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Watches and Wonders 2026 landed in Geneva on 14 April, and Rolex used the fair to mark 100 years of its Oyster case in the way only Rolex knows how: with a quietly confident rollout across its core families rather than a single headline piece.
The centenary ran through almost every release, from a two-tone Oyster Perpetual 41 to a Day-Date built in a gold alloy that had never existed before. The biggest technical story of the year came from an unexpected place, with the Yacht-Master II returning after being pulled from the catalogue in 2024, now fitted with a new movement and a redesigned case.
At Time 4 Diamonds, we watch these announcements closely because they shape demand across the entire pre-owned market, from which references quietly climb in value to which customisation options become most popular with our clients.
Here is the full rundown of every confirmed Rolex release at Watches and Wonders 2026, with pricing where it has been published, a few technical notes, and where each piece sits in the context of the wider market.
Centenary context: 100 Years of the Oyster Case
In 1926, founder Hans Wilsdorf designed and patented the Oyster case, a creation that changed the watch industry by making a wristwatch truly waterproof. A century on, Rolex built its 2026 collection around the idea, tightening the Superlative Chronometer certification across the entire line and threading centenary cues through several of its biggest families. Not every piece released this year is marked "100 years", but most of them sit inside that anniversary frame, and the Oyster Perpetual collection carries the clearest signal of the celebration.
The Two-Tone Oyster Perpetual Returns
The anchor of the centenary run is the new Oyster Perpetual, presented in yellow Rolesor on the 41, 36 and 31 models. The case is Oystersteel, with the bezel and winding crown in 18ct yellow gold, recalling the case elements of some of the earliest Oyster watches from 1926.
Two-tone metals have been absent from the Oyster Perpetual line for years, and its return on the centenary reference is a pointed reminder that the most recognisable Rolex combination has always been gold and steel.
The dial is slate grey, with, most notably, "100 years" inscribed at 6 o'clock in place of the usual "Swiss Made" marking. The winding crown carries the number 100 below the traditional Rolex coronet, and the Rolex wordmark at 12 o'clock is rendered in green along with the 5-minute markers on the outer track.
Of course, retail prices depend on the case size. The Oyster Perpetual 41 reference 134303 is priced at £8,050, the Oyster Perpetual 36 reference 126003 costs £7,050, and lastly, the Oyster Perpetual 31 reference is £6,450.
Funky Oyster Perpetual Multi-Coloured Jubilee Motif Dial
Rolex has extended the centenary theme across the Oyster Perpetual further by producing a multi-coloured Jubilee Motif dial. Exclusive to the Oyster Perpetual line, specifically the 41, 36 and 31, the lacquer dial spells out ROLEX in multicoloured letters all across the dial.
This is extremely unique from the Crown, which has tastes of the “Celebration” or “Bubble” dial that was released in 2023 to commemorate the colourful configurations from the 2020 Oyster Perpetual lineup.
Sticking true to the Oyster Perpetual, this dial is only available for the Oystersteel 41, 36 and 31 models, priced at £5,900, £5,600 and £5,250, respectively. Despite being bold and vibrant, this configuration is likely to be the sleeper hit of the year for collectors who want something playful without moving into full gold.
Oyster Perpetual 28 and 34: Gold Returns in Full Force
The Oyster Perpetual range has historically been Rolex's most accessible line, and in 2026, it moves meaningfully in the opposite direction. 18ct yellow and Everose gold have been incorporated into the Oyster Perpetual 28 and 34, carrying different dial and bezel configurations. It is the first time in recent memory that Rolex has offered a full-gold Oyster Perpetual 28, and the colour palette is far more expressive than anything currently in the line.
Starting with the yellow gold Oyster Perpetual 28, there are two references: the 276208, which features a green and black lacquer dial with natural stone hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock and the 276248RBR, which features a turquoise and mother-of-pearl dial adorned by diamond hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Prices start from £25,100 to £28,900.
The Everose gold Oyster Perpetual 28 has two references: the 276205 and the 276245RBR. The 276205 features a black and white dial with natural stone hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, whilst the 276245RBR includes a brown and mother-of-pearl dial adorned by a diamond-set bezel and hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Prices range from £27,200 to £31,100.
Moving on to the Oyster Perpetual 34 models, they follow an identical pattern to its smaller sibling of two references and similar configurations. The yellow gold models have two references: the 124208 and the 124248RBR. The 124208 is available with a black and green lacquer dial, all set with three stones at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. The 124248RBR features a turquoise and mother-of-pearl dial adorned by a diamond-set bezel and hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Prices range from £29,500 to £34,200.
Last but not least, the rose gold Oyster Perpetual 34, which has two references: the 124205 and the 124245RBR. The 124205 features a black and blue dial set with three stones at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock, and the 124248RBR includes a brown and mother-of-pearl dial adorned by a diamond-set bezel and hour markers at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock. Prices range from £31,700 to £36,400
For clients considering custom finishes on existing references, the new colour palette also opens up useful reference points for bespoke builds. Our Rolex dials collection has been updated with stone and lacquer options that sit in the same visual family as the new factory colours.
