Rolex wows fans with new Daytona, zany dials, and a totally new watch

ON day one of the annual Watches and Wonders trade show in Geneva, A-list celebrities David Beckham and Julia Roberts wandered the halls. But it was a handful of debuts from Rolex that received outsized attention both within the Palexpo and on social media. “New” at the powerhouse brand, which for years has topped the industry in terms of revenue, usually means subtle tweaks on existing models and the occasional ultra-blinged jewelry watch. Last year when it released a GMT Master-II for left-handed wearers, it almost broke the watch Internet. Here are some of the pieces that made a splash.

Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona

As this is the 60th anniversary of the Daytona, one of the most coveted watches among collectors, aficionados were hoping that Rolex would create something new to mark the date. And they weren’t let down: the new Daytona features aesthetic adjustments, tweaked colours to enhance contrast, and most importantly, a new movement inside. The calibre 4131 is an evolution of the prior mechanism, the 4130, which includes some technological innovations made at Rolex since the 4130’s own debut. (Such as the the Chronergy escapement, which you can read about here.) As for the aesthetic changes, here’s how Rolex describes them: “The dial receives new graphic balance, and harmonious colour combinations accentuate the contrast between the dial and the counters – or their rings. The Oyster case has been redesigned, and its profile is highlighted by the light reflections on the lugs and case sides. On versions with a Cerachrom bezel, the bezel is edged with a thin band of the same metal as the middle case.” Since every tiny tweak over the years makes some versions more valuable than others, these new looks mean a fresh chance to invest-and suddenly make all the prior models potentially even more collectible.

Perpetual 1908

It is especially noteworthy for Rolex to unveil an entirely new watch, and this one, which is named after the year that Hans Wilsdorf created and registered the name “Rolex,” is all the more startling because it doesn’t fit with the design codes of the rest of the brand’s current lineup. A restrained dress watch, the 1908 is characterised by a finely fluted bezel and a slim case with a transparent caseback. It can be purchased in 18-carat white or yellow gold, with a white or black dial, and the hour hand is punctuated with a ring near its tip. Inside beats the calibre 7140 movement, which is new this year. I’ll be curious to see the response to this, since it does feel very out-of-left-field for Rolex, style-wise.

GMT Master-II in 18-Carat Yellow Gold

Rolex has been playing with Yachtmasters and GMT Master-IIs in rich materials for years now, but a GMT on a jubilee bracelet that’s made entirely of 18-carat yellow gold feels particularly indulgent. Be careful where you wear this!

Oyster Perpetual “Celebration” Dial

This colourful bubbled motif is uncharacteristically playful for Rolex, and it’s certainly a lot of fun to look at. Coming in 31 mm, 36 mm, and 41 mm there’s one for every wrist. Each features the calibre 3230 self-winding movement, which was developed in 2020.

Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36

Another particularly cherubic dial comes in this new watch, which takes the arched indicator where a Day-Date would normally display a day name and instead displays an “inspirational keyword,” including “Happy,” “Eternity,” “Gratitude,” “Peace,” ‘Faith,” “Love” or “Hope.” In the rectangular space where it would normally display a date number, at 3 o’clock, the watch showcases one of 31 emojis. The jigsaw pattern on the dial is made through champlevé enamelling, and the hours markers are baguette-cut sapphires in six different hues. BLOOMBERG