2,515 articles · 66 videos found · page 6 of 87
Monochrome
Rolex arguably has more iconic models than any major watchmaker, from the Submariner to the Datejust to the Explorer (and many more). Still, the Cosmograph Daytona has become something of a unicorn and a collector’s dream in the last couple of decades. At a time when the brand’s steel sports watches were still readily available […]
Monochrome
Since its founding, Rolex has been a powerhouse of Swiss watchmaking and the name is synonymous with luxury and success. Founded by Hans Wilsdorf as Wilsdorf and Davis in 1905, it wasn’t until 1908 that the patronym Rolex was registered as the brand name. Some of the most iconic models like the Submariner, Explorer, GMT-Master […]
Monochrome
The Rolex Submariner is among the most iconic watches of the brand’s entire portfolio and even the choice of James Bond (in the earlier years, at least), but the GMT-Master series is up there in popularity as well, and arguably the most iconic traveller’s watch from any brand. It lived alongside the Explorer II models […]
Time+Tide
When you’re contemplating buying a watch that is so clearly an homage to an established model, you have to be absolutely sure that you’re getting your money’s worth. There’s no shortage of watches which look like a Rolex just to make quick sales, but the Oceaneva Deep Marine Explorer Pro Diver GMT Automatic 1250M is … ContinuedThe post MICRO-MONDAYS: The Oceaneva Deep Marine Explorer Pro Diver GMT has a long name, and an impressive spec sheet appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.
SJX Watches
Two decades after its founding in 1905, Rolex began equipping sportspeople and explorers with waterproof Oyster watches, making possible precision timekeeping under adverse conditions. And it continued as the peace and prosperity of the postwar era in the 1950s encouraged exploration of the heights and depths of the Earth, driving adventurers through snow and water into the pages of history. This era also gave birth to watches like the Explorer, Submariner, and GMT-Master – all watches for professionals who were charting the planet. Today much of the planet has been explored, and it’s no longer a race to the deepest ocean or the tallest mountain, but instead a quest to preserve the planet. Having long been a supporter of exploration, Rolex now backs modern-day explorers who seek to battle climate change. The watchmaker funds scientific expeditions focused on conservation, such as measuring the volume of ice at the North Pole in order to gauge global warming. Since 2019, the ongoing conservation programmes that Rolex supports have been formally come under the Perpetual Planet initiative, the watchmaker’s endeavour to pave the way for a sustainable future. Early explorers Before exploring Rolex’s support for conservation programme, it’s worth revisiting its early participation in exploration. Amongst the most notable was the British Everest Expedition, the 1953 attempt to scale Mount Everest led by Sir John Hunt, a colonel in the British Army. It was a competitiv...
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Revolution
Through the span of the 20th century, Rolex has been a pillar of support for the explorer community.
Fratello
Even before I got into watches in the second half of the 1990s, I knew what a Rolex Submariner was. It’s such an iconic model, a watch you’d see on the big screen and around you. To me, the Submariner was perhaps the most recognizable Rolex, aside from a Datejust. One of the things that […] Visit The Rolex Submariner: Five-Digit Or Six-Digit — Which Side Are You On? to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
Rolex launches an exclusive partnership with the Rockefeller Center with a redesigned information center with a Rolex clock proudly positioned on top.
Fratello
Last week, Lex started our series of articles on the best summer watches. Each of us will pick five of our favorite watches for the summer, ranging from under €1,000 to no budget. Today, it’s my turn, and I’ve made a selection of new and pre-owned watches. Five summer watches for different budgets Summer is […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Summer Watches — RJ’s Five Perfect Picks From Hamilton, Sinn, Omega, Rolex, And Piaget to read the full article.
Teddy Baldassarre
The now-discontinued Rolex Cellini forever changed the Crown's repertoire, adding elegance and decorative flair still felt in the brand's modern era.
