It’s that time of year when we finally get to see all the new releases from Rolex Watches & Wonders 2023. While almost 50 watch brands announce their novelties for the year during the event, the Rolex watch brand is without a doubt the watchmaker that gets most of the attention. So, without any further delay, here’s everything you need to know about all the Watches & Wonders 2023 Rolex news.
New Releases
Rolex released a slew of new models for 2023, including some important updates to fan-favorite watches, in addition to new materials, new sizes, new dials, and even, new never-before-seen Rolex watches for sale.
New Generation Rolex Daytona
To mark the 60th Anniversary of the Daytona watch, Rolex has introduced an entirely new generation of watches with slightly updated cases and dials, along with a new movement. This new generation of Rolex Daytona models carries 126xxx reference numbers.
The Watches and Wonders 2023 Rolex Daytona watches still retain the customary 40mm case sizes but the lugs are slightly wider and there are new light reflections on the lugs and case sides. Plus, Cerachrom bezels are now framed with rings in a metal that matches the case.
The dials of the new-gen Daytona watches look almost identical to their predecessors, however, hour markers are slimmer and longer, and subdial rings have thinned out slightly to improve legibility.
Small aesthetic refreshes aside, the biggest update to the latest Daytona watches is a new movement. They are now powered by Caliber 4131, which is an evolution of Caliber 4030 and offers similar specs (such as a 72-hour power reserve). We wrote a comprehensive Rolex movement guide where you can learn more here.
That said, Rolex has reworked the look of the movement so it now has a skeletonized rotor and Rolex Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges. And for the first time in modern Rolex’s history, the brand shows off the movement thanks to the transparent caseback of the new platinum Daytona ref. 126506!
The material options of the latest Rolex Daytona collection remain the same – steel, yellow Rolesor, yellow gold, white gold, Everose gold, and platinum. For instance, we still have the highly coveted steel and black Cerachrom Daytona, both in white “Panda” and black dial variants.
However, it’s worth noting that some highly popular dial options, such as green dials and meteorite dials, are no longer an option. This will likely cause the demand and value of the yellow gold Daytona “John Mayer” with the green dial to increase even more on the secondary market. Learn more about the Daytona collection by reading our buying guide here.
New Titanium Rolex Yacht-Master 42
Another anticipated 2023 Rolex release is the brand-new Yacht-Master 42 watch in RLX titanium. Titanium is the newest material in Rolex’s catalog, having debuted last year in the 50mm Deepsea Challenger. That release got people talking about other potential titanium Rolex watches, and it’s now here in the form of the Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226627.
Commentary from Paul Altieri, Founder and CEO of Bob’s Watches
Well, it’s not a complete surprise. Rolex has silently donned a prototype of its first titanium watch on Olympic sailing champion Ben Ainslie since 2020. And what better model to deploy it on than the YachtMaster as sailing is a sport that commands light material to deliver best in class speed for racing. But despite all that It’s quite easy to forget what a marketing machine Rolex is today.
Material: Rolex has been integrating titanium into its watch designs for several years now, and it has become an increasingly popular material in the watchmaking industry due to its unique properties. It’s lightweight, durable, and corrosion-resistant metal that is often used in aerospace industries. In addition to its durability, I think titanium also has an attractive, modern look that appeals to some watch enthusiasts. The Company has utilized titanium in several of its watch models, such as the Rolex Deepsea and the Rolex Sky-Dweller, to offer a sleek and contemporary aesthetic while still maintaining the brand’s signature style and quality. Overall, the use of titanium in Rolex watches is a testament to the crown’s commitment to innovation and quality, and it provides consumers with a durable and stylish option for their timepieces. Like always, anything Rolex produces for the first time will be a hot commodity and should prove to be incredibly hard to score one at retail in the foreseeable future. Im surprised it didn’t break the internet on Monday.
The titanium YachtMaster is by far my favorite new launch of the year. I love it.
Size: There is obviously been a trend towards larger watches the past 10 years or so, and hence comes larger weight. Some people complain about larger watches being too heavy on the wrist. This is possibly an answer to that but it’s also I believe more about the look of the watch. Perhaps even a nod to some of the blackened aftermarket timepieces customized by companies like Bamford and son.
