Unveiling 1st September 2020
Hello WBians, we are so excited to announce that we’ve found out from Rolex, they will be releasing new model, new catalogue out of timeline. We all thought that Rolex has given up on 2020 models and just pushed it to 2021, and yet they surprise us with early Christmas gift with announcing the teaser about their release in September.
WHY do Rolex release new watches?
No one truly knows why, except the folks in Rolex. It makes sense however if we go back to history. Rolex had always released new models during Baselworld which is around March/April of every year. This means that Rolex’s new models were designed before the Baselworld. Research, testing and production for the shifting to new models should take around 3 to 4 months before Baselworld.
Rolex had a long end-of-year holiday that limit their production capacity. So our best guess is, Rolex has been ready for the release since early of 2020. Unfortunately, Covid-19 became a world-wide pandemy, and Baselworld got cancelled. Prolonged pandemic situation all over the world surprisingly DID NOT decrease the demand of Rolex watches. We, as watch traders and enthusiasts, have proved this evidently by seeing how Rolex watch sales remain the same despite of the large-scale Social Restrictions (PSBB, as what we call it in Indonesia).
Being the market leader of Swiss Made luxury watch, they decided to surprise us all with the unveiling of new Rolex watches in September 2020. This hopefully means that production resumes, and we hope that the prices will be more stable.
WHICH?
What new watch will Rolex release this year?
Our guess is either Submariner or Air King because these watches do not yet have the reference starting with 12……, as most recent releases of Rolex watches. Having the reference numbers start with 12 means these watches are equipped with new Rolex engine or movement.
Peeking at Rolex's YouTube teaser, which is making us even more anxious, we see some elements of water, with some sort of sea foam like animation. We saw a bit of ocean theme going on, so our best guess is they will be releasing some diving-related watch this time, and it is the submariner. Now the real question is, HOW will they change its signature Submariner look?
The new Submariners will have a slightly bigger diameter of 41mm (40mm is the previous diameter).
The watch positioned second from the left is interesting, because it has a green bezel and a black dial, previously seen in the famous "Kermit" submariner (circulated around 2004 - 2010). The third watch is a white gold watch, with blue bezel and black dial, which will presumably replace the blue bezel and blue dial submariner nicknamed the "Smurf".
Additional, yet very important sidenote:
Along with the new guarantee cards that they will issue for the new watches, it will be a nice touch by Rolex for (end of) 2020.
Thanks for reading.