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SJX Watches
Making its debut in Shanghai, Oyster Story is an all-encompassing, immersive exhibition to mark the centenary of the Rolex Oyster water-resistant watch case, arguably the foundational achievement of the world’s largest luxury watch brand. Oyster Story takes place at June 10-28 at the West Bund Dome Art Center, a former cement factory in a district that was once an industrial area but is now being transformed into an arts and culture hub. The large, domed-shaped building on the banks of the Huangpu River covers almost 100,000 square feet, allowing for a comprehensive journey into the Oyster and Rolex history. The exhibition includes historical Rolex watches, including the actual timepieces worn by explorers and adventurers on landmark expeditions. The watches on show comprise those owned by Rolex “as well as privately owned watches kindly loaned for the event” according to the brand. Also on show is an in-depth look at modern-day Rolex watchmaking. “Cases, bezels, bracelets, dials, materials, movements: every stage of watchmaking is showcased here”, allowing a look into arguably the most advanced high-end-industrial watch manufacturing in Switzerland. The brand’s advances in timekeeping are also illustrated by the atomic clock developed by Rolex. Amongst other things it serves as a reference clock for Rolex watchmaking. Oyster Story is free to enter and open to the public.
Two Broke Watch Snobs
We tested the best Rolex Datejust alternatives for everyday wear, from affordable dress watches to luxury-leaning picks with clean, office-to-dinner appeal.
Fratello
One of the Rolex novelties at Watches and Wonders 2026 was the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41 with a green ombré lacquer dial (ref. 126334). Essentially, it is a new dial variant for the largest Datejusts in The Crown’s collection. However, it’s not just a new color but also part of a series of watches marking […] Visit The Rolex Datejust With Green Ombré Lacquer Dials Proves Once More Why The 36mm Form Reigns Supreme to read the full article.
SJX Watches
Rolex commands a lot of attention during Watches & Wonders, and this year much of the focus was on the enamel-dialled Daytona — a high-tech, high-priced, off-catalogue variant of one of the hottest watches in the industry. But the brand’s other chronograph, the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II, also got a much-needed — but still unexpected — makeover, transforming it from an ugly duckling into a compelling chronograph for the contrarian collector. Initial thoughts Despite the pre-event teaser posted to social media, the launch of an updated Yacht-Master II still managed to feel like a surprise. The original Yacht-Master II debuted in the pre-financial crisis exuberance of 2007 and exemplified the tastes of the era, being something of the Royal Oak Offshore of the Rolex line-up. It was big and brash but offered enough technical substance to stay intellectually relevant, even as the model lost enthusiasm in collector circles before its discontinuation in 2024. The updated Yacht-Master II improves on the original in every way, dialing back the ostentation and doubling down on the technical merit. The new Yacht-Master II is available in stainless steel or full 18k yellow gold, and offers a decent value proposition in either configuration given the technical sophistication of the calibre and the high quality of make. As the standard-bearer of the luxury watch industry, Rolex could charge more than it does and the brand’s restraint is notable. The full-gold ref. 1266...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
We reviewed the Imperial Oceanguard GMT and Steinhart Ocean 39 GMT hands-on to see which affordable Rolex GMT-Master II alternative is easier to live with.Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.
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SJX Watches
Rolex surprised in a big way with the Cosmograph Daytona Rolesium Enamel Dial ref. 126502. Despite being an “off-catalogue” model, the new Daytona was launched publicly, perhaps to emphasise its unusual nature. To start with, it features a grand feu enamel dial – yes, fired vitreous enamel – inside a bi-metal case of mostly steel, with a touch of platinum, plus a new ceramic (or cermet) bezel. It also has a display back and a steep price tag rivalling that of an all-gold Daytona. While last year’s Land-Dweller and its cal. 7135 was chock-full of patents that Rolex explicitly explained, the Daytona ref. 126502 is more typical Rolex in possessing incremental technical innovation that is left unspecified; it probably incorporates multiple patents that Rolex will not elaborate on. The traditional nature of the dial, the materials and production techniques, and even the display back, hint at future developments at the leading champion of industrial quality perfection. The dial is a four-part affair in white grand feu enamel, while the bezel insert in cermet Initial thoughts Let’s start with the obvious: do I like the new Daytona? Yes. Do I think the dial is actually and technically enamel? Yes. Do I think it’s too expensive? No. While it seems pricey on its face, Rolex pricing is practically always reasonable. I believe the seemingly high price here is justified by something in the watch that Rolex hasn’t explicitly divulged. Price aside, it takes a bit of exami...
