In Its New Releases, Rolex Moves Away From the Classic Black Dial

(Photo credit: Rolex)

As Watches and Wonders closes, Rolex told Coronet it has more surprises to reveal, not just one, but a steady cadence of celebrations through the year to mark the 100th anniversary of the Oyster. It's unclear whether we will see more "100 YEARS" Oyster Perpetual dials, but the use of color appears a safe bet.

It seems Rolex has largely avoided black dials this year; even its 100-year OP is slate. The transition from the mechanical watch as a reliable, lifelong companion with neutral tones designed to outlast fashion cycles could be behind us. The Swiss watch industry may still talk about heritage and heirloom, transmission across generations, but today’s mechanical watches are meant to be collected and rotated like an accessory matching a mood or proper attire.

Ten colors, applied one at a time to build the dial’s final composition. (Photo credit: Rolex)

I asked Rolex whether its strategy of colorful dials is meant to encourage plurality of ownership, with each watch carrying its own identity. With fewer neutral or timeless colors, the new releases seem to cater to collectors over single-watch wearers. Rolex pushed back against the idea it is catering to collectors, saying instead that the dial has become a means of artistic expression and a showcase for its expertise, with the Oyster Perpetual serving as the ideal “playground” for that.

"We have real expertise in dial making, and this is a way to express and showcase it through materials, but also through artistic expression and color. The Oyster Perpetual range is the perfect playground for that," a Rolex representative in Geneva told me. "In that sense, we are continuing something that is meant to be fun and joyful within the same range. This allows us to reach a wide audience. Different colors speak to different customers, all on a steel watch that remains relatively accessible. It becomes a playground for expression.”

In a Smaller Watch Era, Rolex Releases a 44mm Collection

The new Yacht-Master II. (Photo credit: Les Rhabilleurs)

It’s been nearly two decades since Rolex introduced a collection at 44mm, with the Deepsea in 2008 and the Yacht-Master II in 2007. Those were the aughts, a decade that encouraged wrist presence. An exception came in 2022 with the 50mm Deepsea Challenge, an outlier rated for the Mariana Trench.

Still, it is puzzling to see Rolex release a 44mm collection in 2026, when the consensus is a return to more restrained proportions. Rolex watches have set trends in design and color, raising the question of whether larger sizes could follow. After all, smartwatches have gone against the grain for years, steadily increasing in size. While they hardly compare to luxury watches, they do compete for wrist attention. As a company that ships more units than the entire Swiss watch industry combined, Apple helps set size expectations, having moved from 38mm and 42mm cases in 2015 to 42mm and 46mm for its Series 11 today.

I asked Rolex whether the choice for 44mm was to expand the range in its catalogue, even though a 42mm Yacht-Master II might have increased sales, as it is closer to what most wrists can pull off. A representative in Geneva acknowledged that “diversifier l'offre et le choix” in the catalogue was part of the strategy, but said Rolex felt it was a size “appropriate for this tool watch which has a real function.”

“It is still the watch of the skippers, of the races, of the maxis,” she told me. “The skippers also tend to have more of an athletic build. So, a 44mm watch, we thought, would be appropriate for this kind of function and wearer.”

Adrian Barker, a YouTuber, says the watch is more wearable than expected on his 6.5-inch, or 16.5 cm, wrist. (Credit: Adrian Barker)

With Rolex’s New Releases, Its New Problem Is the Picture

The new Rolex Daytona in Rolesium. (Photo credit: Rolex)

When Rolex developed a new gold alloy for the Day-Date, the brand struggled to describe it. "We couldn't define what shade it had," a Rolex representative in Geneva told me. "Obviously, there is play of light. But some people saw it as more pink, some as more yellow, and others as more gray," she said. The brand settled on "Jubilee Gold." In its press kit for Watches and Wonders this week, it did not assign it a single color, but three.

In a day and age of computer-generated images, which present new releases in perfect conditions, Rolex is increasingly having the opposite problem. Today's images fail more and more to capture the nuances of Rolex's creations. "It's true this year even more so, I would say," the representative told me.

If last year’s release centered on the Land-Dweller and its revolutionary Calibre 7135, this year is about la maîtrise cadranière, or mastery of the dial. The part of the watch that offers Rolex the most creative freedom is also the one that photographs do the least justice.

"For example, there are many people who didn't necessarily like the new Jubilee dial in photos," the brand’s representative said. “And when they saw it in real life, they saw how well the colors stand out because the watches are about emotion. And they saw how much perfection there was in the execution of this dial, which they didn't realize in photos," she said.

