Reply With QuoteYup the SD has lost if for me, as of last year when they upped the size and wacked on the Cyclops.Originally Posted by 33JS
Oh dear. TT SD with polished center links. Finally all pretence at being a dive watch have disappeared.
It strangely reminds me of Animal Farm when the pigs (animals repressed) eventually turn into humans (the oppressors).
For professional divers - 1665 - 16660 - 16600 - 116600 - 126600 - 126603 - to jewellery
Martyn
Yup the SD has lost if for me, as of last year when they upped the size and wacked on the Cyclops.
Does the new movement have a slightly wider date wheel? In all the variants it's looking more open, more dial-dominated to me, but I guess real life photos needed to be sure. The lugs are also looking less present, but that might just be a side effect of the dial looking bigger.
It’s really not an ask...
- Return of the 36mm Explorer I
- a new Milgauss with a 1019 or 6543-esque design
- The GMT could have been light blue and dark blue, it would be much smarter and more of a change (also I think one steel jubilee GMT is enough, unless they give a bracelet option for all GMTs as I think they should)
- Ceramic bezels for bi-metal Daytonas
- New dial for the 40mm Air-King
- New Submariner with traditional case shape, new movement, maybe red writing and maxi dial
- 40mm option for the Explorer II
If I can think of 7 easily doable references, which would be in keeping with the spirit of Rolex, and much more desirable than what has been launched this year, it’s a bit disappointing that the people at Rolex can’t give us better.
I don’t mind the bimetal Seadweller (because of the historical precedent with the Deep Sea Special watches), and the Day-Date and Datejust upgrades are fine, but everything else from Rolex is disappointing.
It’s not like they’ve sent all the brains to Tudor for this year’s stuff, either...
ETA: they’ve also stopped the plain black GMT... probably to come back with the new movement, wonder if it will keep the Oyster...
Last edited by Dark Side of The Loon; 20th March 2019 at 12:37.
Didn’t see that one coming
Agreed, it looks very like the 16000 I’m wearing right now, especially with the very clean dial. Didn’t it used to have the slightly fussy train track minute markers around the chapter ring that came in with the 16200? If they have actually changed it to be closer to vintage looking models that would be one of the bigger bits of news, if not the most obvious headline.
Last edited by Itsguy; 20th March 2019 at 12:54.
Amen Amen. I like that 42mm Yachtie, but in white gold it’s just a no go.
Disappointed to say the least...nothing new for the mere mortals. I never liked the Batman anyway, and even if I did, as you say forget trying to get hold of one...massively underwhelmed.
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So that's the call to my AD done
Next stop Amazon
Once again the really big news from Rolex at Basel isn’t what they are introducing but what they are withdrawing...
Agree with the above, several things they could have "easily" released alongside this kind of shiny stuff that would have kept their history alive, instead it's like they want to go full jewellery mode instead.
Jewelleryworld - sorry Baselworld 2019 - the year the designers went to the well and found it was truly dry?!
Interesting to see the black GMT might be discontinued - wonder if there will now be a price spike for those?!
Screengrab from the Instagram video
Nothing out there of real interest to me. I'd imagine that the AD's have already had numerous calls for the BLNR, but in all honesty I prefer the old one.
I think this is my favourite release this year. Like the fume diamond dial.
Im glad that there is nothing of interest for me (I really do not get the TT SD!?) as it means I will not be pining over an unobtainable watch.
Really disappointed with the releases this year. At least the bank balance can breathe a sigh of relief
Not exactly a like for like comparison (I'll look to see if I can do better)
116234:
It might be entirely down to the loss of the train tracks, I dunno
Last edited by Der Amf; 20th March 2019 at 13:30.
all new release models are ugly , new yacht with white gold ,looking good but too expensive
Der Amf - I prefer the 116234 dial with the railroad tracks around the edge of the dial. There's been a noticeable jump in rrp too!
Glad the blnr is not discontinued but I can’t see past the jubilee. The oyster suited the watch so much more. How much is a sub bracelet from Rolex?
I'm sure Rolex know their market and your average TZ user isn't it. The high quality tool timepieces they used to produce were great. I have no doubt they will sell in very slowly released bucketloads though. Not for me any more.
