Colorful Pearls: Rolex Offers New Size, New Caliber, and Vibrant Dials in 2020 Oyster Perpetual Collection


As part of its high-profile 2020 rollout last week, Rolex has extended its basic three-hand Oyster Perpetual series, introducing a new model in a larger case diameter, as well as refreshing its 36-mm models with new dials in vivid colorways, all housed in cases made from Oystersteel.

The Oyster Perpetual 41 mm Ref. 124300 with a silver-colored dial.

The new references are direct descendants of the first watch called “Oyster” in 1926, renowned as Rolex’s first waterproof wristwatch. They feature the fundamental characteristics of the modern-day Oyster Perpetual collection, including the waterproof case from which it derives the “Oyster” name and a self-winding movement, activated via the “Perpetual” rotor.

Oyster Perpetual 41-mm

The Oyster Perpetual 41-mm-diameter model comes in two dial options. One has a silver-colored, sunray-finish dial with hands and hour markers in 18k yellow gold; the other features a black sunray-finish dial with hands and hour markers in 18k white gold. In its 36-mm iteration, the Oyster Perpetual offers lacquer dials in five new colorways: candy pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral red, and green. Both the 41-mm and 36-mm watches have hands and hour markers treated with Rolex’s proprietary Chromalight, a luminescent material that projects a long-lasting, blue-tinted glow for easy reading in the dark. The Oystersteel used for the case, hands, bracelet, and other elements, is an alloy which belongs to the 904L steel family, commonly used in the aerospace industry for its anti-corrosion properties.

Both models feature hands and hour markers treated with blue-glowing Chromalight.

Both the 41-mm and 36-mm model come in cases waterproof to a depth of 100 meters (330 feet). The Oystersteel case is securely sealed with a screw-down caseback with subtle fluting along its edges. It is locked into place using a special tool that allows only Rolex watchmakers to access the movement. The Twinlock winding crown is fitted with a double-waterproof system and screwed down securely against the case. The scratch-resistant sapphire crystal protect the case and the dial.

Inside both the 41-mm and 36-mm cases is the new, in-house manufacture Caliber 3230. The movement, which Rolex unveiled this year, includes the patented Chronenergy escapement made of nickel-phosphorus. The self-winding movement is fitted with a hairspring made of blue Parachrom, which, according to Rolex, is a paramagnetic alloy that is 10 times more precise than a traditional hairspring; this spring’s overcoil regulates the movement in any position. The Paraflex shock absorbers built into the oscillator make the movement more resistant to shocks. The “Perpetual” rotor helps the watch amass an impressive power reserve of approximately 70 hours.

The Oyster Perpetual models come fitted on a three-link Oystersteel bracelet, whose top links are satin-finished and its side links polished. It uses Rolex’s folding Oysterclasp and Easylink comfort extension link, allowing the wearer to adjust the bracelet by approximately 5 mm.

The refreshed Oyster Perpetual models meet Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer Certification — redefined by Rolex in 2015 — which requires each fully assembled timepiece to undergo a series of tests that include testing its performance and precision on the wrist, its power reserve, its water resistance, and its movement’s self-winding capabilities. Each watch must meet the criteria of accuracy to -2/+2 seconds per day or more to be titled an official “Superlative Chronometer.”

The Oyster Perpetual 41 model (Ref. 124300) retail for $5,900 and the Oyster Perpetual 36 model (Ref. 126000) price is $5,600.

Manufacture:Rolex
Model:Oyster Perpetual
Reference Number:124300, 126000
Movement:Rolex Caliber 3230, automatic, with paramagnetic blue parachrom hairspring, bidirectional self-winding, perpetual rotor, approx. power reserve of 70 hours
Functions:Hour, minute, seconds (with stop-seconds function)
Case:Oystersteel case, screw-down crown, Twinlock water-proof system, water-resistan to 100 meters (300 feet)
Bracelet & Clasp:Oystersteel bracelet, three-piece link, Oysterclasp, Easylink
Dimensions: Diameter = 41 mm
Diameter = 36 mm
Price: $5,900$5,600
No Responses to “Colorful Pearls: Rolex Offers New Size, New Caliber, and Vibrant Dials in 2020 Oyster Perpetual Collection”

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  1. Jacquelin Clemenger

    I am interested in the Rolex oyster perpetual 36 mm or 29.5 mm
    Model number 124 300 please provide a quote for this watch and delivery to Western Australia.
    thank you.

    Reply
  2. Mark Walter Eichhorn

    I ordered a Rolex Perpetual 36mm Ref. 126000 in September 2020 as a gift for my retirement. Five months plus later and there is no news from Rolex on delivery. My dealer in Willow Grove, PA’s only reply is “be patient”. For a brand that is supposed to be world-class the customer support and communication is pretty terrible. Even the Rolex WEB site offers no way to communicate with any factory customer support team. Pretty arrogant ii seems to me.

    Mark W. Eichhorn
    Doylestown, PA. USA

    Reply
  3. These are beautiful watches, no doubt. What amazes me is that the article sites the MSRP as if that’s relevant. No one is getting this watch at MSRP, they should just say Rolex and AD’s and Grey Market dealers are all working together for… some outcome that wont benefit consumers. These type of articles are more BS than anything. I could get all this info from a Rolex commercial/website.

    Reply
  4. Ron Howard

    Whether you know it or not, whether you admit it or not, whether it’s your intent or not, the result is the same: you’re acting as a shill for rolex as they continue to manufacture scarcity while you give comfort to them. An international boycott of their products and services is what’s called for at this time. If they can manufacture scarcity, the we can manufacture no demand. Let’s see what that brings them. I am boycotting buying any of their watches but it’s only if large numbers boycott them that will make any sort of a difference. They need to be hit in the money pocket.

    Reply
    • Scarcity cannot be manufactured. They produce well north of 1mm watches per year, many millions more want to buy them. The fact that not every Tom, Dick, and Harry can’t get one is part of the desirability. “Build one fewer cars than there are buyers” ~ Enzo Ferrari.

      Maybe a Movado would look nice on your wrist.

      Reply
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