Rolex Website - New 2020 Watches

[unkel]

A mythical sports tag. So in your view it's just marketing then?

And exactly which models in the current line up are sports models and who has decided they are? Can't remember seeing this classification anywhere on the Rolex website. An Explorer (and I owned one) is no more sporty than an OP imho

[M1011]

A mythical sports tag. So in your view it's just marketing then?

And exactly which models in the current line up are sports models and who has decided they are? Can't remember seeing this classification anywhere on the Rolex website. An Explorer (and I owned one) is no more sporty than an OP imho

No in my view the Explorer is a timeless classic design and I'd happily pay the premium for it over the OP if faced with that decision. But I'll totally acknowledge that's an aesthetic preference as opposed to a quantifiable advantage.

Sports would be all variations of Explorer, Air King, Milgauss, Submariner, GMT, Yacht Master, Daytona and Sea-Dweller. Otherwise known as the 'professional' range per the Rolex website.

The 'classic' range includes Date Just, Day-Date, Oyster Perpetual, Sky-Dweller and Cellini.

[Boss13]

It's late and my sarcasm meter might be failing, but surely not? And as for climbing a mountain, wasn't the watch that Hillary wore up Everest just an OP as they hadn't invented the "Explorer" name for it yet?

Yes I was being sarcastic, as you will see from the next part when I said, on a serious note.

What I mentioned about the clasp still applies. Also having owned an OP in the past I felt the bracelet was not quite the same quality as a professional model. Certainly felt a difference on what is an entry level Rolex

[Dave+63]

And as for climbing a mountain, wasn't the watch that Hillary wore up Everest just an OP as they hadn't invented the "Explorer" name for it yet?

No!
Hilary wore a Smiths on his ascent of Everest, not a Rolex.

There’s a long and exhaustive thread on here about this with a lot of incredibly detailed research work by M4tt.

It’s well worth a read and completely dispels the myth (not created by but not denied by Rolex) that their watches were the first to reach the summit.

Smiths were the only watches worn on the summit of Everest in '53. The proof.
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app


Article over at The Outdoor Journal
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

[Kingstepper]

The fact the Explorer is a sports model and the OP isn’t makes a huge difference to desirability.

The OP is also the entry level model into a Rolex.

Even if you couldn’t play sports in an OP (which is nonsense), not everyone is a sportsperson. It’s just marketing guff.
People buy the one they like.

[Itsguy]

Would anyone care to explain that to me. I've never really understood what is meant by Rolex sports models (I get the diving watches are obviously sports watches) and as such I don't understand why an OP is not sports and an Explorer (not Explorer 2 - I get that) is sports

A perfectly reasonable question. ‘Sports’ really means casual or not dress watch, as in ‘sports jacket’, and has nothing to do with playing sport. Rolex has chunky ‘professional’ models with tool bezels, Cellini dress watches which no one wears, and the rest are arguably on the dressy side of sports watches, though no one calls them that. The DJ and Oyster Perpetual are smarter, the Explorer has some of the professional model DNA like Mercedes hands, and in the 1016 vs 1018 era the Explorer was a bit thicker and more robust than the similar but more dressy Oyster Perpetual. The larger professional models tend to get called ‘sports’ because sports watches tend to be larger, and the Explorer sneaks in by family resemblance - and it is actually bigger than the OP36, though it’s now smaller than the OP41, which is a sports watch by any other name. In short, don’t expect any of this to make any sense.

As for the Explorer being more desirable because the Oyster Perpetual is ‘entry level’, if you want a green 36mm (or 41mm) all rounder that is a bit smarter over black 39mm with shiny Arabic numerals on the dial, then the OP36 is more desirable, it’s irrelevant that it’s supposedly ‘entry level’. Yes, the more expensive model is theoretically more desirable, but the great thing about Rolex is that spending more money will not necessarily get you a more appealing watch. Understated minimalism has its own appeal, especially when you’re dealing with such a recognisable brand.

[unkel]

Great answers, agree with most of what is said there.

