The world is Rolex's oyster. That's what it seemed like this year at BaselWorld when the luxury watch brand launched 10 novelties within its Oyster collection. The new timepieces had three key themes - innovation, evolution and creativity - and each watch offers enhancements in technology, function and style.
The Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller is a completely new timepiece. While its design features Rolex's classic, conventional lines, it has an entirely new movement - the mechanical, self-winding calibre 9001 - with functions that place it squarely within the innovation category.
As its name suggests, the Sky-Dweller was designed for frequent travellers. It features an intuitive, easy-to-read dual time zone display, with the second time zone shown on a 24-hour ring that circles the central and 6 o'clock positions of the dial. The calendar self-corrects for every month except for February, which requires manual adjusting on the first day of March.
Rolex also brings back the patented rotatable Ring Command bezel with the Sky-Dweller, allowing the user to set watch functions through the bezel alone, making for a sleek, uncluttered case. This innovation is one of the watch's 14 patented features, five of which are new. The watch comes in a 42mm case and is available in yellow or white gold, plus Rolex's exclusive Everose gold.
Under its evolution theme, Rolex enhances some of its most popular models, offering a wider range of materials, sizes and features.
The Oyster Perpetual Submariner now comes with a black ceramic Cerachrom bezel insert and large Chromalight hour markers and hands on the black dial. The contrast between the black and the Chromalight surfaces makes the watch much easier to read in areas of low visibility, a key requirement for a diver's watch. Other changes include a subtle redesign of the 40mm stainless steel case and a new solid-link Oyster bracelet and Oysterlock safety clasp.
The brand also updated its Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master in Rolesium to allow for greater comfort and ease, making subtle changes to the bezel, bracelet and clasp. The bidirectional, rotatable graduated bezel features raised numerals on the surface for a more rugged look and easy rotation.