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Compare the Vaer G2 Meridian GMT and Imperial Oceanguard GMT as affordable Rolex GMT-Master II alternatives, with hands-on notes on wearability, movements, value, and daily use.
Fratello
Another Friday, another list. This week, we decided to dive into the world of regatta timers. Rolex’s big introduction this year during Watches and Wonders was the updated Yacht-Master II. In itself, the updated watch proved to be a huge improvement compared to the previous generation of The Crown’s regatta timer. In both usability and […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Alternatives To The Rolex Yacht-Master II to read the full article.
Hodinkee
How do you capture 100 years of the Oyster? That's the question at the center of Rolex's new 23-minute film celebrating the anniversary of one of the most important watches ever made. The film opens with incredible archival footage of Mercedes Gleitze swimming across the English Channel, then moves on to archival footage of many defining moments tied to the Oyster's history—speed records, Everest expeditions, deep-sea exploration, and much more. Most will know these stories, but seeing them presented together really captures the full breadth of what the Oyster has represented over the last century. One of the film's most impressive qualities is its sense of scale. Even something like the Daytona—one of the most iconic watches ever made and a subject that could easily support an entire film on its own—is only one small part of the larger story being told here. More than anything, it underscores just how broad and far-reaching Rolex's history with the Oyster really is. From there, the film transitions into the modern era, highlighting Rolex's ongoing ties to sport, the arts, and scientific exploration. It closes with a look at the brand's Perpetual Planet initiative and Rolex's environmental efforts, both in the field and within its own manufacturing operations, including a closer look at how the company is approaching sustainability in watchmaking. There are also a few fun details throughout. At one point, the film references precision down to "a fraction of a billi...
Monochrome
There’s always been something slightly paradoxical, if not vague, about the Rolex Yacht-Master II. In the brand‘s catalogue, year after year defined by a slow-paced evolution (quite unpredictable recently, though, as we have learned from experience) and exceptional commercial clarity, this watch has consistently stood apart. A large, complex and highly specific model, it is […]
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I sat down intending to figure out which watches I should sell.
Fratello
We have covered quite a few historical stories about Rolex here on the Fratello site. Today, we have another, this time about a special gold Oyster Perpetual that belonged to Holocaust survivor Kurt Kahn. Let’s dive in. Some watches merely tell time, while others tell stories. Very rarely, one encounters a piece that does both […] Visit Holocaust Survivor’s Rolex Oyster Perpetual To Go Up For Auction to read the full article.
Fratello
Once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it. The special Jubilee dial of one of two anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches displayed the brand name repeatedly, but I just saw my name written over and over. This watch that literally had my name on it in a most obvious way. So, is the OP with […] Visit Hands-On With The Watch That Shouts My Name And The Other 100th-Anniversary Rolex Oyster Perpetual to read the full article.
Monochrome
We’ve long come to understand that, during Watches and Wonders (where it releases almost its entire collection for the year), Rolex communicates only on certain of its novelties. What the brand considers the most important, the most relevant and the deepest updates. But, there’s very often more to the story than just what’s been presented […]
Two Broke Watch Snobs
Explore the best Rolex Submariner alternatives across affordable, mid-range, and luxury picks, with hands-on notes on wearability, bezel feel, design, and value.
Monochrome
You don’t have to be a watchmaking fan to know that the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is one of the few watches that defines the brand and modern horology at large. As the direct descendant of the 1926 Oyster, one of the very first waterproof wristwatches, this time-only, robust, precise, and endlessly wearable watch is what […]
Video
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