Cosmograph Daytona Reference 126502: Rolesium Meets Grand Feu Enamel
The most striking release from Rolex in 2026 has to be the Cosmograph Daytona reference 126502, the first-ever Daytona to pair Oystersteel with platinum in a configuration Rolex is now calling Rolesium. The 40mm case combines a steel middle with platinum on the bezel ring and caseback ring, and for the first time on a mostly steel Daytona, the calibre 4131 is visible through an exhibition caseback.
The dial is where the piece earns its collector credentials. Rolex has produced a white grand feu enamel dial, fired using the ancestral grand feu technique. Rather than enamelling directly onto metal, Rolex applies the enamel powder to ceramic plates, one for the dial and three further plates for the sub-counters, which are then fitted to a brass base after the vitrification firing phase. The dial carries applied white-gold hour markers and Chromalight luminous material; the bezel is anthracite ceramic enriched with tungsten, giving the piece its vintage grey tone.
Importantly, this is part of Rolex’s off-catalogue collection, which has been defined as their “Exceptional Watches” on the Crown’s website. Therefore, this model will not appear in standard showroom displays and will be distributed through a smaller network of authorised dealers, given to brand ambassadors or highly acclaimed celebrities and collectors like DJ Khaled.
Pricing has been leaked online at £48,250, which puts this model in the high-end of Daytona watches. For reference, the standard steel Daytona reference 126500LN retails at £14,050, which gives you a sense of the premium Rolex is charging for the enamel dial, the platinum components, and the open caseback treatment.
Daytona collectors looking at custom options in the meantime might consider our range of bespoke Rolex bezels, several of which deliver the vintage-grey aesthetic on existing references without the £40,000 premium attached to the factory Rolesium piece.
Want a Daytona built your way?
The factory Rolesium Daytona 126502 is off-catalogue and hard to come by. Time 4 Diamonds can build a custom Daytona to your specification, with enamel-look dials, vintage bezels, and precious-metal accents, sourced and finished in-house. Speak to our team about availability and build options.
Revival of the Yacht-Master II
After being quietly dropped from the catalogue in April 2024, the Yacht-Master II is back in two references: the Oystersteel 126680 and the 18ct yellow gold 126688. Both sit inside a 44mm case, 13.90mm thick, which is a noticeable reduction in case thickness against the outgoing generation.
Whilst this new Yacht-Master II has been given an updated movement with the Calibre 4162, the biggest change is arguably under the bezel. The blue Cerachrom insert no longer carries the 10-to-zero countdown scale that defined the previous Yacht-Master II. Instead, the bezel now reveals a classically styled 60-minute graduation, and the countdown scale has been moved to the dial.
The Ring Command interaction, where the rotating bezel itself was part of the programming system, has been dropped entirely. Programming and adjustment now run exclusively through the winch-style side pushers, which makes the piece considerably easier to handle in use. Retail pricing has been published as follows: the Oystersteel variant sits at £16,950, and the yellow gold model is £48,300.
The Yacht-Master II has always been a regatta chronograph first and a lifestyle watch second, and the redesign reinforces that role. For collectors who found the previous generation visually busy, this version reads as considerably more refined. In the pre-owned market, the return of the line is likely to renew interest in earlier 116680 and 116688 references, which have traded quietly for the last two years.
Datejust 41 with a Green Ombré Dial
The Datejust 41 gains a new green ombré dial, shading from a deep green at the centre to black at the outer edge. The ombré treatment has appeared on a handful of Rolex references over the last decade, and its arrival on the Datejust 41 extends the colour range in a direction that sits somewhere between the existing olive and slate options.
This green ombré dial is incorporated in the Oystersteel and white Rolesor Datejust 41 and 36, with the choice of the Oyster or Jubilee bracelet and either the fluted or smooth bezel for the white Rolesor pieces.
This is one of the year's less headline-grabbing releases, but it answers real demand: the green Datejust has been one of the fastest-selling colours on the pre-owned market for the past few years.
Day-Date in Jubilee Gold: A Brand-New Alloy
The Day-Date marks its 70th anniversary in 2026, as Rolex introduced the model in 1956 as the first wristwatch to display both the date and the day of the week spelt in full, and the anniversary context shapes the 2026 release.
Rolex has responded with an entirely new 18ct gold alloy called Jubilee Gold. The alloy carries the presence of yellow gold, with a softer edge that combines tender yellow, warm grey, and soft pink in a single material.
It reads visually like a halfway point between traditional yellow gold and Everose, and it is likely to become a collector-chasing reference over time simply because it is the first time Rolex has introduced an entirely new gold formulation since Everose gold in 2005.
To mark the debut, Rolex has paired the Jubilee gold Day-Date 40 with a light green aventurine dial, a natural stone in a pale green tone scattered with fine grey inclusions. It is an unusually delicate combination for a Day-Date and points toward a year of softer dial palettes across the wider Rolex range.
