Rolex novelties for 2021
April 7, 2021
Rolex is presenting the latest creations brought to life by its unique watchmaking expertise. These timepieces take us from the deepest caves to the highest mountain peaks, from the outer reaches of the solar system to isolated polar regions and from ultra-precise technology to exacting artisanal craftsmanship. They are watches that invite you on an adventure – be it geographical, technical or aesthetic.
The Explorer’s new territories
The Explorer was born at the top of the world and developed in collaboration with legendary mountaineers. The Himalayas were the setting for their real-life laboratory, and in particular the highest peak, Mount Everest. Since then, the Explorer has constantly evolved to meet explorers’ needs, each time becoming more robust and easier to read.
It has adapted to the most extreme environments, where time management is often key to survival.
Watches in the Explorer range have mastered the extreme frontiers of exploration: from mountain tops to the depths of caves, in the biting cold of the Arctic or the searing heat of volcanoes.
On all types of adventure the Explorer II, thanks to its 24-hour display, became the watch of choice for polar explorers, speleologists and volcanologists.
The new-generation Explorer and Explorer II are emblematic of Rolex’s perpetual drive to improve, its never ending quest for excellence. And, without ever sacrificing performance – one of the range’s essential requirements – the watches are also elegant.
This year, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer is available in a yellow Rolesor version.
Combining Oystersteel and 18 ct gold, Rolesor is a signature Rolex style that flawlessly blends strength and elegance.
Oystersteel, a unique alloy with incomparable strength and clarity, remains a key element of the Explorer models’ case and bracelet.
Corrosion-resistant and designed for the most challenging conditions, it is part of what makes the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II an essential instrument for every explorer.
Exclusive dials with unique designs
The dial is often known as the face of the watch. At Rolex, dials shine with spirit and vitality, springing to life as light falls across their surface. But it is not only light that brings out the character in the new dials; they are imbued with other sources of unique, ancient energy.
One comes from materials created deep within the Earth. The other has travelled from the outer reaches of our solar system. This energy gives soul and personality to Rolex dials, honed thanks to the experience and knowledge of the brand’s artisans.
The new dials on the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 feature a palm motif, inspired by tropical forests, or a fluted motif that incorporates one of Rolex’s signature aesthetic styles.
Olive green, silver or golden, they are made from age-old materials such as copper, zinc, nickel, chromium, titanium and silicon, combined with cutting-edge technology to create deep, vibrant metallic colours.
The new versions of the Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona are in 18 ct yellow, white or Everose gold. Their meteorite dials bear witness to energy that has journeyed through time and space.
This material displays patterns that were formed as the heart of an asteroid cooled slowly on its journey through the cosmos – a process that takes millions of years.
Rolex selects metallic meteorite according to very strict aesthetic criteria. Each fragment has a unique internal structure, making every Cosmograph Daytona with a meteorite dial truly one of a kind.
Revealing the radiance of diamonds
Diamonds are forever, and come to us from the very distant past. Formed in the depths of the Earth over more than a billion years, the diamond’s raw beauty is showcased through faceting, which brings out the graceful reflections in the stone. The gemmologist and the gem-setter work in harmony to reveal the diamond’s radiance. One selects the stones, the other sets them one by one into the dial, bezel, case or bracelet. These incredibly precise motions, passed from one generation to the next, are perfected over the course of many years.
They are repeated several hundred times when embellishing the new Day-Date 36 and Lady-Datejust. The new versions of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 feature hour markers and alligator leather straps in matching colours. They are coral coloured on the 18 ct yellow gold model, turquoise on the 18 ct white gold version and burgundy on the watch in 18 ct Everose gold. With these watches, the prestigious and iconic Day-Date 36 is reimagined in swathes of diamonds.
The new Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust, set with 1,089 diamonds on the middle case, bezel, dial and President bracelet, is an exceptional watch whose brilliance and sparkle is perfectly suited to a slender wrist.
About Rolex
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise
Rolex is an integrated and independent Swiss watch manufacture. Headquartered in Geneva, the brand is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products – symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. The movements of its Oyster Perpetual and Cellini watches are certified by COSC, then tested in-house for their precision, performance and reliability.
The Superlative Chronometer certification, symbolized by the green seal, confirms that each watch has successfully undergone tests conducted by Rolex in its own laboratories according to its own criteria. These are periodically validated by an independent external organization. The word “Perpetual” is inscribed on every Rolex Oyster watch. But more than just a word on a dial, it is a philosophy that embodies the company’s vision and values.
Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of the company, instilled a notion of perpetual excellence that would drive the company forward.
This led Rolex to pioneer the development of the wristwatch and numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor selfwinding mechanism, invented in 1931. In the course of its history, Rolex has registered over 500 patents.
At its four sites in Switzerland, the brand designs, develops and produces the majority of its watch components, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Furthermore, the brand is actively involved in supporting the arts and culture, sport and exploration, as well as those who are devising solutions to preserve the planet.
