On March 27, 2023 Watches & Wonders (hereafter W&W) returns. Held in Geneva Switzerland this exhibition attended by 48 watch brands is a very important event that determines the annual trends in the watch market.

Rolex has also left Baselworld and has been participating in W&W for three years since 2021 drawing attention from both the industry and enthusiasts. Every year questions such as 'which watch will be released as a new product' and 'which watch will be discontinued and disappear' are not only a great source of excitement for watch lovers but also have a significant impact on the market. VIVER also dares to predict what the hot issues of this year might be.

Daytona
60th Anniversary New Release?

Looking at the past when Rolex announced special new products in line with the model's birth cycle we first look back at what big events there might be this year. In 2023 Daytona celebrates its 60th anniversary.
The ceramic bezel Daytona Ref. 116500LN which is regarded as one of the three leaders in the resale market along with Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak is now in its seventh year since its launch so there is considerable anticipation for what changes may come next.

Yacht-Master Titanium ⓒ Perpetualpassion

TAG HEUER Aquaracer Solargraph ⓒ HODINKEE

Some watch magazines and enthusiasts claim that the next change for Daytona lies in the 'material'.
A new material that is frequently seen in recent watch trends is 'titanium'. In 2021 Sir Ben Ainslie the world's top yacht racer was spotted wearing a prototype of the Yacht-Master in titanium and in 2022 the Deepsea Challenge diver's watch using titanium was also released which supports this claim.
In 2013 the 50th anniversary of Daytona the platinum Ref. 116506 made a surprise appearance so this hypothesis seems somewhat convincing. What do you think? There have also been bold predictions that the Cal. 4130 movement and reference that have been with us for 23 years will also change along with the material.

Daytona 116500LN

40mm, White, Oyster

Daytona 116500LN

40mm, Black, Oyster

Daytona 116506

40mm, Ice blue, Oyster

70th Anniversary of the Submariner

The eternal symbol of Rolex the Submariner continues to enjoy steady demand in the secondary market. Since the latest reference of the Submariner was released in 2020 it has not even been three full years so it seems too early for a new reference to appear.
However this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Submariner so expectations for a special new release remain high. We all know the history of the Rolex green craze that started with the release of Ref. 16610LV known as the 'Kermit' for the Submariner's 50th anniversary and continued with Ref. 116610LV 'Hulk' and Ref. 126610LV 'Starbucks'.

Submariner Date 16610LV

40mm, Black, Oyster

Submariner Date 116610LV

40mm, Green, Oyster

Submariner Date 126610LV

41mm, Black, Oyster

If we are to expect changes in the Submariner collection we should look at the possibilities for dial colors and materials. I imagine the fundamental Ref. 124060 of the Submariner changing in various ways. Predictions range from the release of Rolesor and gold models like the Date version to the possibility of differentiation with materials such as platinum or titanium that have not been tried before.

For the Submariner 'Date' version there have been discussions in various communities for several years about expanding the use of gold materials. In 2019 the Rolesor Sea-Dweller and in 2021 the Rolesor Explorer were released and the professional line is gradually expanding its collection with gold materials. Therefore there are many views predicting what a combination with Everose gold which has never been applied to the Submariner would be like. What changes will the Submariner face?

Submariner 124060

41mm, Black, Oyster

Sea-Dweller 126603

43mm, Black, Oyster

Explorer 1 124273

36mm, Black, Oyster

GMT-Master 2 Coke

GMT Master2 Ref. 16710 / ⓒ Momentum

Although it is not an anniversary there is a watch that many Rolex users have been eagerly waiting for 15 years. Both domestic and international watch magazines and influencers are desperately waiting for the black & red bezel GMT-Master 2 also known as 'Coke'. Those who remember the previously released GMT-Master Ref. 16710 Coke have been waiting a long time for its return. First introduced in 1982 as Ref. 16760 and discontinued in 2007 with Ref. 16710 the Coke has never appeared with a Cerachrom bezel. Although it was produced for a long time it is rarely seen in the resale market so those looking for the Coke can only wait endlessly for its rebirth.

If the Coke is revived there is also a possibility that other popular bezel color combinations of the GMT-Master 2 may be discontinued so it is truly a highly anticipated release that everyone is watching.

GMT-Master 2 126710BLRO

40mm, Black, Oyster

GMT-Master 2 126710BLRO

40mm, Black, Jubilee

GMT-Master 2 116710BLNR

40mm, Black, Oyster

Even the slightest change in Rolex's representative professional line is met with a very sensitive reaction in the market. The hottest topic among watch lovers the 2023 W&W special will continue in the next episode.