The new OP 36 with a Jubilee dial. (Photo credit: Rolex)

The OP's Jubilee dial is not the only dial where computer-generated images have reached a limitation at Rolex. Photos of the new Daytona with a white dial and white sub-registers have difficulty capturing the chronograph's "slightly vitreous aspect of enamel," she said. "The same with the light green aventurine of the Day-Date dial with its subtle colors which play with the light." Even the new Yacht-Master II features a never-before-seen white lacquer coating on the dial, a first for the collection, designed to reduce reflections.

On the dial of its gold OP in 28 and 34, Rolex decided to cut the stone differently, using an ogive cut that eschews the typical play of light and keeps a matte effect to better match the color of the dial, a detail that is hard to pick up in photos. Rolex paired those OPs with a fully brushed gold case and bracelet. It was only after seeing the brushed-gold OPs in person that Tony Traina, a watch journalist, said it was his “favorite execution” from Rolex.

The full-gold OPs in 28 and 34. (Photo credit: Les Rhabilleurs)

On the Eve of Watches and Wonders, Rolex Missed Its Moment

Reach for the cork. (Photo courtesy of SailGP)

It was a little over a year ago that Roger Federer posted a photo of himself eating fondue while wearing an unreleased Rolex, the Land-Dweller. Many assumed it was a manufactured leak meant to generate buzz ahead of Watches and Wonders 2025. Coronet reported it was not. If it had been, the playbook would likely have been repeated this year with one of Rolex’s 155 Testimonees. Instead, a more organic moment presented itself this week and was missed by Rolex.

On Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Tom Slingsby, one of the most accomplished sailors of his generation and a Rolex Testimonee, steered the Bonds Flying Roos to a commanding victory at the Rio Sail Grand Prix, despite everything his rivals and the conditions threw at him. His team moved to the top of the championship standings after the fourth event of the 2026 season. Winning all four races in a SailGP event is rare; doing so on the shifty, gusty waters of Guanabara Bay is exceptional. The result came just hours before Rolex was set to introduce a new regatta timer, the Yacht-Master II, at 6 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Monday.

Rolex has been trying to promote SailGP since leaving Formula 1, deepening its ties with a series often described as the “F1 of sailing.” It now sponsors a sport it presents as “climate-positive,” featuring catamarans capable of reaching 100 km/h. Still, sailing remains underrepresented in its ambassador ranks, with seven Testimonees compared with 32 in tennis and 55 in golf. One of those sailors had just delivered a four-race sweep hours before the unveiling of the new Yacht-Master II. On the podium, as Slingsby and his team sprayed champagne, his wrists, in front of the world, remained bare.

By Retiring Its Most Popular GMT-Master II, Rolex Lets the Myth Grow

Fly away. (Photo credit: Rolex)

The most important news from Rolex at Watches and Wonders is the one it did not announce. The discontinuation of the GMT-Master II “Pepsi” is a reminder that Rolex is not a watch brand but a luxury brand. And luxury brands do not live off bestsellers, but on managing desirability across an entire collection.

The removal of the red-and-blue GMT-Master II is a clear example of a logic that applies to luxury goods but often puzzles the watch world. Why discontinue the models the market demands most? While desirability in a Rolex watch stems from its built and quality, it also rests on rarity. Sometimes you have to end a story to let the myth grow.

Still, the Pepsi is not the 5711, a watch dominating the collection so much Patek Philippe chief executive Thierry Stern said it had become “too dangerous,” because it risked defining an entire brand.

For Rolex, there are practical reasons to discontinue the watch. It will likely return after a short absence with a new design and a new movement, providing a rationale for a higher price point, given that demand for the watch is among the highest in the collection. Its reintroduction would likely be staged with fanfare after the myth has had time to build. After all, Rolex must offer something new each year. And while “it is very hard to invent a Rolex,” in the words of Jean-Frédéric Dufour, Rolex’s true strength has always been in improving — and reintroducing — its decades-old catalogue of legendary models.

The other reason is the Coke. The red-and-black–bezel GMT will likely appear first in precious metal, in keeping with Rolex practice, before any steel version. And for a white-gold Coke to succeed, the steel Pepsi has to step aside, avoiding cannibalization of a more expensive sibling.

Rolex Is Set to Revive Its Yacht-Master II Collection

Countdown to a comeback. (Credit: Rolex)

Rolex released a second teaser earlier today, an unusual move, but a sign that the brand wants to mark the 100th anniversary of the Oyster strongly enough to warrant a separate video, which was first released on Friday.

