Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39mm with Blue Dial

Photographed above with a blue dial, the 39mm Oyster Perpetual is equipped with a 3132 movement manufactured by Rolex in-house. The 36mm and 34mm sizes come with a 3130 movement and the 31mm and 26mm versions with a 2231 movement, all with approximately 48 hours of power reserve.

The clean aesthetic and limited functionality of this model make it stand apart from the more popular Rolex professional models. This wristwatch is designed to tell the time clearly and precisely - and that's it. The 39mm model is available with a dark rhodium dial, the blue dial shown above and also with a red grape sunray dial.

All Oyster Perpetual models feature an Oyster case that is waterproof up to 100 meters and made from a solid block of 904l stainless steel. The 2015-2016 suggested retail price for the 39mm Rolex Oyster Perpetual is 5,400 Swiss Francs, or approximately $5,626 US.

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Rolex Oyster Case (photo: Rolex)

The Oyster was the first waterproof wristwatch case that utilized Rolex's patented system of screwing the bezel, case back and winding crown into the middle case. It was tested by famed swimmer Mercedes Gleitze, who swam across the English Channel with a Rolex Oyster provided to her by Hans Wilsdorf in 1927.

All of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual models currently on the market are water resistant up to at least 100 meters due to the hermetic construction of the Oyster case. Today's Oyster case is made of a middle case that is stamped out of a solid block of metal (904l steel, 18 karat gold or platinum), a screw-down fluted case back and friction fitted crystal and bezel. Either a Twinlock or Triplock winding crown is also screwed into the Oyster case for watertight security.

All Oyster cases are made by Rolex in-house and undergo rigorous testing, including immersion underwater with high pressure to assure quality control. Although it may feel redundant to add the word 'Oyster' to every model name, the shape of the Oyster case is one of the easiest ways to identify a Rolex.

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Rolex Perpetual Rotor

The first perpetual rotor with an oscillating weight was created for pocket watches in the late 18th century. It employed slightly different technology than the perpetual rotor patented by Rolex in 1931, just a few years after they patented their hermetically sealed Oyster case.

Rolex's Perpetual rotor, which became the industry standard after their patent expired, works by capturing the energy caused by the 360º movement of the half-moon shaped oscillating weight and transmitting it to the mainspring. There is a clutch system that prevents the rotor from overwinding and conserves the energy in the watch for up to two or three days, depending on the power reserve of the watch.

The Perpetual rotor uses kinetic energy created by wrist motion and gravity to power the movement, a departure from previous technology that required the wearer to wind the crown manually to power the wristwatch.

In the age of the smartphone - and smartwatch - it is easy to understand why a self-winding wristwatch is more desirable than a watch you have to wind yourself. Rolex's Perpetual rotor is an innovation that has provided convenience and ease to the wristwatch wearers for almost 100 years.

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A certified Swiss chronometer, the Date version of this model in the photo above contains a 3135 movement that is entirely developed by the watchmaker. It contains their Blue Parachrom Hairspring and a Triplock winding crown.

The design aesthetic of the Submariner places this model at the intersection of classic elegance and sports utility. It is known to retain its value over time and continues to be a favorite among celebrities and professional athletes, making it one of the most recognizable Rolex models.

The suggested retail price for the 116610 LN configuration shown above is 8,100 Swiss Francs, or $8,425 US.

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