Looking back at the new products released by Rolex in 2023, I would like to summarize them with two key words: "breaking with tradition" and "embracing trends". The so-called break with tradition, that is, to break the original constraints, such as the first time to adopt the back of the back cover of the Ditonner and Perpetual 1908 models, respectively equipped with innovative 24-hour chronograph movement Cal.4132 and slim movement Cal.7140. On the other hand, the new Oyster Perpetual "celebration face" with colorful bubbles to present, and the weekly calendar model "puzzle face". On the other hand, the new Oyster Perpetual "Celebration Face" is presented with colorful bubbles, while the Day-Date "Jigsaw Face" embraces the trend and appeals to young consumers with its layered jigsaw dial and expressive date window.
As the only new collection this year, the Perpetual Motion 1908 certainly attracted a lot of attention. The formal style, the precious metal case, the pitted bezel and the leather strap, when superimposed together, are easily reminiscent of the discontinued Cellini series. In fact, the Perpetual Motion 1908 is not simply a "Cellini in a different case", but has been revolutionized in many ways.
The Evermotion 1908 adopts a 39mm precious metal (18K yellow or white gold) case and a small three-hand layout, with Arabic numerals at 3, 9 and 12 o'clock on the dial, and a hollowed-out ring at the front of the hour hand, which resembles an enlarged version of the "Breguet hand", or what some players call the hollowed-out "Mercedes-Benz hand". Some have called it a hollowed-out "Mercedes-Benz" hand. In any case, this debut is a break with tradition.
At the same time, the Perpetual 1908 also features a new caliber, the Cal.7140, which can be seen through a see-through caseback, with a finely polished automatic tourbillon in 18-carat yellow gold and skeletonized. The caliber 7140 is about one-third thinner than the familiar 32-series movement and can be easily fitted into the Constant 1908 case, which is only 9 millimeters thick. This also means that the thickness of the movement, even when stacked with various complication modules, can still be kept within considerable limits, an advantage previously unavailable to Rolex's 32-series calibers.
Also a "breakthrough" is the new Cosmograph Daytona, which simply means that it is Rolex's first chronograph with a see-through caseback and houses the debut of the Caliber 4131. Cast in 950 platinum, the case of the new Ditonner is a continuation of the 40 mm Oyster case, while the crown and shoulder guards have been optimized. The ceramic bezel framed in 950 platinum adds a touch of refinement and luxury.
In the past, Rolex chronographs mostly had a solid caseback, and the back is a major breakthrough for the new 2023 Ditonner. Through the back, many details of the Caliber 4131 chronograph movement can be observed. The movement's construction has been significantly revamped and its components have been streamlined to make it more reliable. Caliber 4131 features a column wheel and vertical clutch with a patented Chronergy escapement. The escapement is made of nickel-phosphorus alloy and is immune to strong magnetic influences. The improved ball bearings, in efficient coordination with the escapement, provide a power reserve of 72 hours.
In June of this year, Rolex presented another Ditonner (Ref. 126529 LN) in honor of the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This model continues to be backed by the same caliber 4132 that was also unveiled. This caliber is a modification of the 4131, with many of the same parameters, the only difference being that the chronograph function is displayed in a 24-hour mechanism (echoing the theme of the 24-hour race). This technical feature is the first of its kind in any Rolex model and represents a major breakthrough.
With "breakthrough" out of the way, let's turn our attention to another keyword: "trendy". Titanium, with its lightness and corrosion resistance, has become one of the most popular materials for sports watches in recent years. Although Rolex used RLX titanium in the caseback of its Ghost King Deep Diver many years ago, the main body of the case is still made of Oyster steel. The only watch with a case made entirely of RLX titanium is the Deepsea Challenge, which will be released in 2022. However, the slightly exaggerated size and thickness of this model greatly limited its wearability, making it more of a "muscle show" for the brand to demonstrate its water-resistant technology. And this year's release of the yacht Prestige m226627, with moderate size and thickness, has become the most suitable for daily wear of the titanium Rolex watch.
