The first waterproof case made by Rolex was the “Oyster”. Perpetual refers to the permanently wound rotor inside every Rolex watch. That’s why you’ll never see the word “automatic” on the dial – it’s just redundant. They are the words printed on almost all Rolex dials. “Oyster Perpetual.” These two seemingly insignificant monograms are not only historically significant, but also neatly encapsulate everything that makes Rolex a watchmaking powerhouse.
To get to this point we had to lose a few watches along the way – good watches, leaving everything on the field. Of course, I’m talking about the much-loved Rolex OP39, a watch that’s considered near-perfect. This is the epitome of Rolex ideals. It has power and eternity that go against its simplicity. We’ve only owned it for two years, only to see it flash by, as if struck by Thanos’ armor.
On each side of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, there are noteworthy nuances. The 36mm and 41mm variants are actually mirror images of each other, just different sizes, with painted squares next to each hour marker. The OP 34 has Roman numerals on the dial – something unique for this size.
The main difference between the 36/41mm models and others is the style of the markings themselves. The former has a set of markers called the binocular style, in which the markers at three o’clock, six o’clock and nine o’clock are presented in a binocular style. This is a controversial topic for OP lovers. Fans of the OP 39 regret the choice of the OP 41.
All OP models, large and small, have a common dial function. For years, Rolex has used a luminous blue material called Chromalight for its blue-chip watches, while continuing to produce its OP collection in green Super-LumiNova. In this update, you’ll notice the familiar blue glow on the dials of all five size options – it’s about time.
This is where things can get messy. At its most basic level, the OP has two main dial colors: black and silver with gold accents. Black dials are a known quantity, but silver is really new. Check out the sunburst silver facet interacting with the surrounding gold accents and faux Rolex crown. This effect gives the watch a sporty and sophisticated feel. In many ways, this dial configuration is the most OP because it feels like a retro.
After black and silver, a plethora of colors entered the fray. Picking a color is like configuring a new car online. Specific paint colors are available for each trim level. Some overlap, some don’t. As each size changes, you’ll find slightly different color options available. To keep them together, you can divide the colors into two different buckets.
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