Having done a more scientific comparison of the 2018 and 2019 models in photoshop, case dial and date all appear to be as before. The difference is indeed just the train tracks. This to me though is a very good call on the part of Rolex and it’s one of the reasons I chose a vintage 16000 over the later models, the dials became slightly too fussy / fusty. The other reason to prefer the vintage model was the oyster bracelet with brushed centre links, so it’s a pity that this only comes with polished. They’ve very nearly offered up a classic minimal model. This follows on from the recent black and white Osyter Perpetual 39s, and suggests that they are gradually, and wisely, looking back to some of their cooler, more minimal and less ostentatious designs for inspiration.
Will the new BLNR take an oyster bracelet? Hodinkee are saying the 2019 BLNR is the same as the 2018 Pepsi in terms of case.
Well that's disappointing. Particularly as I'd expressed an interest in the black GMT at the AD only last week. Not that an EoI means much. Like others the jubilee for the blue/black makes it less appealing to me. Why Rolex don't offer the choice of straps is beyond me.... Looks like they do for the Pepsi.
Did you include the width of the ends of the lugs?
Wish they’d sodding do this for their sports watches.
I agree entirely.
Yes, I superimposed the image from the 2018 release which you can still find here, and the 2019 release, as they are shot in exactly the same way. There doesn’t appear to be any difference apart from the dial. I thought perhaps the lugs had changed but it appears not.
call me selfish but glad the did nothing with the explorer 11 keeps mine the current model for a bit longer :-),
Watchfinder have just added a new 116710BLNR to their website at £12,450!!!!
With a quiet/poor offering from Rolex and Tudor and no Swatch, Baselworld is awfully quiet this year.
I wonder if they updated their "buy for" a similar amount? No chance.
What a lackluster collection. I really miss my sold GMT2LN and was waiting to get a new one. Can’t believe they have relegated the GMT to multicoloured bezels and jubilees only. Really not appealing at all.
I have the money to spend but I really can’t find a model made by Rolex I like anymore. I thought that the base GMT2 would always be black bezel and oyster bracelet. i know the Sub fills that niche but it does not have the GMT function which I want.
The thing that has made Rolex so iconic over the years, that every other watch manufacturer envied was that Rolex had always kept a certain classic look that everyone recognised. I find it very strange that they seem to be abandoning that strategy. Are they going to become a brand that constantly changes, desperate to find the next look all the time? Because that strategy has never work for anyone else (Omega, Breitling etc.) What a shame.
Just looked at the new Tudors as well. Yawn... nothing worth looking at there either.
So they did nothing then....
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More likely it's this one they had listed at £11,950 this morning..
That had disappeared shortly after 11am..
To then reappear again this afternoon..
(I was curious...)
Very disappointed with this year's showing. Rolex and Tudor won't be getting any of my money this year. Perhaps I should be grateful!
Good work! I notice Chronext have no BLNRs or LNs in stock and they have removed at least one LN since 11am.
Can’t knock them for trying though.
The dayejust 36 is nice. But honestly, I really don't like the direction that Rolex have gone. I will continue to wear and buy the older models.
Yep the oyster bracelet fits the Pepsi and BLNR
white gold yacht master---for sure
More likely it's this one they had listed at £11,950 this morning..
That had disappeared shortly after 11am..
To then reappear again this afternoon..
(I was curious...)
and of course higher ~~~
Will happily keep wearing my LN then...
That meteorite dial is completely honking and doesn't work at all for the guts of £30k!
Not feeling the BLNR Jubilee and the whole bracelet swapping carry on well
Is the blue/red bezel insert interchangeable with the black/blue, i.e. can you make a Pepsi from a Batman or vice versa??
Watchfinder now down to 2 BLNRs in stock....
I suspect the cases are the same, so yes.
Can you swap oyster with jubilee or have the cases changed along with the new movement?
- - - Updated - - -
If they've got any sense they won't have sold them, they'll have put them to the back of the safe to see how pricing pans out.
My wife will give birth to our firstborn son this year and I was planning to get a steel rolex introduced in 2019, to give him at his 18th birthday in 2037.
As I am quite tall and my wife is quite tall, he will probably also be a tall person, so getting him a 36mm Datejust is out of the question.
Only option therefore is the "new" BLNR with Jubilee. So I directly went to Bucherer at 12.30 and guess what...
No chance that I will get it in 2019 as it is still the BLNR and not a new watch. Hence they will give the new watches to clients on the old BLNR waiting list.
quite frustrating... :(
To potentially answer my own question, I've just read that the springbar holes are in different locations?
Same with WoS. However, check with Mapping & Webb as they advised me their policy is they are treating this as a new model and therefore a new list. Those on the list for the original Batman would have to apply again to get on the updated list. Be quick though.
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