The video released on Sunday is more typical of past Rolex clips, teasing in short succession a range of models from the new collection. Among the pieces, Rolex shows a chronograph with the pushers of the Yacht-Master II, as they lack the screwlocks of the Daytona. The larger dot in the middle of the Triplock crown suggests it is made of white gold, not steel. As the watch turns in the video, a blue bezel is visible, with minute graduations extending past the 15 mark, an unusual design choice for the bezel of a Yacht-Master.

It is unclear if Rolex will release a steel version, but the fact it is relaunching the Yacht-Master II line is worth writing about. The brand has strengthened its ties with SailGP since leaving Formula 1 and is right not to abandon the regatta countdown model. The relaunch would align with the new patent covered in these pages, which eliminates the use of a Ring Command bezel to program the watch. It would also mark the third collection launch in four years, after the 1908 and Land-Dweller.

Still, a new Yacht-Master II suggests that a discontinuation at Rolex may be more of a pause, as the line was discontinued just two years ago. If the GMT-Master II “Pepsi” leaves the catalog in 2026, it may return sooner than expected, with a new patent, a new design and an excuse for Rolex to reposition pricing on one of its most sought-after watches.

Minute graduations extend past 15 on the 2026 Yacht-Master II bezel. (Credit: Rolex)

Rolex Builds a 30-Story Flagship, but Plans to Occupy Only Half

Sky-dwelling. (Photo credit: Rolex)

Rolex announced last week that its new 30-story flagship at 665 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan will open this fall. Rolex will not occupy all 30 floors, but will use about half of the building and lease out the rest. In a statement, Luca Bernasconi, CEO of Rolex Watch USA, said the tower “will serve our team and tenants.”

“New York City and Fifth Avenue, in particular, have long been crucial to Rolex in the US. The Rolex Building at 665 Fifth Avenue is a clear expres­sion of our enduring commitment to this city: a beautiful example of modern architecture that will serve our team and tenants, as well as welcome clients for decades to come,” he said.

The 165,000-square-foot building will include a multi-level Rolex retail space topped by office floors, along with amenities such as a restaurant and event space. A number of floors above Rolex’s offices will be available to select tenants, including Angeles Wealth Management, which will move in this fall.

Rolex’s new building is part of a new trend in luxury, a flagship arms race of sorts, to develop prominent sites. LVMH plans to demolish its building at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue to construct a new flagship, a move reportedly influenced by Rolex’s project. Meanwhile, Kering has agreed to buy the retail portion at 715–717 Fifth Avenue. Prada is planning a tower at 724 Fifth Avenue, with a store at the base and offices and condominiums above. Having an address on the Champs-Élysées or Fifth Avenue is no longer enough. Brands like Rolex want larger, more visible flagships, a shift often reported in these pages.

Rolex’s Latest Teaser Hints at a 100-Year Special Edition Watch

Not a wait time, hopefully. (Photo credit: Rolex)

Rolex this morning released a 16-second teaser clip ahead of Watches and Wonders, continuing an annual practice of publishing brief preview videos on the Friday before the event. The latest installment is in line with the length of past teasers but shorter than typical Rolex clips.

The clip offers little product detail, as about five seconds are devoted to Rolex Testimonees, with the remainder centered on a single theme: the 100th anniversary of the Oyster Perpetual. Previous teasers typically showed a wider range of watches.

Rolex plans to mark the milestone with a special edition watch, an interesting twist for a brand that has most times played down anniversaries. In a brief frame, the words “100 YEARS” appear printed on a dark dial of what seems to be an Oyster Perpetual with a gold bezel.

It’s unclear what material is used for the rest of the watch, though a full-gold version seems unlikely based on the portrait version of the clip, which shows some grey below the bezel. Still, viewers who saw the teaser in portrait mode (Instagram) may have missed the green minute markers visible in the landscape version (YouTube), an interesting detail.

Green marker under the 7 o’clock. (Photo credit: Rolex)

In Golf, Rolex Stands by Its Enfant Terrible

Uncut. (Photo credit: Rolex)

Few know that Rolex’s sponsorship of golf began with a simple gentleman’s handshake in 1967, when it partnered with Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, known as the Big Three.

The Masters Tournament, a Rolex-sponsored event that begins Thursday, will be missing one of Rolex’s biggest Testimonees, who hasn’t exactly behaved like a gentleman recently. Tiger Woods, whom Rolex calls “a living golf legend,” said he is “stepping away” from the sport after last month’s car crash, in which he rolled his vehicle, and a DUI-related arrest.

