After the BaselWorld watch trade show was called off for the year, there were rounds of discussion in the horological world that 2020 could go dry without a new Rolex. After months of rumors and anticipations, Rolex has finally unveiled the watches for 2020 and they are incredibly promising.
The highlight timepieces in the 2020 collection are the next-gen Oyster Perpetual Submariner and Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date. These two watch collections have been the coolest divers watches ever made and the new and improved styling will make the collection a heartthrob once again.
Don’t allow the Submariners distract you from the other watches in the new collection – the Subs may have their own distinction – but the Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31, Oyster Perpetual 41, and the Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller have their own charm.
The new Submariners
Keeping up with the demand for bigger dial watches – Rolex has introduced the new Oyster Perpetual Submariner and Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date with larger 41mm cases for the first time. This bold and beautiful look of the watches accentuated by subtle redesign visible as narrower lugs gives the watches a slimmer appearance.
The 41 Subs replace the 39mm models launched only in 2015. The 39mm Submariner was a cult of sorts – the baton now passes on to the larger brothers and we are guessing it would create a similar ripple in the deep waters with its 300m water resistance and rotatable bezel.
Taking about the prowess under the striking hood – the new Submariner and Submariner Date, which features a date function at 3 o’clock in addition to the time – are powered by in-house automatic movements that are devised for precision and better power reserve. While the Oyster Perpetual Submariner is equipped with Rolex’s new Caliber 3230, the Oyster Perpetual Submariner Date is powered by Caliber 3235 (first time this movement has been employed in the Submariner). Both are self-winding watches via a Perpetual rotor and feature a power reserve of approximately 70 hours.
The new Submariner range comes in the traditional back on back colorway while the Submariner Date comes with a few other mind-boggling iterations. The new black dial, green bezel Submariner Date is a way to entice people who love the green side of watchmaking. The 41mm models will also drop in back dial and blue bezel. Our personal favorite is the blue on blue model, which is also a first in the Submariner.
For every diver, the ability to read the time clearly is very important. The Subs have always been at the forefront in this and the new models also have an hour and minute hands clearly differentiable in size and shape. For visibility in the dark, the hands, hour markers, and other display elements of the Submariner dials are coated with Chromalight – a luminescent material for glow in the dark feature. The new subs come paired with a three-piece link Oyster bracelet and interestingly, will be on the affordable side of the Rolex watches, which can in many designs cost a fortune.
The new Datejust
Rolex’s Oyster Perpetual Datejust is one of the classics that impresses both in aesthetics and function. Developed first in 1945, this was the first self-winding waterproof chronometer watch with a date window at 3 o’clock. In the 2020 lineup, Rolex has introduced four new 18ct white gold variants of the classic Datejust 31 wristwatch.
The most appealing in the lot is the Datejust 31 featuring a bezel set with 46 brilliant-cut diamonds and has an aubergine. It has a sunray-finish dial, which is adorned with a diamond-set Roman VI. Other models include a mint-green sunray-finish dial, a white lacquer dial, and a dark grey sunray-finish dial. All of these have a fluted bezel in 18 ct white gold. The hands, indexes, and numerals in all the four Datejusts are in 18 ct white gold and the watches are powered by caliber 2236.
The new Oyster Perpetual
Oyster Perpetual may be the entry-level Rolex on the face but it has all the features of the Oyster Perpetual collection including chronometric precision and a waterproof Oyster case. This watch is also in for a size-lift in the 2020 collection. Rolex has introduced the next-generation Oyster Perpetual in a 41mm case and has also provided dials of the 36mm watch vivid colors – turquoise blue, candy pink, yellow, coral red, and green.
The watch comes with a domed bezel, while the light reflection on the case sides highlight the Oyster case made from Oystersteel. You’d love the fact that the Oyster Perpetual 41 and the new colorful models of the Oyster Perpetual 36 are both equipped with in-house caliber 3230 that will provide the watches a power reserve of about 70 hours.
The new Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller
Oyster Prepetual Sky-Dweller is a traveler’s watch that displays time in two time zones and has an annual calendar. The 42mm wristwatch gets an all-new 18 ct yellow gold version in 2020. This new Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller comes with an Oysterflex bracelet, which is made from high-performance elastomer. This is for the first time that the Oysterflex bracelet has found place in a classic category Rolex.
The 18 ct yellow gold model of the Sky-Dweller comes with bright black, sunray-finish dial and features hands, markers, and other display elements in 18 ct yellow gold. Equipped with caliber 9001, the watch has a power reserve of approximately 72 hours.