Rolex Honours the Oyster Legacy with the Perpetual 41

Key Highlights

• Rolex marks 100 years of the Oyster with new Oyster Perpetual models, led by the Oyster Perpetual 41 in yellow Rolesor.
• The Oyster Perpetual 41 features a slate dial with ‘100 years’ at 6 o’clock, a crown bearing the number 100, and green accents referencing Rolex’s emblematic colour.
• New interpretations include a Jubilee motif dial on the Oyster Perpetual 36 and 18 ct gold versions of the Oyster Perpetual 28 and 34 with stone hour markers.
• All models are equipped with Rolex self-winding movements and certified as Superlative Chronometers under strengthened 2026 criteria.

A Century of the Oyster, Distilled

In 2026, Rolex marks 100 years of the Oyster, its first waterproof wristwatch, with new Oyster Perpetual models that link the 1926 breakthrough to today’s time-only, self-winding watches with waterproof Oyster cases.

Rather than recreating vintage pieces, Rolex references the original Oyster through materials and dial details: yellow Rolesor, Jubilee motifs and 18 ct gold cases across the 41, 36, 34 and 28 mm sizes.

The Oyster Perpetual 41 in Yellow Rolesor

The anniversary line-up is led by the Oyster Perpetual 41 in a yellow Rolesor configuration. The bezel and winding crown are in yellow gold, while the middle case and Oyster bracelet, including the centre links, are in Oystersteel.

Centenary signatures distinguish this reference. The winding crown carries the number 100 in relief, and the slate dial places the ‘100 years’ inscription at 6 o’clock where ‘Swiss Made’ would usually appear, with green squares at each five-minute interval and the name ‘Rolex’ printed in matching green.

This Oyster Perpetual 41 is equipped with calibre 3230, a self-winding movement dedicated to hours, minutes and seconds, and exemplifies the strengthened Superlative Chronometer certification implemented in 2026, with performance assessed directly on the wrist.

Colour, Motif and Precious Stones

The Oyster Perpetual 36 introduces a Jubilee motif dial rooted in the brand’s archive, with the letters of the name ‘Rolex’ arranged in a graphic pattern using ten contrasting colours.

• The Oyster Perpetual 28 in 18 ct yellow gold features a green stone dial with heliotrope hour markers in green hues at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock.
• The Oyster Perpetual 34 in 18 ct Everose gold is fitted with a blue stone dial and dumortierite hour markers in pale and deeper blues at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock.
• On both 18 ct gold models, the stone hour markers have an ogive cut to highlight the material’s structure and reduce reflections.
• The case and bracelet of these references are mainly satin finished, contrasted by a polished domed bezel.

The Essence of the Oyster Perpetual

These references remain anchored in the core attributes of the Oyster Perpetual line. Descended from the 1926 original, they combine chronometric precision with waterproof Oyster cases and self-winding movements powered by a Perpetual rotor, displaying hours, minutes and seconds.

The Oyster cases of the 41, 36, 34 and 28 mm references are guaranteed waterproof to 100 metres (330 feet). The middle case is hewn from a solid block of Oystersteel, 18 ct yellow gold or 18 ct Everose gold, with a domed bezel, a case back hermetically screwed down using a dedicated tool, a Twinlock winding crown with a double waterproofness system, and a sapphire crystal treated with an anti-reflective coating to protect calibre 3230 or calibre 2232.

Why It Matters

For collectors in the GCC, the centenary Oyster Perpetual models combine everyday robustness with discreet anniversary details, from the yellow Rolesor Oyster Perpetual 41 to the 18 ct gold stone-dial references. The strengthened Superlative Chronometer certification and 100-metre waterproofness address the region’s focus on reliability in demanding climates, while the nuanced use of colour and precious materials aligns with a taste for refinement that is meant to be worn.