While Rolex is protective of its image, it appears to have kept the golf legend as a brand ambassador, at least for now. In 2010, several brands, including AT&T and Gillette, decided to drop Woods after he admitted to a pattern of affairs following another car accident amid intense tabloid and mainstream coverage. No other Testimonee has had such high-profile scandals — though Rolex has shown it can drop them when needed.

In Jan. 2024, Rolex confirmed it had cut ties with Alexander Zverev, a German tennis player, shortly before he was set to face a public trial in Berlin for allegations of domestic abuse involving his former partner.

Woods, however, who has remained on Rolex’s roster for 15 years, seems a favorite. Despite his record of reckless behavior, including cheating on his wife and driving impaired, he has reached a level of loyalty at Rolex rarely seen in sports sponsorships, a sign of how much the brand values legacy among its Testimonees.

The Curious Case of the White-Gold Submariner

Value retention of unworn Rolex models in white gold. (Data: Chrono24)

The price of the white-gold Submariner, reference 126619LB, is worth writing about because it has declined in an unusual way on the secondary market for such an iconic model. Prices now trade well below retail, in some cases by a wide margin even for a precious-metal Rolex, based on data from the largest online watch marketplace.

According to Chrono24, which has visibility into actual sold prices on its platform, not just list prices, the average sold price of an unworn Submariner in white gold stands at $42,000. That means a drop of roughly $10,000 from retail, or about 19%, for a watch resold immediately after purchase. The discount widens to a staggering 25% once the watch has been worn. Some may say white gold and steel are too similar in appearance, but it is a fate not necessarily shared by other references.

Still, the 126619LB may be lacking something other white-gold pieces are not, a distinctive dial. In this price segment, where beauty and visibility often drive demand, the Submariner’s restraint may be working against it. It has been six years since Rolex discontinued the Hulk, whose sunburst dial is now highly sought after. In Coronet's opinion, that dial was even more interesting than the blue dial of its white-gold contemporary, which was discontinued the same year.

Last year, Rolex introduced a left-hand-drive GMT in white gold. Because the black and green bezel is reserved for such GMTs, the brand could only change the dial when making the white-gold version, and it made for a more interesting piece. The Submariner should be next.

A reimagined white-gold Submariner. (Design: Coronet)

At Its Largest Project Yet, Rolex Closes the Skies to Drones

Crown control. (Credit: Canton de Fribourg)

Drone flights over Rolex’s new construction site in Bulle, Switzerland, are now banned after cantonal authorities imposed a no-fly zone at the brand’s request. No-fly zones are usually associated with safety-critical infrastructure or national security, such as airports or events like the G7 summit. It is unusual for a luxury brand, which typically relies on visibility and publicity, to restrict outside views even as it works to generate buzz around a CHF 1 billion project, its biggest to date. There are about 1,000 workers on the site.

The decision, which was published Friday in the Feuille officielle du canton de Fribourg and issued by the Directorate of Security, Justice and Sport, reflects what authorities described as a heightened security environment around a “relatively sensitive” construction site. Police are authorized to intercept, disable and seize any drones that violate the restriction. The ban applies to unmanned aircraft weighing under 30 kilograms and will remain in effect through Dec. 31, 2032, unless lifted earlier at Rolex’s request.

The brand’s request to ban drones was filed last month and is the latest sign of the level of interest surrounding Rolex and its newest manufacture, at a time when attention on the largest luxury watch company is greater than ever. Rolex said it had observed “une augmentation préoccupante” in drone activity since work began, describing the devices as a potential danger to both personnel and corporate security, including the risk of unauthorized image capture. The site has also previously been the target of malicious activity. In May 2025, during the night of May 2 to 3, the Rolex construction site was burglarized, with more than 100,000 Swiss francs worth of equipment stolen.

Rolex to Turn German Headquarters Site Into Hotel and Restaurant

Rolex Germany headquarters in Cologne, in an undated photo. “ROLEX” lettering has been removed. (Photo credit: Raimond Spekking)

Rolex USA will unveil its new Manhattan headquarters this fall, a multi-year project that replaced an older building with a new 30-story tower. In Germany, however, rebuilding its Cologne headquarters has proved more complicated than on Fifth Avenue.