The 42mm titanium case of the Yacht-Master 226627 is equipped with a bidirectional matt black Ceramic bezel with raised numerals and markings. The dial is also black, home to the customary Mercedes-style hands at the center pointing to lume-filled plots around the periphery. Like all current Rolex watches with date windows, the date at 3 o’clock is magnified by the Cyclops lens affixed to the sapphire crystal.
Paul Altieri, Founder and CEO of Bob’s Watches
The new 2023 Yacht-Master 42 is furnished with a titanium Oyster bracelet with an Oysterlock folding safety clasp and Easylink comfort extension link. The case is water-resistant to 100 meters and it runs on the self-winding Caliber 3235 movement. Learn more about the different features available by reading our full Rolex Yacht-Master II buying guide.
Titanium for the Yacht-Master 42 is a solid choice. Not only is it a tough and ultra-light material, but the different finishes of the metal (which include visible grain, high-sheen, and polished) add visual interest to this otherwise monochromatic Rolex watch. This stealthy nautical Rolex watch will likely be a big hit and we wouldn’t be surprised if it was to become a top seller on the secondary market.
You can browse our full section by visiting our Rolex Yacht-Master watches for sale, or check out our selection of Rolex Yacht-Master II watches here.
New Rolex GMT-Master II in Yellow Gold and Yellow Rolesor
After a few years of absence, Rolex has brought back yellow gold to the GMT-Master II collection. There are two new models that join the 2023 Rolex releases: the full yellow gold GMT-Master II ref. 126718GRNR and the steel and yellow gold GMT-Master II ref. 126713GRNR.
Both of these newest GMT-Master II watches feature never-before-seen gray and black Cerachrom bezels on top of their 40mm cases, complete with 24-hour numerals in yellow gold. Rolex only offers the choice of a Jubilee bracelet for the pair, however, we wouldn’t be surprised if an Oyster bracelet becomes an option in the near future.
Specs-wise, the new yellow gold and Yellow Rolesor GMT-Master II watches are identical to the rest of the collection. They run on Caliber 3285, are water-resistant to 100 meters, include a date window on the dial, and two-hour hands to indicate both local time and home time.
Similar to the vast majority of other Rolex sport watch models, these golden GMT-Master II variants will be highly coveted by Rolex enthusiasts everywhere. They pair classic Rolex GMT aesthetics with precious metal and a new bezel colorway, and that is a recipe for success.
Learn more about the Rolex GMT-Master II by reading our ultimate buying guide here.
New Rolex Explorer 40
Fantastic news for those who love the look of the iconic Explorer watch models for sale but wished it was bigger. A bigger Explorer model makes its debut as part of the Watches and Wonders Rolex 2023 novelties.
The new Rolex Explorer release of ref. 224270 sports a 40mm steel case, which is the largest size Rolex has ever offered for this particular model. Prior to the 2023 release, the largest Explorer that Rolex made (and eventually discontinued) was one with a 39mm case.
The rest of the watch remains faithful to the Explorer design with oversized Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9 on its black dial and a steel Oyster bracelet fitted to the steel case. Inside the Explorer 40’s 100-meter-water resistant case is the same Caliber 3230 automatic movement that powers the more compact Explorer 36 watches. Learn more about the new and previous models by reading our Rolex Explorer Ultimate Buying Guide here.
New Generation Rolex Sky-Dweller
The brand has updated the entire Rolex Sky-Dweller collection with the new Caliber 9002 automatic movement, which is an evolution of the previous Caliber 9001. As such, all 2023 Sky-Dweller watches carry new 336xxx reference numbers.
While the new Rolex Sky-Dweller designs have remained the same (42mm cases, fluted bezels, dials with two time zones, date, and month indications) for Rolex’s annual calendar watches, there are some notable new dial colors that have joined the collection.
First, there’s the blue-green dial of the Everose gold Sky-Dweller ref. 336935, which is a full gold version from case to bracelet. Then there’s the mint green dial of the White Rolesor Sky-Dweller ref. 336934 with a steel case and white gold fluted bezel. Mint green was previously exclusive to the Datejust collection, this is a fresh look for the Sky-Dweller.
What’s more, white gold has back a comeback to the collection with the new Sky-Dweller ref. 336239, which pairs an 18k white gold case with a black Oysterflex bracelet. There’s a choice of a black or white dial with this sporty precious metal number.
