New Rolex Oyster Perpetual Dial Colors You May Have Missed

Though it’s quite easy to forget this when looking at the watch world, sometimes less is more, and simpler is better. Simpler, however, is often much harder to get right. Poor design is easily covered in layers of otherwise unnecessary embellishments. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual presents simplicity at its very finest. Rolex added two new dial options to the entire line without much fanfare, so I thought I’d introduce them to you here. Meet the OP in glossy black and denim blue!

Rolex offers these two new dial options for all Oyster Perpetual sizes. This means you can get them in 28mm, 31mm, 34mm, 36mm, or 41mm cases. Prices range from €5,850 to €6,700.

The new black-dial Rolex Oyster Perpetual

“That’s not new; I owned a 39mm one!” is what I told Nacho when he asked me to look at a “new” black OP. My 2018 OP, however, featured a black sunburst dial. That was already one of the cleanest, sharpest designs I have ever owned. Now, though, Rolex took away the sunburst and swapped it for a glossy black lacquer.

Now, if you don’t identify as a Rolex fanboy, you may roll your eyes at this point. Really? We’re to the point of presenting the removal of a sunburst effect as breaking news? I know; this is decadent even for a first-world problem, but hear me out. The significance lies in its counter-fashionable nature.

See, the entire watch world is constantly adding more fluff to its products. A sunburst effect is no longer considered decorative on its own. Nowadays, it requires at least two colors in a vignette fade just to count as a proper watch dial. My disdain for such dials is well documented here on Fratello, so you can imagine my excitement when Rolex goes the other way. Removing a sunburst finish in favor of a very well-done glossy lacquer seems like a significant leap forward to me. And yes, I am well aware of the ridiculousness of my passion here. If you like intricate watches, I am sure I come across as completely mental.

The new blue-dial Rolex Oyster Perpetual

I first saw the new blue dial on Rolex’s website and didn’t care for it too much. It seemed a bit too far into petrol territory for my liking. In real life, however, it isn’t at all. In fact, this instantly elbowed its way into my top five blue dials available today.

The precise hue is extremely well chosen. You get some royal blue with a hint of petrol, not overly saturated or bright. The result reminds me of denim, making it an extremely versatile color for daily wear with any apparel. While earlier Rolex Oyster Perpetual models featured accent colors, there are none here. The result looks sleek, classy, and clean.

A personal favorite

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual sits atop my list of favorite modern Rolex watches. That’s not a popular opinion, I know! I should prefer a Daytona or some fancy Day-Date configuration. The simple truth is that I don’t. Call me boring, but I have a thing for base-model watches. Within the Rolex lineup, the OP sits at the base.

I love the directness and focus of the model. It also places the design in the middle of the mainstage with its pants down, if you catch my drift. There is nothing to hide behind. Every detail has to hit the spot, or it all falls apart. In my eyes, the humble Oyster Perpetual is a masterclass in simple yet interesting design. It accomplishes simplicity without resorting to barren minimalism, which is incredibly hard to do.

Consequently, I think the Rolex Oyster Perpetual often gets unjustly discarded as “the entry-level Rolex” among many consumers. To me, it is one of the greatest watches you can buy today, even if you have enough of a budget for a Sub or GMT-Master II. I would never label it as “entry-level” but, rather, as “reduced to the essentials.” The new black and blue dial options only echo that philosophy louder, instantly propelling these onto my list of favorite watches. I wish other brands took a page out of Rolex’s book regarding base models. There…rant over!

What do you think of the new black and blue dials for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual? Let us know in the comments section below!