Rolex Deutschland GmbH, the wholly owned subsidiary responsible for distributing Rolex products across Germany, had planned to demolish and rebuild its headquarters in Cologne, as reported by Coronet. Rolex Deutschland has been based in that city since 1956 and in its current building since 1983. The site, located between a 17th-century church and the main train station, required approval from the city’s design advisory board. The board repeatedly pushed for revisions, including reducing the building’s size to better fit its surroundings, a sign of the city’s reluctance to approve changes that reflected Rolex’s vision for the site.

In January, Rolex decided to scrap the demolition plan, despite previously arguing the building was outdated and failed to meet modern safety and accessibility standards. The brand cited sustainability and said it was exploring renovation and "alternative uses," a move that worried residents Rolex’s headquarters would leave Cologne. But a spokesperson for Rolex reaffirmed the brand's long-standing commitment to the city, saying: "Rolex Deutschland remains loyal to the city of Cologne, our home for over 70 years."

At the same time, Rolex Deutschland was moving its 150 employees to Deutz, a district across the Rhine. The brand did not indicate that the new location, on the outskirts of Cologne, was temporary or permanent. But it now appears Rolex has decided to abandon plans to rebuild its headquarters in the historic property next to the 17th-century church altogether. Rolex said the site will be turned into a hotel and restaurant, a plan more likely to receive approval from Cologne’s advisory board.

Rolex, Out of Formula 1, Still Bets on Its Drivers

Nyck de Vries. (Photo credit: Formula 1)

Nyck de Vries is Rolex’s newest Testimonee, a fact he hasn’t disclosed on his social accounts yet, though his signing is confirmed by the brand. It is the latest sign that, while Rolex may have exited Formula 1 as a series sponsor, it continues to sponsor Formula 1 drivers or former drivers of the series.

This is an interesting strategy for Rolex, as its motor-sports sponsorship has become a balancing act for a brand placing greater emphasis than ever on protecting the planet, and concerns grow over the sport’s carbon footprint. It exited Formula 1 in 2024 following a dispute over contract length, as first reported by Coronet, with F1 seeking a 10-year renewal and Rolex unwilling to commit beyond five.

Rolex still sponsors F1 legend Jackie Stewart. A Rolex brand ambassador since 1968, Sir Jackie Stewart is Rolex’s longest-standing relationship in motor sports. More recent names in Formula 1 include Mark Webber, a Rolex Testimonee since 2017; and Jenson Button, since 2022.

De Vries, a 31-year-old from the Netherlands, is the first driver signed by Rolex since the brand left Formula 1. He made a points-scoring debut with Williams at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix and then competed for the AlphaTauri team the following season.

Beyond Formula 1, he has also competed in the electric series, winning the Formula E world title in 2020–21. He continues to race today in Formula E and is part of the Mahindra Racing team this season. He has recently been seen wearing a Rolex Submariner with a green bezel. For Rolex, by sponsoring a Formula E champion, the Perpetual Planet brand maintains ties across categories, particularly in clean energy.

Beyer, a Historic Rolex Partner in Zurich, Is Sold to Patek Philippe

Time moves on. (Photo credit: Beyer)

Rolex will soon lose one of its closest partners, Beyer Chronometrie. The Zurich retailer, in business for 266 years, is being sold to Patek Philippe following the death last year of René Beyer, the eighth generation of the family-run boutique founded in 1760. Beyer’s ties to Patek date to 1842, making it one of the longest relationships in the watch retail industry. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung was first to report the news.

Widely regarded as the world’s oldest authorized watch and jewelry retailer, Beyer has worked closely with Rolex since 1932. In the 1950s, founder Hans Wilsdorf gifted a yellow-gold Day-Date to René Beyer’s grandfather in recognition of his support. For Beyer’s 250th anniversary in 2010, Rolex created a special platinum Day-Date sold exclusively through the store. René Beyer died unexpectedly in April 2025; neither he nor his sister, Muriel Zahn-Beyer, had heirs.

Rolex could have been a buyer but is unlikely to pursue the deal after acquiring Bucherer, which already operates on Bahnhofstrasse. Chief executive Jean-Frédéric Dufour has said the company does not plan further retail acquisitions.

Patek Philippe will secure a prime location on the famous Bahnhofstrasse when the deal closes in about nine months, acquiring a three-floor boutique — which includes a museum whose collection will remain with the Beyer family.

A Way to Invest in Rolex Without Buying a Watch

Watches of Switzerland Group share price (GBX), last 6 months. (Data: LSEG)

Watches should not be considered an investment, so the saying goes. Jean-Frédéric Dufour has said he did not like when people compare watches to stocks. “Nous fabriquons des produits, pas des investissements,” he said in 2024.

