Rolex Unveils New Models for 2024
The novelties released at Watches and Wonders.
Another year of Watches and Wonders is upon us, and in the lead-up to this 2024 edition, there was the usual banter about what Rolex would or would not release. Once the doors of Palexpo opened, the beeline was to the booth of the green giant. The crowd bobbed heads to get a first-hand view (and photographs) of the watches in the traditionally dressed vitrines. If anyone was grumbling last year that Rolex had strayed too far into the circus of colour—that the Swiss king of timekeeping was having too much fun flirting about—this year is a return to Rolex conservatism: timeless, versatile, and robust companions.
GMT-Master II
As one of Rolex’s beloved sport models, the GMT-Master II has consistently been updated with new Cerachrom bezel colour tones. Beyond the red-and-blue Pepsi model and the black-and-blue Batman model, there is the popular black-and-brown Root Beer, and last year, a new black-grey model on a two-tone yellow-and-steel case with a Jubilee bracelet. The 2024 GMT-Master feels completely modern with the green GMT hand and the option of an Oyster or Jubliee bracelet.
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1908
The highlight for 2024 is the new 1908 in platinum with blue guilloché dial. Notably, guilloché is a new element in Rolex’s contemporary portfolio, but the manufacturer is known to have made some Day-Date models in the 1950s with guilloché dials. The 39mm dress watch is slim by Rolex standards at 9.5 millimetres and houses the calibre 7140 movement with an open caseback.
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Deepsea
The Rolex Deepsea has always been an indestructible diving instrument able to withstand depths of 3,900 metres (roughly 12,800 feet). This is the first time the Deepsea is presented in yellow gold and wearing a Cerachrom bezel. The vivid blue dial is an eye opener, and the compression ring with the Ringlock system is now constructed in ceramic. Why not go diving with a solid-gold 44mm timepiece over your wetsuit?
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Cosmograph Daytona
New Daytona models always make for talking pieces—that rainbow model from years past—and two new references have been released for 2024, both in 18-karat white gold with mother-of-pearl dials and plenty brilliant-cut diamonds.
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SkyDweller
The new Sky-Dweller is now in full yellow gold or Everose gold. These models are worn on Jubliee bracelets which have been updated with ceramic inserts for greater flexibility. The yellow gold model comes with a brilliant white dial while the Everose model comes with a beckoning slate dial. All else remains the same, with the calibre 9002 movement.
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Day-Date
Rolex was the first wristwatch to display the day of the week spelt out in full—that was nearly 70 years ago. The new Day-Date 40 and 36 are offered in various metals and varying dials. Yet another contemporary iteration on a classic.