To me a cheap OP is not undesirable at all and do the latest generation now not even have the same oyster bracelet with the easy link system? Even less of a difference now with the "sports" watches, except of course they cost thousands less

And the polished centre links in my Milgauss (not sports) might me shiny, but it doesn't look or feel less sporty than my Explorer (sports) which is not shiny. And my next one will be a Yachtmaster (sports) which also has the shiny centre links

All a lot of marketing so, but at least I now know which are "officially" sports and which are not

And I must read up on the Everest story. I kind of had a feeling the "Rolex Explorer" story was even more of a marketing ploy than I thought...

[Bravo73]

[pedant] They’re not ‘sports’, they are ‘Professional’ (as already pointed out). [/pedant] 🤓

[boring_sandwich]

As for the Explorer being more desirable because the Oyster Perpetual is ‘entry level’, if you want a green 36mm (or 41mm) all rounder that is a bit smarter over black 39mm with shiny Arabic numerals on the dial.

Agree with most of your statement but the Explorer no longer has shiny Arabic numerals since the update in 2016.

Plus if you ever were to ever flip the watch the Explorer (or Professional range) they will retain most if not all of it value and currently sells for above retail. Where the OP generally sells preowned for less than it’s RRP.

[paskinner]

To me, the whole ‘sports watch’ thing is just about marketing a ‘lifestyle’....like wearing sports clothing and driving an SUV. All Oyster Perpetual ranges offer strong water resistance and a tough movement. That applies to the ‘entry level’ (awful snobby term) and stuff like the Deepsea.
It’s ‘pretend’ stuff, not really aimed at pilots or DeepSea divers. I wear a Yachtmaster because I like the look, that’s all it amounts to.
So, ‘sports’ is just a marketing term, and it works....
Incidentally, I’ve often worn a Cellini; great watches perfectly fine for normal life. And wonderfully unfashionable.

[33JS]

2 absolute crackers there Mr Smith

Thankyou my good man!

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[33JS]

Lol i forgot John has a Tribute to Deep Sea... im the one with the CP-2



They look the same on a phone screen Ha Ha.
(Makes more sense when you consider I took a similar pic)

LOL. So many watches you've forgotten what you have...

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[Itsguy]

Agree with most of your statement but the Explorer no longer has shiny Arabic numerals since the update in 2016.

Plus if you ever were to ever flip the watch the Explorer (or Professional range) they will retain most if not all of it value and currently sells for above retail. Where the OP generally sells preowned for less than it’s RRP.

True on both points, though I still think of the current Explorer as being shinier than a 1016. However the lumed numbers are a big improvement over the really shiny ones, it’s one of their best and if it were 1mm smaller I’d want one. Sadly my skinny wrists rule it out, leaving the Oyster Perpetual 36 with a healthy saving followed by some depreciation - unless perhaps, these coloured dials are short lived.

[unkel]

True on both points, though I still think of the current Explorer as being shinier than a 1016. However the lumed numbers are a big improvement over the really shiny ones, it’s one of their best and if it were 1mm smaller I’d want one. Sadly my skinny wrists rule it out, leaving the Oyster Perpetual 36 with a healthy saving followed by some depreciation - unless perhaps, these coloured dials are short lived.

The one thing I would have liked in my Explorer were the lume on the arabic numerals, but mine was a 2012 and they didn't get that until 2016 I believe. Not that it mattered much in the end as I traded up to a Milgauss within a month

[459GMB]

I feel the balance of the dial is out. It's bottom-half-heavy. My eyes are drawn to the bottom half of the dial and I think it's because the batons frame it that way. It makes the coronet look smaller and....unbalanced.

Just my opinion of course.

I agree with this.

The new dial with the thicker batons reminds me of a Seiko 5 SNSX79K that I used to own ... probably not quite what Rolex had in mind LOL

I think Rolex have been going the wrong way on all this since the noughties ... my DJ (16200 c2003) has the lovely elegant slim batons all round the watch so the coronet at 12 is the undoubted star ... and the lume on the slimmer batons is beautifully elegant, and still eminently visible.

[Flasher]

I agree with this.

The new dial with the thicker batons reminds me of a Seiko 5 SNSX79K that I used to own ... probably not quite what Rolex had in mind LOL

I think Rolex have been going the wrong way on all this since the noughties ... my DJ (16200 c2003) has the lovely elegant slim batons all round the watch so the coronet at 12 is the undoubted star ... and the lume on the slimmer batons is beautifully elegant, and still eminently visible.

