Rolex and Tudor have debuted their new watches for the year at Watches and Wonders 2024. In this article, we’ll present all the new models now available in the Rolex and Tudor catalogs. Then, we’ll offer some final thoughts on the releases.
Tudor: Less is More
Let’s begin with Tudor, which once again kicked things off with a beautifully produced trailer as it has done in previous years. This is what I’ve come to expect from a watch presentation in the year 2024 (and other brands should take a leaf out of the Swiss watchmaker’s book). We’ve established that Tudor can create highly appealing trailers, but what about timepieces?
Watch fans can look forward to a new Clair de Rose, which comes with a blue dial, Roman numerals, and a five-link bracelet. It comes as little surprise that the Black Bay line once again receives the most attention this year. With the Black Bay 58 18K, the yellow gold watch – previously only available on a Nato or leather strap – is now complemented by a gold bracelet with a T-Fit clasp. The current Black Bay is now available not only with a red bezel, but also in a black version that dispenses with the typical gilt accents. The result is a watch that looks surprisingly much more modern than its predecessor.
The Black Bay Chrono with a pink dial was unveiled days before Watches and Wonders 2024. With this unusual color combination, Tudor may have just launched a new watch trend.
While Tudor admittedly hasn’t released very many new models this year, the last watch in the group packs a punch: with the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT, the Swiss manufacturer has fulfilled fans’ dreams. The pilot’s watch comes in a new case with gilt elements and a black and red “Coke” bezel, while the 39-mm diameter has remained unchanged. Tudor will no doubt enjoy plenty of success with this watch.
Rolex: When the Iconic Meets the Unexpected
A few days ago, Rolex had hinted in a teaser video that something unexpected was coming. Did the manufacturer keep its word? Or was the promise a little too ambitious?
The Rolex Perpetual 1908 presented last year has been outfitted with a new light blue dial. While the understated dress watch is certainly not the mainstay of the Geneva manufacturer, the new platinum version provides some welcome visual variety in the Rolex portfolio. What some watch fans assumed to be a gold Datejust in the teaser turned out to be a gold Sky-Dweller with a Jubilee bracelet. The only truly new feature here is the bracelet, which is being used for the first time on gold Sky-Dweller models. The new Day-Date and the new Daytona with diamond bezel felt like more of a side note.
The new black and gray color variant of the GMT-Master II, on the other hand, will no doubt inspire a bit more celebration: After Rolex discontinued the old black GMT-Master II a few years ago, the watch is making its comeback – only now with a black and gray GMT bezel instead of black. Additionally, Rolex fans can now choose the option of wearing the watch on a Jubilee bracelet instead of the Oyster bracelet.
With the Rolex Sea-Dweller Deepsea, we finally see the iconic meet the unexpected: the watch now comes in yellow gold with a blue dial, blue ceramic bezel, and a titanium case back. Giving this quintessential tool watch a makeover in gold is a bold move by Rolex. It certainly generated some surprise, regardless of how fans will ultimately receive this watch.
Final Thoughts
What are we to make of the new releases from Tudor and Rolex? The fact that Tudor launched the new METAS Black Bay in new colors should come as no surprise to anyone. However, the fact that the black version of the new Black Bay forgoes gilt accents is, in fact, an unexpected turn of events. Additionally, the gold bracelet and T-Fit clasp for the Black Bay 58 18K will likely generate some excitement, even if few fans had been longing for these updates. One new release is sure to make waves throughout the watch world in 2024: the Tudor Black Bay 58 GMT. With this model, watch lovers have finally got what they wanted.
Rolex, however, seems to be more interested in maintaining their models than in treading new ground. Watches such as the new Day-Date, the diamond-encrusted Daytona, and the Sky-Dweller in new color variants will not likely generate storms of enthusiasm among watch lovers, but the luxury watch manufacturer certainly showed some daring with the golden Sea-Dweller Deepsea in gold. This is a watch that will definitely divide tastes. But no matter which side you fall on, we can all agree that it is an unusual and unexpected novelty. While Rolex didn’t unveil any big highlights this year, the new color variant of the GMT-Master II will no doubt delight many fans. The watch is strikingly reminiscent of the old, extremely popular black GMT-Master II, thus making it a kind of a comeback – only now with a black and gray bezel.
Let me mention one small personal disappointment: for the second year in a row, the Submariner has not been honored in any way. This year marks the 70th anniversary of one of the most important watches of all time, yet Rolex doesn’t seem to have planned a special edition for their legendary diving watch.