But if investors want to reap the benefits of Rolex’s incredible performance today — including its CPO program, whose success has exceeded expectations — they could do worse than looking at Rolex's biggest partner, Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG). With over 200 showrooms, the publicly traded retailer accounts for roughly half of Rolex sales in the U.K.

While WOSG’s stock fell in 2023 on fears that Rolex would favor its newly acquired retailer, Bucherer, that has not materialized. For Rolex, harming its century-old partnership with the largest luxury watch retailer in the U.K. would be self-defeating, as Rolex doesn’t want to expand its retail footprint further. In general, Rolex has been consolidating distribution toward large, well-capitalized partners that can invest in multi-million-dollar flagship boutiques, like the new Bond Street location run by WOSG. In the U.S., the same pattern is emerging, as more mom-and-pop retailers are closing and supply is shifting toward preferred partners that have the wherewithal to build larger Rolex boutiques.

The U.S. market remains highly fragmented, and WOSG is one of the few retailers with the financial resources to consolidate some of the Rolex network, a model favored by the brand. It expanded Mayors from 17 stores to more than 30 after acquiring the U.S. retailer in 2017. The purchase of Betteridge added four Rolex doors in Greenwich, Aspen and Florida in 2022. Earlier this year, WOSG expanded in Texas through Deutsch & Deutsch, adding four more showrooms.

WOSG will likely expand its U.S. foothold through further acquisitions, with Rolex favoring more multi-level experience boutiques. These boutiques now include a CPO floor, as the pre-owned market is growing multiple times faster than primary sales, a program where WOSG has already surpassed Bucherer.

Rolex Tidies Up Its Website, and Its Message, in Time for the Big Reveal

(From Rolex.com)

Less than three weeks before Watches and Wonders, Rolex gave its official website a fresh coat of paint.

The changes are mostly cosmetic. The brand removed the green banner atop its webpages in favor of white, a cleaner look that competes less with dial and bezel colors and pushes the imagery forward. Navigation is a bit simpler, too, with subsections appearing within the menu, allowing visitors to go directly to specific areas without leaving the page. A new “Featured” section highlights both watches and technical elements, such as the bidirectional rotatable bezel of the Yacht-Master, alongside members of the Rolex family.

The menu also reflects a shift in how Rolex frames its sponsorships. It now groups “Sports, Arts and Planet” under a single heading, essentially bringing performance, culture and responsibility under one umbrella. Previously, “Rolex and sports” and “Perpetual Initiatives” were separate links.

Rolex typically uploads its new collection at 8:30 a.m. Geneva time on the first day of Watches and Wonders, which begins this year on April 14. But in 2025, Rolex surprised everyone by uploading the collection at exactly 12:01 a.m. The change came not from Rolex, but from Watches and Wonders, responding to requests from several brands aiming to hit the printing press before deadline while capturing both the U.S. market (late in their day) and the Asian market (just starting theirs).

(From Rolex.com)

The Milgauss at 70, and What We Now Know About Rolex’s Magnetism

(Photo credit: Jake’s Rolex World)

Many online have tried to imagine what a new Milgauss would look like, as Watches and Wonders approaches and speculation builds around its 70th anniversary. Introduced in 1956, the Milgauss was made for scientists working in power plants, hospitals and research labs. Its name combined the French word for thousand with the unit of a magnetic field.

But since 2005, when the blue Parachrom hairspring was introduced, Rolex’s movements have been largely insensitive to magnetism beyond 1,000 gauss, putting a question mark on the model’s raison d’être. The line was discontinued just three years ago.

Rolex does not disclose its watches’ anti-magnetic properties. But for the first time, a clue may be found during the Land-Dweller’s development, when Rolex engineers compared its anti-magnetic properties with the rest of the collection. The Land-Dweller’s balance wheel is made from a lead-free copper-zinc alloy with silicon. Switching to this material raises resistance to about 40,000 gauss, up from roughly 25,000 gauss with the typical balance wheel used in current models, made of copper, beryllium and iron. All that according to Rolex engineers who conducted the testing, marking the first time modern Rolex watches’ anti-magnetic properties have been revealed. The findings were published in a patent filed four years ago.

At Watches and Wonders, Rolex is unlikely to treat the 70th anniversary as a reason to reintroduce the Milgauss. Still, the Land-Dweller gave us a glimpse into the resistance of Rolex watches today, which the brand does not publicize, though it is about 10,000 gauss higher than Omega’s.

Excerpt from a 2022 Rolex patent in French revealing the anti-magnetic properties of modern Rolex movements.