Year in Review: What has Rolex released in 2021
As the most popular brand at present, the new products released by Rolex every year will receive special attention. These new products not only reflect the current fashion trends, but also play the role of "wind vane" in the watch industry to a certain extent. Let us review today, what new watches have Rolex released in the past 2021, and how are they currently performing?
At the Watches & Wonders exhibition in April 2021, Rolex brought a new dial design of the DATE JUST Ref.126200. The most notable feature is the palm leaf pattern intertwined with light and shade in the dial, and uses the most popular green Rolex used as the main color.
In my impression, palm leaves are also a more popular element in recent years, especially on INS, which are popular with many Internet celebrities. The Datejust is one of Rolex’s oldest and classic models, and the addition of this new dial also helps to change the “old-fashioned” stereotype of the Datejust and appeal to young consumers.
In addition to the basic model with a smooth outer ring and green surface, the new DJ also has a triangular pit pattern of "wolf tooth ring" and an inter-gold version. Since there are many models, I will not list them one by one. They all have one thing in common, that is, they use a 36mm watch diameter. . As for whether the "Palm Leaf" will add a 41mm diameter in the future, we may as well wait and see.
However, until now, the response of this new product is still relatively dull. Although there is a premium phenomenon in the secondary market, few watch friends discuss and post the purchase log, and its limelight seems to be dominated by another green dial watch ( Oyster Perpetual) exceeded.
The Rolex Explorer type is positioned as a professional outdoor sports watch, and can be divided into two models: "Explorer" and "Explorer II". The Explorer is the most basic three-hand watch, simple and practical without complicated functions. In contrast, the Explorer II has added a 24-hour outer ring and a GMT pointer, and the appearance and function of the watch are more complicated.
2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Explorer II series. At the beginning of the year, there were rumors that the series would usher in a major upgrade. This rumor is not groundless, because Rolex does have a tradition of releasing major products on anniversaries (such as the 50th anniversary Sea-Dweller Ref. 126600), and during this period, Social media released so-called "rendered pictures" using ceramic outer rings, which made countless Cousins are looking forward to it.
However, the final product Ref.226570 poured cold water on everyone. It did not have a huge improvement as rumored. Compared with the previous generation, the movement was replaced from the original Cal.3187 to Cal.3285, and the GMT needle was changed. Fine-tuning the details, more like a conservative regular upgrade.
Although the new product Explorer II did not give people any surprises, the highlight of the series' upgrades fell on Explorer. First of all, the most intuitive change of Ref.124270 is the diameter of the watch, which has been changed from 39 mm in the previous generation to 36 mm. Although there are two voices of mixed praise and criticism, there is no doubt that the 36 mm is better in terms of look and feel. It is retro and exquisite, and it is more in line with the initial design positioning of the product. It can be said that it is returning to the classic size.
In addition, the Explorer series is not limited to the use of Oystersteel, for the first time, precious metals have been added to the product. Released alongside Ref.124270 is the gold version Ref.124273. The rose gold bezel and the intermediate gold chain strap reveal a little luxurious style, and the compact 36 mm diameter is very delicate and elegant.
Last year, Rolex also added the Oyster chain version for the GMT "Coke Circle" and "Blue and Black Circle", but it is not so much an update as a return to the classic, because in the previous generation of the series Ref.116710 have used the Oyster chain.
Ref.126710BLRO Oyster chain
Except for the different strap styles of the 2021 GMT, the rest of the details are the same as the 2018 Ref.126710BLRO, which can also be simply understood as "changing the strap", which makes people feel that the original design is also a kind of reincarnation. In fact, the controversy between the Oyster chain (also known as the flat three-piece links) and the five-piece links has a long history. In terms of aesthetics and wearing comfort, the two have their own advantages. It is difficult to say who is better than the other, so they have their own loyal supporters. This time, Rolex directly returned the right of choice to the user, and consumers can choose the most suitable version according to their preferences.