New Release: 2024 Rolex Deepsea Is A 322g Dive Watch In Yellow Gold

After exploring the wise lightness of titanium in dive watches with the Yacht-Grasp 42 in RLX Titanium, Rolex does the surprising and presents the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea 136668LB in 18k yellow gold. It’s surprising for quite a few causes, so let’s dig proper in.

First, Rolex watches, particularly these from latest years, have positively drifted from the showy method the model, and the bigger watch trade, introduced within the ’90s and ’00s, and refocused on inherent performance and conceptual integrity. Sure, all that occurred effectively throughout the realms of poseur luxurious merchandise, so do take that assertion with a pinch of salt — nevertheless it was a constructive and tasteful growth, nonetheless. We began seeing new watches in RLX Titanium, or when in gold, they had been fitted with comfortable and sturdy Oysterflex elastomer straps, and we found spectacular developments in motion applied sciences and sturdiness, too. It felt like Rolex was on its observe again to its roots, which might be fantastically made, purposeful, sturdy device watches — albeit with out eradicating the thick veneer of luxurious it has placed on over the past seven a long time.

The brand new-for-2024 Rolex Deepsea in yellow is surprising as a result of it flies within the face of that method by being a 3,900m (12,800ft), 44mm extensive dive watch wrapped in 18k yellow gold, with a fully large 18k yellow gold bracelet hooked up to it. For individuals who are but to put on a strong gold watch on a gold bracelet: This stuff are shockingly heavy. Ridiculously so. Uselessly so  That’s a utilitarian method, and there’s a extra subjective one: Style. A easy description, I’m positive, would suffice, however trying on the new 136668LB will persuade you that this effectively and actually is what Stallone would have worn in 2004 — however, fortunately, we’re in 2024, not 2004, and watch collectors appear to have modified their reference level since then.

Assembly Rolex throughout our presence right here at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024 we realized that the Yacht-Grasp II — the complete assortment — has been discontinued from 2024. It goes with out saying that there nonetheless is a robust marketplace for giant gold watches, and this extremely unlikely configuration could be it for Rolex. Sure, the Submariner has been round for over 50 years in gold, nevertheless it has at all times been rather a lot narrower and thinner than the Deepsea, making it that rather more wearable.

In different information, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea is named simply that, gone is the Sea-Dweller designation. The interior Ringlock high-performance compression ring system is now crafted from Cerachrom ceramic — it’s principally that flange ring that frames the dial and lies beneath the crystal. As such, it completely matches the blue Cerachrom bezel, which is reserved solely for gold and two-tone Rolesor watches, it’s by no means on an Oystersteel piece.

The large Oyster bracelet in 18k yellow gold additionally depends on ceramic, ceramic inserts to be particular, which isn’t new from Rolex — it debuted in 2015 on the Day-Date — and makes the bracelet that rather more supple and but immune to stretching. The bracelet is supplied with the Oysterlock security clasp which, in flip, includes a Rolex Glidelock tool-free 20mm extension system crafted from strong 18k gold — in all probability the good, most covetable element of the brand new Rolex Deepsea in yellow gold.

The motion that enjoys the three,900m (12,800ft) water resistance is The Rolex Caliber 3235 which shall be acquainted to these with a date-equipped, bigger Rolex watch. It runs at 4Hz over the course of its 70-hour energy reserve and is supplied with the extremely environment friendly Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring, and Paraflex shock absorbers. The caseback is in RLX Titanium, which isn’t one thing one would count on to see paired with 18k yellow gold from Rolex’s personal gold foundry.

A bonkers watch entrance to again, the brand new Rolex Oyster Perpetual Deepsea 136668LB in 18k yellow gold is priced at CHF 49,900 Swiss francs. You’ll be able to be taught extra on the model’s web site.