Enter the Year of the Dragon with Rolex
Celebrate Chinese New Year with a collection that appeals to every taste
THE COMING OF A NEW lunar year brings with it fresh hopes for the months ahead, family reunions and a time of abundance. Not to mention new clothes and accessories, of which Rolex has a timepiece that will not only make a sartorial statement, but be your constant companion for the year ahead.
Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36
If the dragon commands attention, respect and admiration, the same goes for any watch with the Rolex name on it. Especially if it’s a Day-Date model, among the brand’s most prestigious timepieces. With sparkling diamonds dotting the bezel and indices, including a Roman VI and IX in 18-ct gold, set on a pink opal dial encased in 18-ct white gold, the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 gets Chinese New Year off to a fresh start.
Its 36-mm case is also in keeping with the growing popularity of small watches. While dainty, the Day-Date 36 has all the signature elements that define the model – the innovative window at 12 o’clock displaying the day spelt out in full, the date in the aperture at 3 o’clock and the President bracelet with its semicircular, three-piece links.
Besides its looks, the watch is also a reliable timekeeper that will get you to your reunion dinner on time. It runs on a high performance and robust Rolex automatic mechanical movement, which boasts an accuracy rate of -2/+2 seconds daily (that is, it can be slower or faster by no more than two seconds a day).
Price: S$90,100
Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller
When you’re in another time zone and on your way home to the family, the Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller is made just for you, the busy traveller. Check the local time and the time at home at a glance with this watch that’s also easy to set.
On the 24-hour display, the key feature of this two-time-zone timepiece, you can also tell if it’s day or night. It’s also fitted with an annual calendar mechanism that indicates the current month in one of the 12 windows around the dial.
The new Sky-Dweller in Everose gold meets all the attributes of this auspicious occasion. Not only is it made of gold, which is associated with power, wealth, longevity and happiness in Chinese culture, the watch also sports a mesmerising blue-green dial, a colour reserved only for the Sky-Dweller.
Price: S$74,600
Oyster Perpetual 36
Its timeless “celebration” theme makes the Oyster Perpetual 36 a fitting timepiece to ring in the new year.
Rolex has been sporting colourful dials in recent years, and this Oystersteel model in a trendy 36-mm size brings playfulness up a notch.
Bubbles big and small in a riot of colours – candy pink, yellow, coral red and green – appear to float in a sea of turquoise blue on the dial.
The “celebration” motif which inspired the dial’s “effervescent, euphoric” design makes the watch, worn with a robust and snug three-piece link Oyster bracelet, a fun accessory to match with Chinese New Year outfits.
Price: S$8,900
Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36
If a more subtle look is preferred, the quietly elegant olive-green, palm-motif dial is a good alternative.
The eco-conscious hue is inspired by lush vegetation, its palm motif depicting swaying palm trees with overlapping fronds that create effects of light and shade. These are engraved on the dial with a laser, which uses short electromagnetic pulses to finely mark the surface. The dial has a sun-ray finish, a characteristic feature of Rolex dials.
The 36-mm model in Oystersteel is paired with an Oyster bracelet which is equipped with Rolex’s Easylink comfort extension link system.
Price: S$10,850
Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40
For those who would rather trade the festive hustle and bustle for a relaxing sail on the high seas, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 40 is an ideal companion.
Encased in Everose gold, the 40-mm watch is worn with an extendable Oysterflex bracelet – a sporty alternative to metal bracelets for sailing. Made of flexible metal blades over-moulded with high-performance elastomer, it’s particularly resistant to the environmental effects of the sea. It’s very durable and perfectly stable when strapped to the wrist — thanks to a patented cushion system built in the inside of the bracelet.
A bidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduate bezel, which is made entirely from precious metals and fitted with a Cerachrom insert in high-tech ceramic, may be used to calculate, say, the sailing time between two buoys. The task is made easy by the raised polished numerals and graduations which stand out clearly against a matte, sand-blasted background.
The watch is also exceptionally legible at all times and especially in the dark, thanks to its Chromalight display. The hands and hour markers are coated with a luminescent material that emits a long-standing glow.
Price: S$42,400
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