Rolex has teased its launches for Watches and Wonders 2026.
I think there could be an incredible piece launching.
With Watches and Wonders 2026 set to kick off tomorrow, many will be trying to anticipate the big releases from major brands. With most opting to wait for the event to show off their goodies, we're now tantalisingly close to seeing new watches.
Rolex is always a little bit of a mystery in this regard, but over the weekend, the brand shared a pair of Reels on Instagram. Those celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Oyster designation, which marked the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch.
It's hard to imagine with the prevalence of dive watches these days, but back in the mid-1920s, the prospect of wearing a watch in the water was unimaginable. Rolex changed that, and it has since become a marker of the brand's pursuits in making watches which can withstand anything you throw at them.
What is Rolex bringing to Watches and Wonders 2026?
As mentioned above, the brand has unveiled a pair of videos suggesting that its 2026 collection will be celebrating this milestone. And there are a number of models briefly shown from awkward angles which have got the watch world in a spin.
As you can see in the video above from popular watch YouTuber, Adrian Barker, the first of these models appears to be a two-tone Oyster Perpetual model, with a unique metal arrangement. That appears to show a gold bezel, but nothing on the bracelet, complete with a grey dial. There's also a '100 years' marker at the base of the dial, where it would usually read 'Swiss Made'.
Next up is the Rolex Day-Date. That's celebrating 50 years this year, and seems to be arriving in a pair of different variations. We see a white-toned model – we can't tell from the angle whether it's white gold or platinum – and a rose gold model, which Barker predicts will both feature a green sunburst dial.
There are a few other models shown in the video, but it ends with possibly the most exciting. We see what appears to be a diving bezel on a watch with chronograph-esque pushers.
Now, the sensible bet is that this is a reworked Yacht-Master II or even a Yacht-Master III. But I think it's something different – and if I'm right, it could be one of the most iconic launches in recent memory.
Before we see the side shot with the dive bezel, we see a shot of the back of the movement, which feature the 'Daytona' marker around the rotor. Could Rolex be preparing to launch a dive watch-meets-chronograph in the Daytona line? There's certainly no better way to celebrate 100 years of the Oyster than with a dive-ready version of its most popular model.
All will be revealed in less than 24 hours.
