BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex Lady-Datejust

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex Lady-Datejust

28MM EverRose Gold: Reference 27938

Last year at BaselWorld 2015, Role introduced the all-new Lady-Datejust in the larger size of 28MM. Rolex introduced this new model is all the higher end models.

At BaselWorld 2016 Rolex introduced the new Lady-Datejust model in the two-tone silver and gold range. Historically the Lady-Datejust was always a dainty 26MM, and Rolex decided it was time to increase the overall size just a tad. Many women today strive to wear what used to be referred to as Men's Rolex watches, but there is still a bastion of women who prefers the smaller more diminutive and petite size.

The new model pictured above  shows the Lady-Datejust in EverRose Gold with stainless steel on a classic Rolex Jubilee bracelet. 

The new model below shows the Yellow Gold and stainless 28MM Lady-Datejust in yellow gold with stainless steel on the timeless Rolex Oyster bracelet. Both models carry the Rolex Caliber 2236 movement, which offers a power reserve of 55 hours. 

All 28MM Lady-Datejust models also carry the new Rolex Superlative Chronometer Certification, which includes a 5 year international guarantee, with a performance standard of -2/+2 seconds per day, which is mote than twice of what is required for a standard COSC.

BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex PearlMaster

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex PearlMaster

39MM EverRose Gold

Lindsey Vonn is an Olympic Gold Medal Champion Skier, and she is gorgeous! In the picture below she is sporting the new Rolex Pearlmaster 39 in EverRose Gold.

Lindsey Vonn was the first American women to win a Gold Medal in the Olympic Downhill. She is pictured below at the 2010 Olympic Games that took place in Whistler, British Columbia.

The new Rolex PearlMaster is an updated version of the 34MM Pearlmaster, and it now features the Rolex Movement Caliber 3235. All the diamonds are VERY CAREFULLY chosen by Rolex Gem-setters in Rolex's Geneva workshop.

The Rolex PearlMaster pictured above, the one Lindsey Vonn is wearing, is fully blinged out, and the one below still has a lot of diamonds, but is more toned down. The combination below of the EverRose Gold with the purple dial is extremely regal and elegant.

When I toured all four Rolex factories in Switzerland, back in 2013, I had the opportunity to witness first-hand the entire process of how Rolex chooses their precious and semi-precious stones, and it was mind-boggling! I also had the opportunity to watch Rolex Gem-setters setting stones, which also blew my mind.

BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex Cellini Dual Time Reference 50525

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex Cellini Dual Time

39MM EverRose Gold Reference 50525

Rolex introduced this stunning new EverRose Gold version of the Rolex Cellini Dual time at BaselWorld 2016, and it is a real stunner!!! If you are not familiar with the Rolex Dual Time, it basically keeps time it two different time zones simultaneously. In my opinion, out of all the Rolex models that can keep time in multiple zones, this model is by far the easiest to read. I also LOVE the guilloche dial. Notice on the secondary timezone sundial at the 9 O'clock position there is a Sun Icon. This indicates that it is daytime in the second, far away timezone...There is something very ZEN about this beautiful watch...

BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex Explorer 39MM Reference 214270

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex Explorer

39MM Reference 214270

Rolex brought the Explorer model to life in 1953 as an homage to the achievements of Tenzing Norway and Sir Edmund Hillary's conquest of Mount Everest with Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches on their wrists. On the 90th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster, At BaselWorld, Rolex quietly updated their classic 39MM Rolex Explorer by adding new hands that are longer and wider than the previous generation, in order to give it better proportions overall. This was long overdue as the 39MM version introduced in 2010 met much criticism for having hands that were too short and skinny. 

2016 Rolex Explorer pictured above with longer and wider hands

Rolex also significantly updated the dial lume pattern by adding lume to the 3, 6, and 9 indices, as seen below. They also feature the Rolex Chromolite lume in blue which has a strong lume glow pattern. This was a brilliant design improvement by Rolex.

2016 Rolex Explorer pictured above with longer and wider hands

The Rolex Explorer pictured below is the outgoing model, and if you look closely you will notice the 3, 6, and 9 markers are raised, polished indices that lack lume, also you will notice the hands are short and too skinny for the watch. 

When Rolex introduced the Day-Date II, Datejust II and 39MM Explorer, they made some scaling mistakes, where they overlooked the scaling of some elements. In this case, the hands. 100% of these scaling issues have now be rectified!!! It really is amazing how changing one detail, like updating the hands can make such a HUGE difference!!! The Rolex Explorer now looks SO MUCH more balanced and masculine now...

2010 Rolex Explorer pictured above with shorter and narrower hands

Before and After

The illustration below shows the difference between the outgoing and incoming 39MM Rolex Explorer Lume Patterns in the dark. When you see the lume patterns side by side like this, you really understand just how big a difference there is between the two. Not only are the 3, 6, and 9 invisible on the old version, but you also notice how anemic the hand lume was.

BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex Datejust Yellow Rolesor

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex Datejust Yellow Rolesor 

41MM Reference 126333

So this is pretty crazy!!! On the 90th anniversary of the invention of the Rolex Oyster, at BaselWorld 2016 Rolex introduced a 41MM Two Tone, Stainless and Gold Datejust which has the exact proportions of the original 36mm Rolex Datejust–including the Jubilee bracelet. This approach is remarkably similar to what they did when they introduced the 41MM Rolex Day-Date. Basically, I think Rolex realized they took a misstep when they introduced the Day-Date II, and Datejust II, which moved away from the original iconic Rolex design language. Obviously they took corrective action to return to their roots, which is a Home Run in my opinion.

One of the most interesting design details on the new Datejust is how it has such a strong FlatBack. A FlatBack is the opposite of a BubbleBack. I believe from a design perspective the new Datejust has a more flatback since it has been scaled up. I applaud this move as I have always preferred flatback watches as they sit much closer and better on the wrist. In other words, a flatback watch seems more organic since wrists are naturally flat in shape.

The new Datejust comes with the new 3235 Rolex movement which made its debut last year at BaselWorld 2015 in the 41MM Day-Date. This magnificent movement is amazingly accurate and sets the new standard for accuracy. This evolutionary step with increased performance made Rolex develop a new standard beyond COSC which Rolex refers to as The Rolex Green Seal. 
The Rolex Green Seal puts forth a higher then ever new standard in watchmaking of -2/+2. Also included in the new Rolex Green Seal standard is a FIVE YEAR WARRANTY!!!!!!?! This means Rolex not only stands behind its product but knows how accurate they are. In other words, Rolex figured out how to make mechanical automatic movements that are as accurate as quartz movements.

Roger Federer: Rockin' The New Daytona Reference 116500LN

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

Roger Federer

The Greatest Tennis Player In History

Rockin' The New Daytona Reference 116500LN

Here is the first photo of a celebrity wearing the new Rolex Cosmograph Daytona with the white dial and ceramic black bezel. Is this a great looking new Rolex or What!!?!

BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex Yacht-Master

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex Yacht-Master

40MM Reference 116621

Rolex introduced a new 40MM Yacht-Master model in stainless and rose gold, which comes with a brown sunburst dial. It is really cool to see Rolex expand the Yacht-Master lineup over time.

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Dark

41MM Reference 79230DK: Black PVD-Treated Steel

As I previously mentioned, Tudor is on a tear. During BaselWorld 2016 they introduced this wild new thang!!! This Tudor watch is the first black watch (PVD) make by Tudor. It also features a red depth designation on the dial, which looks so Rad!!!! Pricing will begin at $4,150 on a strap and $4,475 on a matching PVD bracelet, as seen below.

Pictured below we see the new in-house Tudor MT5602 automatic movement which is in this watch, and is COSC certified, with a 70 hour power reserve. This movement look rather stark in comparison to a Rolex movement, and it beats 28,800 beats' hour or 4Hz. The movement is regulated by a variable inertia oscillator with a silicon balance spring which is extremely durable, built-to-last and completely immune to any form of magnetism. The movement is also COSC Certified.

BaselWorld 2016 Introduction: Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Tudor Heritage Black Bay Bronze

43MM Reference 79250BM: 70-Hour Power Reserve

Tudor introduced this new watch made out of Bronze, which is amazing!!! Tudor is obviously on roll with making amazing new watch designs. Of course this watch is reminiscent of the Rolex Yellow Gold Root Beer GMT Master in many ways, but it is much less expensive at around $4000. The dial is also reminiscent of the old Rolex Submariner 3, 6, 9 dial from he reference 6200. This model also features an in-house Tudor Movement named the MT5601, which possesses a 70 hour power reserve.

This all-new model represents in many ways the evolution of the Tudor brand in a new direction. Tudor also announced at BaselWorld that ALL Black Bay models moving forward will have in-house movements, as well as the Tudor Shield Logo on the dial. The Tudor Shield logo replaces the Tudor Rose logo, which moves all the Tudor watches closer in design language to Rolex with its Rolex Crown.

Methinks this model might also appeal to Panerai collectors who missed out on the two generations of the Bronzo. Not only is the price amazing, but most importantly the design is also incredible.

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction... Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

...BaselWorld 2016 Introduction...

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

40MM Reference 116500LN: Monobloc Cerachrom Bezel

BaselWorld is underway and Rolex just introduced their new 2016 models. Of course the most anticipated and exiting model is pictured below, which comes in the form of a new Rolex Daytona. 

This new model sports a black ceramic bezel, and ads black subdials, thus making it a bit retro-futuristic. The Rolex Daytona Cosmography Daytona has an amazing history.

Basically, the all stainless steel Rolex Daytona with a black bezel insert made its debut in 1965 and has not been offered with a black bezel since the early 1980s. Also, the last time Rolex offered the black subdials in the all stainless steel Daytona was in the Zenith movement model which was replaced by the all Rolex movement. If I recall correctly the first Daytona with the all Rolex made movement was brought to market in 2000. 

Rolex also introduces a stainless steel version of the new Daytona with a black dial, as seen below. This model has the black ceramic bezel, coupled with a black dial. It is interesting to not Rolex maintained the metallic silver sundials, which look great. I am not 1000% certain, but it appears this new model is has a SuperCase with the fatter lugs, which is interesting as the Daytona was the last Rolex model to maintain the older style skinnier lugs.

Rolex 24 At Daytona  An Amazing Historical Perspective