Rolex to produce "titanium yacht" rumors for a long time, as early as 2021, there are foreign media reported that the British sailor Ben Ainslie wearing a customized yacht Prestige watch. But the brand remained silent until this year, when it made its official debut.
The new Yachting Prestige is a departure from the collection's previous luxury style of using precious metals. Instead, it is made of titanium, which has a lower tone and is more practical, to give players more choices. In addition, the matte black Cerachrom ceramic bezel is a breakthrough for the collection. While the bezels of previous Yacht Master models were mostly made of precious metals, the new Yacht Master model has changed to Cerachrom ceramic bezels made of special chemicals, which can be considered as a piece of work that combines aesthetics and practicality.
Rolex watches are divided into two categories: professional models and classic models. The so-called professional models are commonly known as "sports watches", while the classic models correspond to the formal style. In the past, Rolex classic models mostly gave people a "mature and stable" feeling, but this year, the brand hopes to change the stereotypical impression of players on the series with two new products, and show its goodwill to the majority of young consumers.
Oyster Perpetual "Celebration (Celebration)" to the previous hot "turquoise" color as the main tone, there are five different colors of bubbles on the dial, respectively from the 2020 Oyster Perpetual used candy pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral and green. The dial features five different colors of bubbles from the candy pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral and green used on the 2020 Oyster. The Oyster Perpetual's use of color has become ever more daring, from the earliest monochromatic colors to today's multicolored bubbles. This model is available in 31, 36 and 41 mm sizes to maximize players' choices.
Another trend-setting piece is the Day-Date "Jigsaw Face". This is another youthful and dynamic design for the Day/Date model, following on from the "Palm Leaf" of the 2021 model. There are three watches in 18K white gold (m128239), 18K yellow gold (m128238) and 18K rose gold (m128235), all with a 36 mm diameter. The dial, which combines in-filled enamel with gem-setting, is divided into multiple areas of different colors, with the edges of each puzzle piece outlined in 18K gold for a layered look. The hour-markers are also made up of stones of various colors for a touch of luxury.
The special feature of the collection, the day date window, is also given a playful twist. As you can see, the messages in the fan-shaped day-of-week window have been replaced by Happy, Eternity, Gratitude, Peace, Love and Hope. No matter what day of the week they correspond to, they all have a good meaning. In the calendar window, numbers are also replaced by popular emoticons.
Finally, there are a few new "regular upgrades". Although their upgrades are not as significant as those mentioned above, gamers are pleased to see that they are making steady progress and prolonging the lifecycle of classic designs by improving their performance. For example, the Voyager model (Skywalker) has been given a new color scheme and a Caliber 9002 with Chronergy escapement.
The Day-Date 36, in addition to the aforementioned "jigsaw face", has three new models with dials made of colored decorative stones and diamond-set Roman numerals: 128345RBR, 128348RBR and 128349RBR.
The controversial Explorer model is finally available this year in a 40mm version, with a corresponding caliber upgrade to Cal.3230. It should be noted that the new 40mm model is not an iteration of the previous 36mm version, as both sizes are currently available. The brand's "two-size" strategy caters to the preferences of different players: one for the trends, one for the classics.
The GMT II is available in steel yellow gold and 18K yellow gold, with a two-tone Cerachrom bezel in gray and black, and a commemorative bracelet (five-pearl chain). This is the return of the intermediate gold version of the collection, many years after its predecessor, the Ref. 116710LN ("Little Green Needle"), was discontinued. With the latest generation Caliber 3285, performance has been significantly improved.
In summary: In 2023, Rolex has both the Ditonner and the Perpetual 1908, which break with tradition by adopting a back for the first time, and the Explorer 40, which adheres to the classics and is "conventionally upgraded". At the same time, the Oyster Perpetual "Celebration" face and the weekly calendar "Jigsaw" face have changed the stereotypes of players on the series to a certain extent with their trendy, fashionable and dynamic appearance. I wonder which one, in your opinion, is most qualified to be the Rolex of the year?
