Amidst the political headwinds, market recalibration and absolutely titanic series of launches last week, Rolex played it smart. The spotlight may have landed on the Land-Dweller—a confident, calculated entry into the integrated-bracelet ring—but the real story lies in the quieter triumphs. From tiger-eye dials and opaline Sky-Dwellers to a fresh round of Oyster Perpetuals that subtly riff on the brand’s lacquered Stella dials of the 1970s, Rolex’s 2025 lineup doesn’t chase the noise. Instead, it refines, revisits, and—occasionally—reinvents. This hands-on review covers the standouts, both loud and soft, from Geneva’s biggest booth.

To get a deeper sense of the brand’s thinking behind these pieces, we spent time with Louis Nardin, Editor and Specialist at Rolex, during an exclusive touch-and-feel session. His insights, gathered below, offer a rare technical peek under the Crown:

Land-Dweller

The Land-Dweller isn’t just a new collection—it’s a declaration. With its softened tonneau silhouette and integrated “Flat Jubilee” bracelet, the case contours into the wrist with an ease Rolex hasn’t explored before. The dials are restrained (white, champagne, ice blue), but the finishing is deliberate. “There’s a chamfer, a little line of light that goes from the bracelet to the case,” Louis Nardin pointed out. “It creates a ray of light that enhances the integrated aspect of the watch. It was a real challenge to execute technically.”

Inside, the new Calibre 7135 brings Rolex’s first real step into high-frequency, anti-magnetic innovation. Nardin revealed that the brand had to design a completely new balance staff, using femto-laser ablation to sculpt ceramic components atom by atom. “Ceramic is strong, but it breaks like glass if there’s a crack,” he explained. “We had to polish the surfaces to perfection and optimise our shock absorber to allow for greater resilience.” The result? A technical powerhouse dressed in one of Rolex’s most aesthetically mature cases to date. (You can read our in-depth Land-Dweller breakdown here.)

Price:

• 36mm Everose: $42,100 (₹35.1 lakh)

• 36mm Everose w/ diamonds: $88,300 (₹73.6 lakh)

• 40mm White Rolesor: $14,900 (₹12.4 lakh)

GMT-Master II

Of the two new GMTs, it’s the ceramic-dialled Sprite in white gold that’s the quiet showstopper. Matching the green-and-black ceramic bezel with a high-gloss ceramic dial—something Rolex has never done—results in an oddly minimalist flex. “It’s the same ceramic as the bezel insert,” said Nardin. “That guarantees perfect colour harmony.” While the watch retains its left-crown layout and Oyster bracelet, this version feels more calculated, more serious—even slightly sci-fi.

Then there’s the tiger iron GMT in Everose, a maximalist contrast that screams collector bait and drew more than a few 'oohs and aahs' across the press preview table. The dial is cut from a single piece of natural composite—tiger eye, red jasper, and hematite—harvested in Australia. “We don’t fabricate this pattern,” said Nardin. “We search for stones with the right mix of richness and contrast. Every dial is unique by nature and also by curation.” The effect is hypnotic in person—earthy and electric all at once.

Price:

• Tiger Iron Everose: $47,500 (₹39.6 lakh)

• Ceramic Dial Destro White Gold: $46,750 (₹38.9 lakh)

Oyster Perpetual

After the buzz of the Stella revivals and bubble motifs, this year’s OPs take a quieter, more sophisticated turn. The new pistachio, lavender, and beige dials—available in various sizes—are matte-finished and softly toned, reminiscent of the rare pastel lacquer dials Rolex experimented with in the 1970s. “They’re intense without being flashy,” said Nardin. “We wanted something soft, harmonious… something that feels good on the wrist but also fresh.”

The 41mm also sees a slight refinement in case lines and clasp thickness, nudging the design towards elegance without compromising the sporty charm that made the OP so popular in the first place. Nardin noted that the OP’s simplicity is precisely what makes it such fertile ground for experimentation: “It’s the most technically basic Rolex, but it gives us the most room to play creatively.”

Price:

• 28mm: $5,650 (₹4.7 lakh)

• 36mm: $6,200 (₹5.2 lakh)

• 41mm: $6,500 (₹5.4 lakh)

Perpetual 1908

Rolex’s underdog dress watch gets a serious upgrade with the new Settimo bracelet. Exclusively offered on yellow gold models, it features a patented seven-link construction and one of the most comfortable fits we’ve experienced this year. “We couldn’t use spring bars the usual way,” explained Nardin. “So we developed a custom end-link attachment that’s thinner and more flexible. It hugs the skin.”

The bracelet elevates the 1908’s formal appeal, but still allows the dial—available in white or black—to remain the centrepiece. The smooth fluting and Breguet numerals maintain the watch’s aesthetic restraint, even as the full gold weight gives it presence.

Price:

• 39mm Yellow Gold with Settimo: $35,000 (₹29.2 lakh)

Sky-Dweller

The annual calendar Sky-Dweller returns in full yellow gold, paired with a bright green sunburst dial and Jubilee bracelet. “It’s very luminous,” said Nardin. “It’s the kind of green that looks richer in motion.” While mechanically unchanged, the visual overhaul makes this the most extravagant version yet—an unashamedly flashy take on Rolex’s most complicated watch.

Price:

• Yellow Gold w/ Green Dial: CHF 44,500 (₹42.1 lakh approx.)

Datejust 31

New this year is a vibrant red ombré dial—Rolex’s first in this hue to be made via PVD rather than traditional lacquer. Fading from fiery centre to smoky edge, it’s paired with gold and diamonds for that classic mid-2000s maximalism. “We’ve done ombré before,” Nardin noted, “but never like this. This one’s made to dazzle—every surface reflects just a bit more than it should.”

Price:

• 31mm Yellow Gold w/ Red Ombré: $48,100 (₹40.1 lakh)

Cosmetic Refreshes

There’s also a fresh turquoise lacquer dial on the Daytona—Rolex’s latest nod to the Tiffany trend—paired with an Oysterflex strap and black subdials. The Sky-Dweller and Lady-Datejust ranges see subtle new dial variants and bracelet swaps, but these are quiet moves in comparison to the headline releases.