From Biel to Geneva and its suburbs, all four Rolex manufacturing facilities are running at full speed. Even though they're immense and profusely equipped, they're far from meeting the insatiable demand their watches are in. And that is certainly keeping them very busy. But they still have room for novelties and changes.
The most defining is also the most discrete of all. According to a Geneva source, Mr. Bertrand Gros has resigned his position a few days ago. Starting in 2007, the attorney had become President of most of the group companies' boards, which as a whole represent what we commonly refer to as Rolex. He left a deep mark on the group's policies and strategy, not the least of which is the hiring of Mr Jean-Frédéric Dufour as CEO in 2015.
He is succeeded by Mr Nicolas Brünschwig, who is among others a head of the Bongénie Swiss retail chain. He was already a member of the board at Fondation Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex's sole shareholder, and at the Biel manufacturing facilities. His appointment confirms the fundamental ties between the world leader in watches and Geneva, its institutions and more specifically its business elite.
But these news are of little importance to watch lovers. They'd rather know about what they can put around their wrist. During its first participation in Watches & Wonders, Rolex had unveiled a series of novelties that have been the talk of the town. So we won't expand on the GMT Master II ref 126720 VTNR, whose black and green bezel and leftie crown have become quite the affair. We'd rather mention its twin-stepsister with a Jubilee bracelet. That one wasn't made available for tryouts during the Geneva presentations, but only showcased in the protected display windows wrapped around their booth. Which is why we're offering a shot of both versions side by side.
Another striking piece was also caged in these windows : Rolex is bringing back the Day-Date with stone dials. It's the rebirth of those fantastic yellow gold pieces, with a President bracelet and onyx dial. Only this time, they've found another type of onyx, with more texture and less uniformly black, called lined onyx. On the wrist, it is plain gorgeous, with subtle hues and depth which make for a rare type of elegance : one that's for the wearer's eyes only.
Another timepiece has this effect : a new and under-the-radar variation of the Yacht Master 42. From a distance, nothing separates it from the original model launched in 2019. Upon much closer examination, the dial isn't black lacquer, but made of falcon's eye. This black mineral has magnificent subtle grayish and blue highlights and almost invisible veins within.
More famous, more in demand, this model is making buyers frantic. And it's easily recognized as it's one of the precious few that get to wear the Ice Blue dial. The platinum Day-Date 40, and in particular the new ref. 228236, is insanely hot. Its markups are among the highest of all speculative watches, and that's saying a lot about how attractive this piece is. It's got an all-new fluted platinum bezel, something the brand hadn't managed to craft satisfyingly so far. It adds one more ornamental layer to this vivid, bright, shiny and light (although heavy) timepiece.