Double batons I do feel give nothing to this watch aesthetically. An owner of an original Stella dials Day date put his watch against the new OP and although similar in colour the original Stella with the slim single baton just looked so much better.

[Itsguy]

Double batons I do feel give nothing to this watch aesthetically. An owner of an original Stella dials Day date put his watch against the new OP and although similar in colour the original Stella with the slim single baton just looked so much better.

I have to say I'm getting over it. I liked the 'calm' single baton layout of the black and especially the white OP39, but perhaps it looks best on those sizes and colours. Now they've removed the minute track on the 36, the dial is much less busy so it doesn't feel too cluttered with the double batons.

In fact, since I'm supposed to be exercising at the moment, I knocked up a quick comparison. With a green dial 36, I'm not convinced the single baton actually does look better. With double batons arguably it looks a bit more solid, fills out the dial, and feels a bit more 'luxurious'.

[ColDaspin]

I wasn't a fan of the double batons on the old dials either but I've come round to them on the new releases. The colours are very playful and I think the double batons work well with that vibe. They'll also help fill out an otherwise gaping dial on the 41s.

[GMT2]

Last year I was looking to add a white dial watch. Tried on both the 39mm and 36OP. The 39mm although a great watch, I felt it had too much blank dial, the 36mm with the double batons definitely felt more luxurious.

[David_D]

Have I not been paying attention? This is a (presumably not brand new) OP with the double baton markers.

I thought this was a feature of the recently updated OP.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274490044015

[wileeeeeey]

Have I not been paying attention? This is a (presumably not brand new) OP with the double baton markers.

I thought this was a feature of the recently updated OP.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274490044015

All 36mm models had double baton markers. It was a reason why some opted for the 34 or 39 instead. Easy to miss, most pics are single baton.

[David_D]

All 36mm models had double baton markers. It was a reason why some opted for the 34 or 39 instead. Easy to miss, most pics are single baton.

Ah, thanks. I’ve not kept up!!

[M1011]

Have I not been paying attention? This is a (presumably not brand new) OP with the double baton markers.

I thought this was a feature of the recently updated OP.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274490044015

Perhaps I'm being a bit dense... but is that a Domino's Pizza logo on the back of the watch case?

Edit: Nevermind... read the text... it is in fact Domino's branded. Uhm, that's one way to show your appreciate for Two-for-Tuesday I guess!

[David_D]

Perhaps I'm being a bit dense... but is that a Domino's Pizza logo on the back of the watch case?

Edit: Nevermind... read the text... it is in fact Domino's branded. Uhm, that's one way to show your appreciate for Two-for-Tuesday I guess!

Think Dominos award/reward watches have been a thing for a while. They used to have the logo on the dial!

[Fender]

Never been a Rolex man myself but the Milgauss looked cool on release and still does.

The green OP I am seriously considering. I like the double batons and it’s interesting to read they’ve upgraded the bracelet.

Regarding the desirability of the Explorer over the OP, certainly not for me.

I’m sure the subs are impossible to bag but can I walk into a Rolex AD and leave with the new OP? Scratch that, just read a post about putting your name down for one. Think I’ll move along.

[Flasher]

If anyone is desperately in need of the new release Submariner non date, then you are in luck as Watchfinder can deliver one by tomorrow for only £16950.

Yes, retail is only £6450 but what is an extra £10500 when you can impress all your friends on Instagram with a wrist shot by tomorrow afternoon.

[Tenko]

More pictures are emerging showing how the Oyster Perpetual 36 / 41s colours appear in real life, and they are starting to look very appealing. Less bright than the candy coloured promotional picture, the blue and green could be real winners. The blue has a classic sunburst, while the green appears to have a lovely deep and rich, autumnal / festive (or if you prefer ‘colour of money’) feeling. As an owner of a green dialled GS, it’s a colour that really hits the spot as the nights get longer.

I think they may have tweaked the colours in the promotional picture of all six so they all look similarly bright, so I’ll be interested to see how these look in real life. The blue OP39 was always a lovely watch blighted by questionable contrasting lume, so it’s good they’ve sorted that out, even if they have unfortunately inflated the case size. The 36 though, might just be perfect.

Here’s the 41mm in Silver. I thought it was nice but was told to wait to see both the blue and green as they are stunning.

