Thanks to its enthusiastic popularity, The image of Rolex is widespread, But if you look closely, It is a very conservative company. One example is the fact that it still insists on a solid caseback. Only a very few watches use a see-through caseback, But in almost all Rolex watches, You cannot see the movement. This is in line with the philosophy of making robust watches, But behind it lies a strong conservatism. This is also evident in other details. For example, The design does not change much and the dial colors are mainly black and white. However, Even Rolex is changing. The change is none other than through color.

Pioneering Watches with Color Dials

The Daytona Ref. 116519 Beach, Released in the early 2000s, Was a watch with a colorful dial and strap, Which was very unusual at the time.

Rolex Daytona 116519 ⓒ amsterdamvintagewatches

Although commonly called the Beach Edition, This is not its official name, And it seems to have been treated as a special edition. Based on the Ref. 116519 in white gold, It featured four dial colors and matching lizard straps, As well as boxes that matched in color and pattern, Creating a vivid and funky charm. At that time, Daytona dials were usually black, White, Or other achromatic colors like gray, So this model stood out. Since it was produced for only a short period, Not many were distributed in the market, And those who chose the Beach Edition were considered bold fashion people or had a very unique sensibility.

ROLEX Daytona 116519 ⓒ amsterdamvintagewatches

The colors were yellow, Pink, Green, And blue. The materials were mother of pearl and chrysoprase, Which is an apple green chalcedony, And turquoise. Yellow and pink used mother of pearl, Green used chrysoprase, And blue used turquoise. All colors were pastel tones with a slightly translucent dial detail. Another feature was the use of Roman numeral hour indexes for all models.

ROLEX Daytona 116519 ⓒ amsterdamvintagewatches

It is known that the Beach Edition could be purchased individually or as a set, But there are not many examples of set purchases. Today, Individual pieces are valuable, But a set of four has higher collectible value. The short production period made them rare, And at the time, Rolex was much more conservative than now, So a colorful dial watch was even more special. In retrospect, The Beach Edition seems to have had a significant influence on later color dials.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual ⓒ Rolex

In 2020, When the new Oyster Perpetual was introduced with a newly defined case diameter and changed index details, A variety of colors were presented, Including turquoise blue. Yellow, Pink, Green, And blue, Which appeared in the Beach Edition, Were all included, And basic dial colors such as black and silver were added, Creating a feast of colors.

Daytona 116519

40mm, Yellow/mother of pearl, Strap

Daytona 116519

40mm, Green/chrysoprase, Roman, Strap

Daytona 116519

40mm, Pink/mother of pearl, Strap

The Colors of Datejust

While the Oyster Perpetual made a big impact with its solid color dials, The Datejust expanded its palette with sunray patterns. (Based on the 36mm version) Black, White, Silver, And the popular blue are the basic dial colors.

ROLEX Datejust, Lady-datejust ⓒ ROLEX

In addition, Slate, Which is close to dark gray, Lively pink, And aubergine, Reminiscent of eggplant, Are very unique. More recently, Mint green has been added, Which contrasts with the solid green of Rolex's brand color by offering a softer tone. Although not a color, Mother of pearl material creates a complex and subtle color. If you include the 31mm women's version, The spectrum becomes even wider. Not only colors but also glamorous graphics add to the diversity. If you look at the entire Rolex collection, Not just the Datejust, Even white dials show subtle differences in tone and pattern. In addition to traditional electroplating, The popular PVD technique is also actively used for dial colors.

The Colors of Tudor

Tudor, A sub-brand of Rolex, Has grown by sharing and utilizing Rolex's heritage. Recently, It has started to develop its own identity, But there are still many similarities. In terms of dial colors, It was conservative like Rolex in the past. Black, White, And blue dials such as the Blue Sub (Ref. 79090) were the exceptions.

Tudor Submariner 79090 ⓒ tudorsub

After Rolex began introducing various dial colors with the Oyster Perpetual and Datejust, Tudor also opened the door to color. The blue dial, Which was active in the Black Bay 58, Black Bay Chrono, And Pelagos collections, Attracted attention again as a watch given to members of the Visa Cash App RB F1 Team. Later, The Black Bay Ceramic Blue, A retail version, Introduced a vivid blue dial against a matte black ceramic case.

TUDOR Black Bay Chrono m79360n-0019
ⓒ tudorwatch

The Black Bay Chrono Pink features a pink dial. The American soccer team Inter Miami CF chose pink as its team color. Through David Beckham, The team's co-owner, And Jay Chou, Whose signature color is pink, The Black Bay Chrono Pink was introduced before its official release.

TUDOR Black Bay Chrono m79360n-0024
ⓒ tudorwatch

Recently, The Black Bay Chrono with a turquoise dial called Flamingo Blue has appeared, Pairing with the pink version.

Black Bay Chrono 79360N

41mm, Flamingo Blue

Black Bay Chrono 79360N

41mm, Pink

TUDOR Black Bay Harrods M79230G
ⓒ tudorwatch

Besides the dial, The bezel is also an important part that expresses color. Representative models include the Black Bay 58 Bronze with a brown bezel, The Black Bay 58 925 with a calm taupe bezel, The Black Bay 18K with a green bezel, And the Black Bay Harrods Edition, Which can only be purchased at Harrods in the UK. In particular, The Black Bay Harrods Edition is impressive for its vivid contrast between the green bezel, Gilt dial, And gold-colored hands. Through these recent new products, Tudor, Together with Rolex, Is further strengthening the theme of colorful watches and providing new experiences to watch enthusiasts.

Black Bay 79230G

41mm, Black, Harrods Special Edition