Like the Rolesium Daytona, this Jubilee gold Day-Date is part of the “Exceptional Watches” section displayed on the Crown’s website, meaning this is an off-catalogue release. The price has been leaked online, retailing for £52,400.
What Rolex did not release
A handful of widely predicted pieces did not materialise at Watches and Wonders 2026. The rumoured GMT-Master II in a red-and-black "Coke" bezel, to replace the now-retired Pepsi configuration, has not arrived.
There is no new Submariner colourway, no Explorer II refresh, no 1908 moonphase, and no Milgauss revival despite the latter being due a 70th-anniversary pass of its own.
The Land-Dweller, launched in 2025, has not yet been extended with new dials or a two-tone variant, although most commentators expect that to follow later in the year rather than at the fair itself.
For clients who had been waiting on a new Pepsi replacement or a refreshed Submariner, this means the existing references continue unchanged for another 12 months, which will have knock-on effects for pre-owned pricing across both families through the rest of 2026. Our current watch deals page holds a selection of recent pieces across both lines.
Tightened Superlative Chronometer certification
One of the most important stories of the year is also the quietest. Rolex has raised its Superlative Chronometer standard, tightening both accuracy tolerance and testing protocol across every piece, leaving the manufacture this year.
Rolex does not publicise the exact technical parameters, but the move follows a broader industry tightening around certification and sets Rolex's in-house standard further above the COSC chronometer benchmark that most Swiss brands still rely on.
What does it all mean for the pre-owned market?
Three things are likely to follow in the months after the fair. First, the centenary Oyster Perpetual 41 two-tone will likely push steel and gold Datejusts into renewed focus, because the aesthetic they share is suddenly the most talked-about look in the Rolex catalogue.
Second, the new Yacht-Master II will pull attention back to the previous 116680 and 116688 references, which have been trading softly since the 2024 discontinuation and are now likely to firm up.
Also read: Rolex Pepsi Discontinued: The Full Story, The Market Reaction and What Collectors Should Do Next
Third, the Daytona 126502's open caseback, the first time a mostly steel Daytona has revealed its movement, will increase demand for existing 126500LN pieces, because some collectors will choose to wait rather than commit to the off-catalogue price of the Rolesium.
If you are buying in the current market, the practical read is that the most interesting pieces to watch are not the 2026 releases themselves but the references they reframe. Our bespoke watches and current luxury watches collections carry a rotating stock of the pieces most directly affected by the centenary releases, and our team can talk through how each reference is likely to trade through the rest of the year.
Customisation alongside the factory releases
Where Rolex releases a limited or off-catalogue reference, demand for custom alternatives always rises. The 126502 Rolesium will be difficult to source through authorised channels and priced at a clear premium over the standard Daytona, which opens real space for bespoke builds that deliver the vintage grey, enamel-style, or platinum-accent aesthetic on an existing reference at a more approachable level.
Time 4 Diamonds has been building bespoke Rolex watches for 20 years, and our customisation service covers custom dials, PVD and DLC bezel coating, diamond setting, and full case refinishing. If the 2026 releases have prompted a build idea, we can usually deliver a finished piece in six to eight weeks.
Sourcing pieces not held in stock
For clients looking to secure one of the new 2026 references rather than a custom build, our watch sourcing service works with an international network to locate specific references quickly, including centenary Oyster Perpetuals, the Rolesium Daytona, and the new Yacht-Master II in both steel and yellow gold.
We have clients already on the waiting list for several of this year's pieces, and we will be announcing availability on our new arrivals page as stock confirms. Clients looking to part-exchange an existing piece against a 2026 reference can use our sell your watch service for a same-day valuation.
Final notes
The 2026 collection is not a radical reinvention year for Rolex. It is a careful, anniversary-weighted refresh that celebrates the Oyster without drawing attention to any single hero piece. That is a deliberate choice.
The releases that matter most this year, the Daytona 126502, the Yacht-Master II, and the Jubilee Gold Day-Date, all reward close reading rather than headline skimming. Each one tells a story about where Rolex is placing its craft investment for the next decade, and each one shifts expectations across the wider market.
For the Time 4 Diamonds client base, the most immediate impact is likely to be on the secondary market for 2024 and 2025 Daytona and Yacht-Master references, on demand for custom Daytona builds in vintage-grey palettes, and on interest in two-tone Datejusts following the centenary Oyster Perpetual 41.
If you would like to talk through any of the new releases or how they affect a piece you already own, the team is available by phone on +44 20 7043 2598 or on WhatsApp, and our watch service and repair team can also advise on maintenance for existing references.
For reference, reading on the Rolex lines most affected by the 2026 releases, our guides on the best Rolex watches for investment and how to spot a fake Rolex remain the most useful starting points on the blog, and our complete watch catalogue sits at the top of the site for anyone ready to buy.