I asked if there was a waiting list, apparently not!




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[Flasher]

Here’s the 41mm in Silver. I thought it was nice but was told to wait to see both the blue and green as they are stunning.

I asked if there was a waiting list, apparently not!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No doubt the OP line will be popular because of the availability and price point but there is a hierarchy of desirability for Rolex models. The OP line will be seen by many as simply to entry point to impress and would not expect waitlist on these after the new release hype has died down. Like the BB58 Tudor which was supposedly 9 months to a year for availability according to many but could then easily be found within a couple of weeks from nearly every AD, think the same will be the case with the OP line.

[dkpw]

True on both points, though I still think of the current Explorer as being shinier than a 1016. However the lumed numbers are a big improvement over the really shiny ones, it’s one of their best and if it were 1mm smaller I’d want one. Sadly my skinny wrists rule it out, leaving the Oyster Perpetual 36 with a healthy saving followed by some depreciation - unless perhaps, these coloured dials are short lived.

The one thing I would have liked in my Explorer were the lume on the arabic numerals, but mine was a 2012 and they didn't get that until 2016 I believe. Not that it mattered much in the end as I traded up to a Milgauss within a month

Just to remind people that the last Explorer to have lumed arabics was the 1016, discontinued in 1989.

[Wallasey Runner]

No doubt the OP line will be popular because of the availability and price point but there is a hierarchy of desirability for Rolex models. The OP line will be seen by many as simply to entry point to impress and would not expect waitlist on these after the new release hype has died down. Like the BB58 Tudor which was supposedly 9 months to a year for availability according to many but could then easily be found within a couple of weeks from nearly every AD, think the same will be the case with the OP line.

You are right in what you say in watch forum circles, but for the average Joe on the street, they just buy what they like the look of and that Blue and Green OP are both stunners. I would happily wear both without thinking wish it was a SD Cameron, Skydweller, Daytona or was made of platinum with a diamond dot dial etc.

There is an element of snobbery in WIS environments. Buy what you like and sod everyone else

[paskinner]

Most Rolex buyers have never heard of a watch forum.....or a Daytona. They just want a first-class watch with a very strong reputation. They’re not enthusiasts, just people buying nice things.

[optix]

Most Rolex buyers have never heard of a watch forum.....or a Daytona. They just want a first-class watch with a very strong reputation. They’re not enthusiasts, just people buying nice things.

Most rolex owners, settle for 2nd best...

Had a look at the OP41 in blue and the Wempe Iron Walker in blue. Both entry level watches much preffered the Wempe.

The green dial's don't do anything for the watch in its current form.

[Itsguy]

The Oyster Perpetuals are already turning up in windows in town and I was able to compare the green 36mm and 41mm. The new 41 is a handsome watch if you’re a giant, while the 36 feels a touch undersized and less well proportioned. Needless to say, a 38mm would have been just right for the smaller version. Also, the green was sadly too light and bright for my taste, the picture posted earlier in the thread has made good use of shadows to make it look like the colour I wish it really was. I much prefer the green of the SBGN007 Grand Seiko GMT, which is deeper, richer and more interesting. The blue or black sunburst may work better but I wasn’t able to see one. On the sizing, I have no problem with vintage 36mm Datejusts or the Oysterquartz, they don’t have the slightly bulbous, unisex quality of the new 36mm models. So all in all, after getting over excited by some photos, I’ve come to my senses and realised I much prefer the watches I already have. It was fun while it lasted!

Just to remind people that the last Explorer to have lumed arabics was the 1016, discontinued in 1989.

Really?

[boring_sandwich]

Really?

True understated class in my opinion.

[ajw232]

The Oyster Perpetuals are already turning up in windows in town and I was able to compare the green 36mm and 41mm. The new 41 is a handsome watch if you’re a giant, while the 36 feels a touch undersized and less well proportioned. Needless to say, a 38mm would have been just right for the smaller version. Also, the green was sadly too light and bright for my taste, the picture posted earlier in the thread has made good use of shadows to make it look like the colour I wish it really was. I much prefer the green of the SBGN007 Grand Seiko GMT, which is deeper, richer and more interesting. The blue or black sunburst may work better but I wasn’t able to see one. On the sizing, I have no problem with vintage 36mm Datejusts or the Oysterquartz, they don’t have the slightly bulbous, unisex quality of the new 36mm models. So all in all, after getting over excited by some photos, I’ve come to my senses and realised I much prefer the watches I already have. It was fun while it lasted!