The popularity of the Sky-Dweller has really taken off in recent years and the two new vibrant dial colors will certainly add to that. These will potentially take over from the blue Sky-Dweller as the most coveted dial of the collection. Be sure to read about the collection by reading our Rolex Sky-Dweller Ultimate Guide here.
New Rolex Perpetual 1908 Dress Watches
Rolex has unveiled a new dress watch collection called the Rolex Perpetual 1908, named after the year Hans Wilsdorf created the Rolex brand name.
The vintage-inspired Perpetual 1908 watches have 39mm cases in either yellow or white gold, topped with part domed and part fluted bezels. The dials, which are available in black or white, are time-only dials that feature center hour and minute hands along with small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The design of the hour hand is especially notable with its large circular detail at the tip. There are Arabic numerals at 3, 9, and 12 o’clock, which sit alongside other faceted hour markers.
There’s a surprise on the back of the Perpetual 1908 watches as they feature exhibition casebacks with a view of the brand new Caliber 7140 automatic movement, complete with a skeletonized gold rotor and bridges decorated with Côtes de Genève stripes. This Rolex dress watch collection is fitted with leather straps that have new Dualclasp double folding clasps. Unsurprisingly, the Perpetual 1908 models have less water resistance than Rolex’s Oyster range, rated to 50 meters.
It remains to be seen if the market responds to these new gold Rolex Perpetual 1908 dress watches. Cellini models were always known as the most overlooked Rolex watches but perhaps the Perpetual 1908 timepieces will fare better.
New Oyster Perpetual, Day-Date, and Datejust Dials
Rolex is showing off its playful side with a bevy of vibrant dials for its classic Day-Date, Datejust, and newly released Oyster Perpetual watches.
There are the so-called “Celebration” dials found on Oyster Perpetual 31, 36, and 41 models, characterized by a bubble design rendered in the five shades that were released in the 2020 Oyster Perpetual lineup. In case you need a refresher, those five colors were candy pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral red, and green.
Then there’s the selection of stone dials in shimmering tones inspired by the Mediterranean coast that joins the Day-Date 36 collection. The three dials include green aventurine, orange carnelian, and turquoise with natural veining. All three Day-Date 36 dials have diamond-set hour markers and Roman VI and IX.
Finally, there are some highly unexpected jigsaw-designed Day-Date 36 dials with emojis in the date window and inspirational keywords in the day window.
While these whimsical dials won’t be to everyone’s taste, there will be those who appreciate these colorful and zany Rolex watches.
Newly Discontinued Pieces
While there are plenty of new Watches and Wonders 2023 Rolex releases to mull over, we also have to bid farewell to some discontinued Rolex pieces too.
Rolex Milgauss
Although it was expected that Rolex would update the Rolex Milgauss watch collection for 2023, the entire collection has indeed been dropped from the catalog. The distinctive Rolex antimagnetic watch with the recognizable lighting bolt seconds hand and green-tinted sapphire crystal can now only be sourced from the secondary market.
Be sure to read our full buyer’s guide on the Rolex Milgauss to learn more about this model.
Rolex Cellini
To make way for the new Perpetual 1908 dress watch collection outlined above, it seems that Rolex has discontinued the Cellini collection. The Cellini Moonphase was the last remaining model after Rolex had discontinued the Time, Date, and Dual Time variants – but we have to say goodbye to the Cellini Moonphase now too.
While it is unfortunate to learn that this collection has been discontinued, you can still shop for pre-owned Rolex Cellini watches at Bob’s Watches.
Daytona Watches
Given that Rolex has replaced the previous generation of Daytona watches with the newest 126xxx series, all 116xxx Daytona watches have been discontinued. While several discontinued Daytona watches have updated counterparts, some do not. For instance, the current Rolex catalog no longer offers Daytona watches with meteorite dials.
Furthermore, some highly popular editions, such as the yellow gold Daytona watches with green dials (a.k.a. the “John Mayer”), white gold Daytona watches with blue dials, and Everose gold Daytona watches with brown dials have all disappeared from the lineup. The now-discontinued Daytona references will likely command even higher premiums on the secondary market.
That wraps up our overview of Watches & Wonders 2023 Rolex releases and discontinuations. Stay tuned for our reactions article where we’ll detail what the team here at Bob’s thinks of these new Rolex watches.
