If you could change one thing on your favorite Rolex what would it be?

To many of its fans, Rolex watches are pretty close to perfect. And if you’re really picky, you can get a Datejust in a lot of variations, one of which should fit your personal preferences. But what are some alterations in design that you would like to see on your favorite models?

Edited image by Everest Horology Products of a prior Rolex press release

More no-date Submariner variants: Of course I get it. Most watch buyers are buying one good watch so they want a very useful date complication and the trademark Rolex cyclops. But the original Submariner is such a perfect design without a date window, I’d love to see at least bezel insert color variations besides the classic black. It’s a popular model for its tried-and-true balance and harmony, and I’d love to see a green or blue version without a date complication.

Photo from Rolex Forums

Oyster Perpetual on a Jubilee bracelet: Some will see this idea and proclaim, “No way, the Oyster Perpetual has to come on an Oyster bracelet.” But what I’d like to see is a no-date Datejust (blasphemy!) with smooth bezel and Jubilee bracelet. Can you spot a trend in my wish list? No-date watches are just cleaner and quicker to set and I’m willing to bet, blindfolded watch wearers will prefer the comfort of a Jubilee bracelet because they simply are more flexible in the middle, which amounts to being able to wear it tighter on the wrist without feeling to constricted by a single rigid middle link on an Oyster bracelet.

Imagine this watch in a size that doesn't have the lugs reach the ends of an average wrist? Photo by Monochrome Watches

A 38mm six-digit Explorer II: The modern Explorer II is almost cartoonish in its dial proportions, Big markers and a prominent orange GMT hand. That’s what I like about it. It's a Herculean watch that looks good on people who have bold personalities to match. The current sizing at 42mm is just a bit big for my tastes. That factor is mitigated by a colored Everest rubber strap which visually breaks up the watch head from the strap. That’s certainly a plug for our straps, but we can’t help but feel that the stock configuration isn’t as ideal as we’d like it to be. Another plug for our sister brand MONTA: We’ve found that watches in the 37-38mm range work well with a wide variety of wrist sizes. 

Mockup via Watchuseek

A no-date Pelagos or Black Bay 58 with square markers: We love the original Tudor no-date Snowflake Submariner, but Tudor has not delivered on this style of watch during its North American rebirth. From a marketing perspective, I get that the general public wants a watch that looks more like a Rolex Submariner. But there’s something about the chunkier, less refined blocky look of a vintage no-date Snowflake Sub that gives Tudor a design that is unique to their brand.