One of the greatest things about Rolex is its predictability. The greatest luxury brand in the world - Rolex - does not have to move fast in order to continue its domination of the watchmaking world. In fact 80% of all watch advertising is done by Rolex. And the brand value keeps rising along with incredible demand.
There are 3 trends though that we will continue to see Rolex pursue in order to push the envelope of what it expects of itself.
1. Rolex will Continue to Add Oysterflex Bands to its Timepieces.
Rubber B pioneered and perfected the artform of creating vulcanized rubber bands for fine timepieces, especially for Rolex. Not only did they add a luxurious new band to Rolex - giving Rolex owner's many color options, but it appears to fuse perfectly with the Rolex design. The Rubber B unique T-shaped design at the curved end link between the lugs took the market by storm and has appeared on many celebrities, including Justin Bieber and even Prince Andrew.
Rolex was slow to adopt and roll out its own rubber band itself which it named the Oysterflex. It is flexible rubber in black and works great and extending the coloring of an timepiece with a black dial, or to complement a yellow gold timepiece with a black bezel or other touches of black throughout. Black and yellow gold are a combination with excellent luxury and beauty. Add to that the strength of vulcanized rubber and the comfortable fit it naturally has. Plus rubber works great in sporty situations and compliments the athletic lifestyle that many of the Rolex timepieces are built to support.
I have no doubt that more timepieces will be offered with Oysterflex as an option. Currently you only see it on a sparse number of Rolex timepieces such as the Yachtmaster and the Rolex Daytona. Expect to see Rolex roll out the Oysterflex to many other of its lineup of timepieces.
2. New High-Power Reserve Calibers will Replace Old Calibers
We have seen this year where Rolex rolled out several new calibers which have multiple features and enhancements. The new calibers have fewer components, enhancing reliability. The movement features new components offering greater resistance to shocks and temperature variation. But most impressive, is the increased power reserve - increasing power reserve from around 40 hours to 70 hours or more. I expect Rolex to roll out more calibers and fitting all of their remaining timepieces with these new higher reserve models.
Rolex has made a big movement towards adding gems to its lineup of Rolex timepieces. They have started a campaign promoting their gemology as the finest in the world. They select the finest gems, hand picked to fit in their timepieces. At Baselworld the last two years, the centerpiece of the Rolex lineup are watches almost engulfed with gems - encircling the bezel and throughout. In order to find stones of the exact shape and size to encircle a timepiece so perfectly is an unbelievable achievement and certainly showcases the talents of Rolex's gemological prowess.
The Rolex Daytona was for many years produced in steel only. Its purpose was simple - be a tool for race drivers. However, the resurgence of interest in Daytona opened the door for Rolex's gem team to start adding bling to an otherwise stark tool watch. Rolex has now started adding diamonds and more to some of its Rolex Daytona's. I fully expect their gemologists to continue to influence other Rolex timepieces with their masterful use of sapphires and diamonds to create something new and artistically fashionable.
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