Results for Rolex

Last Week In Watches: Rolex Revives the Padellone, Hublot Goes Full Koons

Christopher Ward Takes On Rolex and Omega With Its New Chronograph

Christopher Ward returns to mechanical chronographs with the new C63 Sealander Chronograph that invites some obvious comparisons.

Fratello Talks: Our Favorite Vintage Rolex Models

When it comes to vintage watches, few brands have as much depth as Rolex. Over more than a century, the company has produced an enormous range of models, references, and variations that have become firmly established among collectors. From tool watches built for specific purposes to understated everyday models, there’s plenty to explore beyond the […] Visit Fratello Talks: Our Favorite Vintage Rolex Models to read the full article.

Citizen Is Coming for the Rolex Datejust With Its New Affordable Automatic Watch

Citizen’s new Tsuyosa 60 pairs a 37mm case, textured dial, five-link bracelet and 60-hour automatic movement for $595.

A Rolex Icon Returns as the Perpetual Padellone

Rolex expands its complicated offerings with the unexpected Perpetual Padellone, a vintage-inspired, instantaneous annual calendar named after the ref. 8171, a saucepan-shaped triple calendar from Rolex’s past. Despite the padellone nickname, first coined by Italian collectors, the Perpetual Padellone is a very different watch from its namesake. It is a modern Rolex through and through, with the quality and functions expected of a modern Rolex. The mechanics are latest generation, with aesthetic choices give the watch a contemporary look, putting the Perpetual Padellone at the intersection between vintage collectors and the wider public. Initial Thoughts Rolex is a forward-looking brand, which explains why this Padellone goes without the namesake sauce pan-esque case, and employs a base movement at the frontier of mechanical timekeeping. The Padellone of today is naturally a far better watch than the ref. 8171 “Padellone” of the 1950s. It is modern and it is a Rolex, which means essentially perfect quality. A very well-preserved 8171 in steel But it is more than just a triple calendar built to Rolex standards. The new Padellone contains an incredible base movement shared with the Land-Dweller, a new calendar that changes instantaneously around midnight and can handle both 30- and 31-day months on its own, and a moon phase that will err by a day in 122 years. Then, there are also the dramatic upgrades to finishing – both outside and in – and build quality, especia...

Rolex Introduces the Perpetual Padellone, a New Annual Calendar

Big news from Rolex today as the brand has released a complicated dress watch, their first in recent memory. The Perpetual Padellon is an instantaneous annual calendar with a moonphase complication and sits within the 1908 collection, which launched three years ago. This new watch appears to be a very explicit and direct homage to one of the brand’s most revered vintage references, the 8171 “Padellone”. It shares more than a few visual characteristics with that piece, and of course the name of the new watch is lifted straight from the nickname given to the vintage piece by collectors and dealers.  The Perpetual Padellone is available in 18k Everose gold and 950 platinum, and measures 39mm in diameter, 12.2mm tall, and 45.1mm from lug to lug. It’s worth noting that the original 8171 was a fairly large watch for its day, measuring 38mm in diameter, so the new reference comes surprisingly close to being right on the money in terms of sizing if we’re comparing it to the vintage watch.  The biggest difference between the 8171 and the Perpetual Padellone is likely mechanical. The 8171 was not a true annual or perpetual calendar, but a “simple” triple calendar, which was quite common in the 1950s. Each indicator simply advanced in sequence and not in relation to any other, which means a correction is going to be necessary virtually every month. The Perpetual Padellone is a true annual calendar and only needs to be corrected once per year.  The case, whether plati...

Hot Take: Rolex’s Perpetual Padellone Annual Calendar Takes A Nod From The Past

Rolex has added a rather unexpected complication to its Perpetual collection with the new Perpetual Padellone. Taking its name from the vintage reference 8171, the watch combines a 39mm case with an annual calendar and a moonphase display. At first glance, it is perhaps the dial that grabs your attention, particularly the blue enamel moonphase […] Visit Hot Take: Rolex’s Perpetual Padellone Annual Calendar Takes A Nod From The Past to read the full article.

Rolex Perpetual Padellone: A New Era of Complicated Rolex Watchmaking

The Rolex Perpetual Padellone is the complicated Rolex we’ve been waiting for

The new Rolex Perpetual Padellone revives a legendary complete calendar with a 39mm case, moonphase display and all-new 5Hz calibre 7190.

