Rolex Releases a Full Collection of New Oyster Perpetuals to Mark 100 Years of the Oyster Case

In 1926, Hans Wilsdorf patented the Oyster case — the world's first "waterproof" wristwatch case. The Oyster is the foundation of Rolex's catalog, and for its 100th birthday, Rolex went all in on the simple Oyster Perpetual: what they describe as "the essence of the Oyster." Rolex released several new references across the lineup — a centenary model, a new Jubilee dial, solid gold executions across the smaller sizes, and a strengthened Superlative Chronometer certification that applies across the entire 2026 collection.

The Centenary Model — Oyster Perpetual Ref. 134303

The headline piece is a new Oyster Perpetual in yellow Rolesor — Oystersteel case and bracelet, 18k yellow gold bezel and crown. Worth noting: this is the first time Rolex has offered a two-tone Oyster Perpetual in larger sizes since the early 2000s, when the configuration was only available in 34mm. The new model comes in 31mm, 36mm, and 41mm. Only the bezel and crown are in yellow gold; the bracelet stays entirely in steel, which keeps the look grounded and the price relatively accessible by Rolex standards.

The slate grey sunray dial carries applied gold baton indices, gold stick hands with Chromalight, and Rolex's signature green on the minute track and the brand name at twelve o'clock. At six o'clock, where "Swiss Made" would normally appear, it reads "100 YEARS." The crown is engraved with "100" below the coronet. For a brand that rarely makes declarative gestures, those two details are about as direct as Rolex gets.

The 36mm and 41mm are powered by the cal. 3230 with a 70-hour power reserve. The 31mm runs the cal. 2232 with a 55-hour power reserve. All three carry the newly strengthened 2026 Superlative Chronometer certification. Pricing is $9,650 for the 41mm, $8,450 for the 36mm, and $7,700 for the 31mm.

The Jubilee Dial

The Return of the Jubilee Dial

The Jubilee motif has roots in Rolex's dial history going back to the 1970s, and it returns here in a new form across the Oyster Perpetual lineup. The dial arranges the letters of the Rolex name in a pattern of ten contrasting colors on a lacquered surface — available in 31mm, 36mm, and 41mm, with the 28mm and 34mm excluded. The execution is more involved than it looks. Each color is applied individually, one after another using pad printing, with the positioning of every letter and shape requiring precise registration against the layers before it.

It has the same playful spirit as the now-discontinued Celebration dial, but with a piece of Rolex's own visual heritage behind it. The Jubilee motif isn't a new design invented for the centenary — it's something the brand has returned to, which gives it a different weight than a one-off dial treatment. It's the kind of watch that rewards close inspection and looks different depending on the light.

A New Golden Age — Oyster Perpetual 28 and 34

For 2026, Rolex has returned the Oyster Perpetual to solid gold across the smaller sizes, releasing 16 references in total across the 28mm and 34mm. Both sizes are offered in 18k yellow gold and 18k Everose gold, with multiple dial executions in each.

The yellow gold 28mm comes in black, green with stone indices at 3, 6, and 9, turquoise blue with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indices at 3, 6, and 9, and white mother-of-pearl with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indices at 3, 6, and 9. The Everose 28mm offers black, white with blue stone indices at 3, 6, and 9, brown with stone indices at 3, 6, and 9, and white mother-of-pearl with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indices at 3, 6, and 9.

The yellow gold 34mm comes in black, white, turquoise blue with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indices at 3, 6, and 9, and white mother-of-pearl with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indices at 3, 6, and 9. The Everose 34mm offers black, blue with stone indices at 3, 6, and 9, brown with stone indices at 3, 6, and 9, and white mother-of-pearl with a diamond-set bezel and diamond indices at 3, 6, and 9.

Using natural stone as hour indices on the Oyster Perpetual is new for the collection — Rolex has used colored lume at the quarter positions on past references like the OP39, but never stone. Both sizes run the cal. 2232 and are fitted with satin-finished gold bracelets. Pricing starts at $30,000.

The Superlative Chronometer Update

Across all 2026 references, Rolex has tightened its Superlative Chronometer certification. For context: COSC, the Swiss industry standard for chronometer certification, tests a bare movement. Rolex's Superlative Chronometer testing happens after full assembly — movement, dial, hands, and case — which has always put it a step ahead. The 2026 update raises those standards further. It's the kind of improvement most wearers will never notice on the wrist, but it matters because it represents Rolex drawing the line between its own standards and everyone else's.

The Oyster case turns 100 this year, and Rolex has used the occasion not to stage a spectacle but to reinforce what the Oyster Perpetual actually is — the most essential watch in the lineup, and the foundation everything else is built on.

Watches & Wonders 2026 is underway in Geneva, and we're covering every Rolex release as it happens. Check back on the Everest Journal daily — we'll be going deeper on each of these references as the week unfolds, and there's plenty more to come.