Feature: 4 Rolex Oyster Perpetuals With Dials To Die For!

The Oyster Perpetual is the watch that really put Rolex on the map with its ground-breaking combination of a hermetically sealed screwdown waterproof case—the world’s first—and a self-winding movement that took existing technology and gave it that magic Rolex touch.

This watch has formed the bedrock from which almost all other Rolex watches have sprung. Only the dials of the dressy Cellini range and some vintage models such as old Daytonas (whose movements were manually wound and therefore not ‘perpetual’) lack those reassuring two words.

With the demand—and therefore price—for higher-end Rolex models now at a level that makes you wonder whether they actually contain the elixir of eternal life, a humble Oyster Perpetual might have to be your Plan B when attempting to hunt down your grail piece from the Crown.

But you know what? You should be fine with that, because not only is it still a superb timepiece made by the world’s best-known manufacturer of luxury watches, it’s also not the Plain Jane you think it is and comes in a surprisingly wide variety of dials.

Casual or conservative, earthy or outlandish, there’s an Oyster Perpetual out there for everyone. Plus it’s a dependable style constant that’s as immune to the vagaries of fashion as denim.

Still need convincing? Check out these models…

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 116000

Rolex, with its famously conservative approach to design, rarely makes watches with concentric dials like this. So the discontinued reference 116000 could prove to be a shrewd purchase considering Oyster Perpetual prices haven’t gone stratospheric like some Rolex models.

This version with a black dial intersperses a 60-minute scale—its numerals going up in increments of five—with 3, 6 and 9 o’clock markers. Cleverly, the Rolex dial text that’s usually positioned slightly above or below the centre is instead found within an inner circular track that blends into the concentric design.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 124300

If you like a watch that catches the eye—from distances of up to several hundred metres—you can’t go wrong with a sunflower-yellow dial. Paired with no-frills baton markers and stick hands, this contemporary model blurs the line between spartan and sensational. It’s an ideal summer watch that you can wear in the swimming pool or the sea without concern, thanks to its 100m water resistance.

Being a relatively new model, the 124300 runs on Rolex’s Calibre 3230 which has a power reserve of 70 hours and it comes in a 41mm or 36mm case. There’s also a ‘Tiffany-blue’ turquoise version—bang-on trend after the recent Patek Philippe Nautilus auction madness in New York—that is equally attention-grabbing.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 6298

The pre-owned and vintage Rolex market is awash with older Oyster Perpetuals that have often aged like a fine bottle of Chateau Latour. Get hunting for pre-loved models from the 1950s or 1960s whose dials have built up a beautiful patina and feature dart hour markers and sword hands, like this lovely example, auctioned at Bonhams in 2021.

Usually found in 36mm cases, they’re still mid-sized by today’s standards and emanate a timeless cool. Older bubbleback Oyster Perpetuals from the 1930s and 1940s tend to be a lot smaller at around 32mm, which many people consider unwearably dinky.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 114300

A recently discontinued model, this red grape-coloured beauty had many admirers during its short production run. It was rightly admired for its purple-hued dial with contrasting red-dot markers that complemented the lumed baton indices. As well as this perfectly matched colour combination, it hit that sweet-spot case size of 39mm, which seems to work for almost everyone except sumo wrestlers.

This is the modern Oyster Perpetual at its best: understated yet unmistakeable.

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