In-Depth - The new Rolex Perpetual Padellone, The Return of an Icon now with Annual Calendar and Dynapulse (Incl. Video)

It is not often that Rolex introduces a new watch outside of the industry’s main exhibition, Watches and Wonders (or Baselworld before it). In fact, in recent years, it has only happened on very rare occasions, such as the release of the Daytona Le Mans, the record-breaking Deepsea Challenge in titanium or the Deepsea D-Blue […]

Rolex’s Future Is Complicated: The New Perpetual Padellone Family

Rolex Perpetual Padellone Review: An All-New Annual Calendar Moonphase

Modeled after the famed 1950s Padellone ref. 8171, this complete instantaneous annual calendar brings that design into the 21st century. More

Hands-On With The Newest Rolex - The Perpetual Padellone

We debut the Rolex Perpetual Padellone, the latest brand new release from Rolex that digs deep into the brand's history.

Introducing: The Rolex Perpetual Padellone [Hands-On, Live Pics, Technical Brief, Competition, & Personal Thoughts]

It's a watch that has been long-awaited: Rolex has just announced the new Perpetual Padellone—a very classic and technically impressive instantaneous annual calendar with moonphase. The new release comes three years after the launch of the 1908, which replaced the discontinued Cellini collection and introduced the Perpetual line. Now, that new collection goes in a more complicated direction. James Stacey is in Milan for the launch—and even got to see the watch in advance—so read on for a section later in this article featuring his hands-on impressions. The new 2026 Rolex Perpetual Padellone.  Let's start with a piece of fun trivia. This is the first Rolex model—to my knowledge—to take its *actual* name from a nickname given by collectors to its historical predecessor. The ref. 8171—which Rolex explicitly cites as the inspiration for the new watch—was nicknamed the Padellone, Italian for "large frying pan," for its wide 38mm flat case and slightly domed dial. So it's appropriate that Rolex would return to Milan—arguably the birthplace of vintage watch collecting—to launch a watch that will likely make a lot of vintage lovers happy. A vintage Rolex ref. 8171 "Padellone." Even if you don't know the history of vintage Rolex or the 8171—which we'll cover in a minute—a new watch from Rolex (especially one launched off-cycle, so to speak, outside Watches & Wonders) is always a big deal. The only recent similar release was the surprise launch of the white go...

The Rolex Perpetual Padellone Is Back, and It's the Complicated Rolex We've Waited Years For

A legendary name, a brand-new movement, and a very Rolex take on the annual calendar with moonphase

Recommended Reading: "Bubble Backs" By Masahiro Endo Is An Education On The Original Rolex Collectors' Watch

If you've never collected Rolex Bubblebacks before, you should probably forget nearly everything you know about vintage watches. At least, that's what it feels like you should do when you start wading into the space. Things like reference numbers are much less valuable to remember than movements, case designs, printing details, and a general ability to just remember everything you've seen to get a sense of feel for what is right and what isn't. And trust me, a lot isn't. You could spend decades looking at these watches, but "Bubble Back" by Masahiro Endo, the owner of vintage retailer Private Eyes in Tokyo, is a great reference to jump-start your understanding of an iconic (and currently underappreciated) model. I mentioned this in last week's review of John Nagayama's "96," but the only watch I'd be more afraid to deep-dive into than the Patek ref. 96 is the Rolex "Bubbleback." It's not even an official model, but a nickname for Rolex watches made from 1933 to the mid-1950s with a domed, "bubble-like" caseback. So when you open Endo-san's book, you'll probably immediately be struck by the fact that none of the examples (except the later ref. 6062 and ref. 8171) have reference numbers. According to collectors, that's not the most useful thing for understanding the Bubbleback. Basically, every other detail matters more. We've previously published a story about the bubbleback with a lot of thoughts and tips for understanding these models, courtesy of Ken Jacobs and Justin Gr...

SJX Podcast: Geneva Watch Days Recap

Geneva Watch Days (GWD) just concluded, and by most measures it was the biggest ever. Brands exhibiting topped 70 while visitors were at a record high. In addition, the event attracted “an even larger contingent of content creators” according to GWD’s organisers, underscoring the growing fashionability of watches on social media. Some 400 watches were debuted at the event — but were they any good? Overall, the event reflected the current state of the industry; demands of buyers were perfectly echoed by the watches released. But as SJX notes during the episode, “just because something looks like a Ferrari doesn’t mean it’s a Ferrari”. Notably, some of the biggest announcements and best watches were launched outside of GWD, but during the same week — the most prominent of all being the Rolex Daytona “Four Seasons” charity auction. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

The Curious Case Of The Boring Rolex Submariner Ref. 14060

When it comes to watches, the little things often make the biggest difference. A power reserve indicator on the dial, the shape of a hand, or the location of a date are small but crucial factors in whether enthusiasts can fall in love with a watch. As a design fan and someone who worked in […] Visit The Curious Case Of The Boring Rolex Submariner Ref. 14060 to read the full article.

