Here’s What A Watch Expert Thinks Of The New Rolexes At Watches & Wonders 2026
Paul Altieri of Bob’s Watches weighs in on a slew of updates to icons like the Oyster Perpetual and the Cosmograph Daytona.
With the eyes of the watchmaking universe on Geneva’s Watches and Wonders 2026, the legendary horologists at Rolex keep finding new ways to reinvent their releases, rolling out at-times ambitious updates both large and small to revered models. For watch expert Paul Altieri of Bob’s Watches, the company is evolving tastefully, rather than outright flipping the script.
The occasion is momentous even aside from the annual watch extravaganza, where thousands gather to pore over precise watchmaking and often enviable, expensive new releases. Rolex is “celebrating a century of horological accomplishments” by paying homage right from the jump to the Oyster Perpetual, Hans Wilsdorf’s first waterproof wristwatch.
The “100 Years” marking at the dial’s 6-o’clock marking replaces the traditional “Swiss Made” tag, which “is something Rolex almost never does,” the watchmaking expert Altieri noted. Between its crisp slate dial, traditional Rolex green accents and yellow gold Rolesor detailing, the 41mm Oyster Perpetual also features the number 100 on its winding crown. All told, the homage to an icon “is one of the clearest statements of heritage Rolex has ever made,” Altieri said.
Rolex is also betting big on a redesign of the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master II, with a more legible dial and clearer indices, plus a retooled countdown timer and overall specs that fall more closely in line with Rolex Professional watches. The updates, including a regatta timing system operated by a lower pusher that’s now more efficient, help to “finally bring the Yacht-Master II in line with the rest of the lineup,” Altieri notes, but some aspects remain the same, he added. “Keeping the blue Cerachrom bezel while simplifying everything else makes it feel far more refined,” he told Maxim.
With is sporty, speedy dial design, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona takes on a new sense of durability by way of Rolex Rolesium fabrication (it’s crafted from a blend of Rolex Oystersteel and platinum). The case is steel, the dial is enamel and its bezel is platinum, a careful composition “fusing traditional know-how and advanced technology,” the company said. The change is fresh and dynamic without going overboard, Altieri said, noting the design update is “nothing radical, just the kind of incremental upgrade collectors pay attention to immediately.”
Also notable for Altieri was the revamped elegance of the Rolex Datejust 41, with the 2026 edition featuring a handsome green ombré dial and proprietary white ‘Rolesor’ fabrication, complete with a date window that pops more cleanly on the dial. A timeless classic given a modern retooling, Altieri notes that “the green ombré dial adds depth without changing the DNA of the Datejust,” while the new watch, with its white case and fluted bezel, “stays classic while feeling just new enough.”
A green ceramic dial update to the GMT-Master II lends new character to the style, with its Cerachrom dial now matching its bezel in what Altieri calls “a big move for Rolex.” The new look “makes one of their most iconic watches feel instantly more modern,” he added.
The GMT-Master II has lately been in the news for another notable reason: The Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Pepsi,’ a true collector’s favorite, has been discontinued, according to reports, a move all but guaranteed to ramp up the value of the model on the secondary market, Altieri said. “The Pepsi is now a closed book, and closed books are worth more,” he mused. “Supply just stopped. Demand never will.” For now, a slate of covetable Rolex watches are hitting the market throughout the year on the heels of Watches and Wonders 2026. That is, if you’re fortunate enough to be able to track down a watch from “The Crown” these days.