Really?

Where were you able to see the green? I had a wander round central today and wasn’t able to spot the new OP.

[M1011]

Just to remind people that the last Explorer to have lumed arabics was the 1016, discontinued in 1989.

Uhm... maybe you should check out the current version...

[David_D]

The Oyster Perpetuals are already turning up in windows in town

Interesting. My AD had nothing when I stuck my head round the door yesterday.

Anyway, if you want to pay well over the odds for a £4,700 watch:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROLEX-OYS...Y/324292552594


EDIT: Not the first, apparently!

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...04#post5529904

[David_D]

Here’s the 41mm in Silver. I thought it was nice but was told to wait to see both the blue and green as they are stunning.

I asked if there was a waiting list, apparently not!

My AD suggested there was - much more so for 41 than the 36, unsurprisingly. Might have just been marketing hype to ensure the aura of unobtainability persists across the entire steel range!

[David_D]

And this is why you can't get teh watch that you want to wear:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolex-114...n/284011840423

[Boss13]

And this is why you can't get teh watch that you want to wear:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rolex-114...n/284011840423

Ltd edition?

[David_D]

Ltd edition?

Presumably his own "marketing" BS. He couldn't even be @rsed to take a photo of the actual watch; just took an image from the Rolex website.

He's probably not even picked it up yet.

[sean]

Really?

Uhm... maybe you should check out the current version...

When the response is read in the context of the conversation, it makes perfect sense.

The one thing I would have liked in my Explorer were the lume on the arabic numerals, but mine was a 2012 and they didn't get that until 2016 I believe.

Just to remind people that the last Explorer to have lumed arabics was the 1016, discontinued in 1989.

[M1011]

When the response is read in the context of the conversation, it makes perfect sense.

Not really. Last is last. But I agree it's probably what was intended.

[RustyBin5]

Not really. Last is last. But I agree it's probably what was intended.

Last can mean previous as well - a poor example “I love my explorer - in fact I would say it’s as good as my last one”.

[Xelor]

Phoned my AD (Mallorys Bath).

Yes I am still on their waiting list

Don’t know when they will get the new models

There are no old 2019/2020 models available either.

But I am still on the list so there is hope.

[David_D]

But I am still on the list so there is hope.

I'm on the list at my AD. It's the list of people they ring when the valued customers have turned down what's on offer. Evidenced recently by "the call" I received for a watch I already have and so didn't ask to be put on a "list" for!

[Xelor]

Here’s the 41mm in Silver. I thought it was nice but was told to wait to see both the blue and green as they are stunning.

I asked if there was a waiting list, apparenhtly not!




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The green looks gorgeous. Reminds me of the colour they used in one of the precious metal presidents. But why not the same olive green dial with a steel date just........that would have been a great configuration.

[Devonian]

Phoned my AD (Mallorys Bath).

Yes I am still on their waiting list

Don’t know when they will get the new models

There are no old 2019/2020 models available either.

But I am still on the list so there is hope.

I went in there today. They seemed very open about going on lists. Said they will get 10 new subs this year. Also said that people were turning unusually down watches at the moment which was a sign of the times, though I guess there’s a lot on each list. Big shop with a lot of staff so I’d imagine it’s a big Rolex AD.

[Flasher]

If anyone is desperately in need of the new release Submariner non date, then you are in luck as Watchfinder can deliver one by tomorrow for only £16950.

Yes, retail is only £6450 but what is an extra £10500 when you can impress all your friends on Instagram with a wrist shot by tomorrow afternoon.

Seems that one of an AD’s valued and without doubt highly vetted customers has decided that the new LV Submariner was not quite for them but rather than return it to the AD as unsuitable, they have instead decided to generously pass it on too the Secondary Market. Yours from Watches.co.uk for only £20k and it still has some stickers! RRP I think is around £7.5 and assume the extra £12.5 k is for secure next day shipping.

[boring_sandwich]

Seems that one of an AD’s valued and without doubt highly vetted customers

Or a friend!!