Talking Watches: With Pusha T -  On Rolex, Rap, And The Luxury Of Time

In a Pusha T verse, every detail is chosen with purpose. Watches have long been a constant in his lyrics–they are part status symbol, part cultural shorthand, and always a reflection of how closely he pays attention. This kind of specificity is central to his writing, and it is also the clearest way into a watch collection that is not only bold in appearance, but governed by a set of standards. He describes himself as a student of culture, and over the years, that knowledge shaped a specific set of rules. Pusha buys through authorized channels, favors factory-set stones, and rejects aftermarket work. His lyrics about ruined Pateks and Cartier bust-downs are not simply jokes; he sees them as a kind of tutorial on what to do and what to avoid. Many of his watches are unapologetically gem-set, but the distinction is not between understated and extravagant. It is between an original idea and an imitation of one. Pusha's collection of Rolexes he brought that day. Then there is the waiting. Pusha named Daytona for what the watch represented to him: the luxury of taking the time required to get something right. The same principle now defines how he collects. Some watches arrived when they could still be bought from a display case. Others took years of patience. The watches on the table connect those two eras, revealing a collector whose access may have changed, but whose standards have not. This is Talking Watches with Pusha T. Rolex Submariner Date Ref. 16618LN With Black Dial...

Rolex Unveils Four Unique Cosmograph Daytona Watches For Charity Auction

While the watch world was focusing on the events of Geneva Watch Days 2026, Rolex decided to drop a bit of news on us. The brand officially announced that it is preparing four unique Cosmograph Daytona watches for a charity auction in London on September 28th. Each watch takes inspiration from one of the four […] Visit Rolex Unveils Four Unique Cosmograph Daytona Watches For Charity Auction to read the full article.

Rolex To Auction Four Piece-Unique Daytonas

In partnership with Phillips auction house, Roger Federer,  and Leonardo DiCaprio to benefit the Federer Foundation and Re:wildMore

Rolex's One-of-a-Kind Daytona Four Seasons Set Is Heading to Auction for Charity

Four gem-set Daytonas, one per season, each truly unique - and every penny goes to the Federer Foundation and Re:wild

Breaking News: Rolex Unique Daytona Set “Four Seasons” to be Sold for Charity

Rolex continues to surprise with the announcement of the Daytona “Four Seasons” charity auction that will take place soon in London. This marks the public debut of the fantastical, gem-set – and unique – Cosmograph Daytona watches that were discreetly revealed earlier this year. Conducted by Phillips, the auction will benefit Federer Foundation and Re:wil, the charities founded by Roger Federer and Leonardo DiCaprio respectively. All proceeds from the sale will be split evenly between the charities. Details on the event are still scarce, but well placed sources have given us some exclusive information. The venue will be a beautifully restored colonial building that is now a lavish hotel. Several hundred guests will be in attendance at a gala dinner where the auction will take place. More importantly, the watches will be sold individually, rather than as a set. In other words, the auction will be made up of four lots. This is the first public announcement of these four watches, which were quietly debuted during Watches & Wonders 2026. Like the Rolex inclined plane clock, the Daytona quartet was on show on an upper floor of the Rolex booth, but no photos were allowed. Though no one will comment officially on the expected result, I can imagine there’s only one number on the minds of everyone responsible for this sale, and that is CHF31 million. That record was set in a different time, different place, by different people, but who knows? For more, visit Rolex.com.  

$1k vs. $10k Dive Watch: Hands-On With the Mido Ocean Star 200 & Rolex Submariner

See how the Mido Ocean Star 200 stacks up against the Rolex Submariner after hands-on testing, and whether the Rolex is really worth $9K more.

Breaking News: Rolex To Sell Four Unique Daytonas At Auction Later This Month To Benefit The Federer Foundation And Re:wild

There was a whisper going around Watches & Wonders this year that Rolex had created a set of Daytonas inspired by each of the four seasons – precious metal, gem-set, and, what none of us could really believe, just one of each in the world. In other words, Rolex had made a unique set of watches. And as most of you likely know, Rolex is not in the business of creating one of anything, really. But they'd done it here, and the story goes that they'd asked each of their retailers to submit names and profiles of those who might be a worthy owner of this box set of "Four Seasons" Daytonas. The price? Roughly CHF 4million. Platinum and lapis! Yellow gold and mookaite and chrysoprase! And despite the few details shared, interest in the set was simply overwhelming. Rumor had it that over 1,000 names were submitted for the multi-million-dollar set before the show ended. The names included some of the most famous people in the world. And yet, Rolex, by their own admission, wasn't quite sure how they would decide who would get it. They'd never expected such interest.  Well as of this morning, now we know. For the first time that I can remember, Rolex will hold a charity auction and sell off these four unique Daytonas to the highest bidder. It will take place on September 28 of this year in London, in conjunction with Phillips auction house. All proceeds will go to two charities helmed by arguably Rolex's most famous and influential testimonies, Roger Federer's Federer Foundation and...