Providing the foundation upon which every other sports Rolex watch is built, the Oyster Perpetual collection has evolved from a relatively obscure offering to one of the most popular collections on the market today. Dating back to 1931, the Oyster Perpetual's history is filled with the epic feats of its wearers, like conquering Everest and setting land speed records. No doubt an iconic timepiece, when Rolex revitalised the collection in September of 2020 with a slew of new colours to brighten up the line, the Oyster Perpetual burst back onto the scene and joined the ranks of Rolex's other sports models as some of the most in-demand timepieces imaginable.
Here I have a 36mm Oyster Perpetual ref. 126000 hailing from the latest version of the collection. Featuring a brand new bright red dial that is reminiscent of the vintage Stella dials from the ’70s, this ref. 126000 features all of the necessary design motifs to excel in today's market. With its iconic oyster bracelet, domed stainless steel bezel and clean time only design, the ref. 126000 exists as the perfect unisex option with its sporty design and unrivalled wearability and comfort on the wrist.
Amongst the changes from the previous collection, the latest Oyster Perpetuals feature an upgraded movement with an improved 70-hour power reserve. The automatic cal. 3230 movement offers COSC and Rolex's own in-house Superlative Chronometer testing, which enables it to run at +/- 2 seconds per day. While the Oyster Perpetual might be marketed as an entry-level collection, its internals cut no corners, just like its iconic design and incredible history.
It is great to see Rolex pump some bright colours into their entry-level watch, making it a more fun option to the otherwise more serious sports lineup.
