lined with 36 brilliant-cut diamonds.

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Another eight diamonds and three Chromalight hour markers grace the white and black mother-of-pearl dial, nestled in a 40 mm, 18-ct white gold case. The strength of the contrast, colour intensity and depth of the reflections are all the result of an especially stringent material-selection process. 

As with all gold models of the Cosmograph Daytona which feature a Cerachrom bezel, this diamond-studded version is also paired with an Oysterflex bracelet. Combining the robustness of a metal bracelet and the comfort of an elastomer band, the bracelet is made up of two flexible curved metal blades – one in each bracelet section – overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer.

Cushions fitted in the inner sides of the bracelet provide optimum comfort, while the Oysterlock safety clasp prevents accidental opening. The length of the bracelet may be adjusted, thanks to the Rolex Glidelock extension system.

The chronograph runs on an in-house, high-performance automatic movement which is fitted with Rolex’s paramagnetic blue Parachrom hairspring. The movement has approximately 72 hours of power reserve. 

Price: S$93,800

Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36

Another timepiece dressed in diamonds like the Lady-Datejust, the sparklers on this most prestigious of Rolex models – which displays the date and the day spelt in full – still leave room for Rolex’s 18-ct Everose gold to shine. While diamonds decorate the entire watch in the Lady-Datejust, the Day-Date 36 features them sharing the honour with gold and sapphires.

The dial of the watch, framed in a 36 mm Everose gold case, is also bedecked with 10 baguette-cut rainbow-coloured sapphire hour markers. 

The diamonds are set on the bezel, the dial and the middle links of the watch’s bracelet – a President bracelet which is available only on Day-Date and precious metal versions of the Lady-Datejust timepieces. It is also equipped with an in-house mechanical self-winding movement with approximately 70 hours of power reserve. 

Price: S$198,800

Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36

The dial of this Day-Date 36 is made of a decorative stone in shimmering tones that evoke the atmosphere of the Mediterranean coast. It features 32 diamonds on the hour markers in 18-ct gold, and 24 diamonds on the Roman numerals VI and IX, also in 18-ct gold. Diamonds also adorn the bezel, but play a supporting role to the green aventurine in this timepiece.

Framed in a 36 mm Everose gold case, the dial of the watch is crafted entirely from green aventurine, a stone with a finely crystallised surface. Waterproof to 100 m, this Day-Date 36 is powered by an in-house mechanical self-winding movement with approximately 70 hours of power reserve. 

Price: S$93,300

Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31

Diamonds serve to enhance the textural effects of the silver floral-motif dial of this timepiece in Oystersteel and Everose gold. Worn with a Jubilee bracelet, the watch combines three different finishes on its dial – sunray, matte and grained. High-technology finishing techniques were required to create this motif, a shining example of refined dial-making expertise. The textural effects are further enhanced by 24 diamonds of varying sizes, which illuminate the centre of each flower.

The 31 mm wide case of the Datejust 31 is crowned by a bezel bedecked in diamonds. The watch is kept ticking by an in-house mechanical self-winding movement with a power reserve of approximately 55 hours.

Price: S$30,600