New and Discontinued Rolex Watches for 2023 (2024)

Watches and Wonders is finally here and the moment that many of us have been waiting for has arrived — the announcement of all the new Rolex watches for 2023! Plus, let’s not forget all the watches that Rolex has decided to cancel from its catalog, which can have an impact on the secondary market. We know you’re excited to see what’s joining and dropping from the lineup this year, so without any further delay, here are all the new and discontinued Rolex watches for 2023.

2023 Rolex Releases

Rolex Daytona – New Generation

To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Daytona, Rolex introduced an entirely new generation of its famed chronograph collection with slightly redesigned cases, dials, and bezels, in addition to new movements. At first glance, these 2023 Rolex Daytona watches looks almost identical to their predecessors. They still sport 40mm cases, feature tri-compax dials, and include tachymeter bezels. However, in true Rolex fashion, the updates are subtle.

For instance, the lugs on the cases are wider and more tapered, and according to the brand, “Graceful lines of light are elegantly reflected from the lugs and the sides of its redesigned middle case.” Moreover, versions with Cerachrom ceramic bezels now have a thin metal frame in the same material as the case. Dial updates include slightly longer and thinner hour markers, a touch slimmer subdial rings, and more contrast between solid subdials and their base dial color.

The biggest change to the 2023 Daytona collection is the new-generation Caliber 4131 automatic chronograph movement, which is an evolution of the Caliber 4130 movement that has been around since 2000. Although Caliber 4131 performs largely the same as Caliber 4130 (72 hours of power reserve and -2/+2 seconds per day precision rating), it does benefit from Rolex’s patented Chronergy escapement, as well as, aesthetic enhancements such as a skeletonized oscillating weight and Rolex Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges.

Most importantly, the new platinum Daytona features a display caseback (a first for modern Rolex watches), which clearly shows us the 18k gold oscillating weight.

2023 Daytona Prices

Further reading: What is a Chronograph?

Yacht-Master 42 – Now in Titanium

When Rolex recently announced its first titanium watch in the form of the gigantic Deepsea Challenge, many took this as a signal that more (wearable) titanium watches would be released. And they were right! For 2023, Rolex introduced a brand new Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium, paired with an Oyster bracelet and black Cerachrom ceramic bezel.

• Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226627: $14,050 MSRP

RLX titanium is a grade 5 titanium alloy specially selected by Rolex that is super lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and strong. Plus, it can be worked into several finishes. The titanium Yacht-Master watch features several finishes. There’s a satin finish with a visible grain on the middle case sides, bracelet link edges, and claps cover sides. Then there’s the high-sheen finish on the chamfered top edges of the lugs and the crown guards are polished. Meanwhile, on top of the 42mm titanium case is the bidirectional matt black ceramic bezel with raised polished numerals and graduations.

The dial of the Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226627 is also black, punctuated with Chromalight lume-filled hour markers and Mercedes-style hands. As with all Yacht-Master watches, this titanium version includes a date window at 3 o’clock magnified with a Cyclops lens on the sapphire crystal.

The Oyster bracelet features the Oysterlock folding safety clasp and Easylink comfort extension link, Similar to several other Yacht-Master watches, powering the 2023 Rolex Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226627 is the Caliber 3235 automatic movement.

Further reading: Deepsea Challenge – Rolex’s First Titanium Watch

GMT-Master II – Return of Yellow Gold

For 2023, Rolex has expanded the GMT-Master II collection with two new versions: a full yellow gold model and a two-tone yellow gold and steel model. Rolex dropped yellow gold GMT-Master watches from its catalog back in 2018 but now it’s back!

The two new references feature the customary GMT-Master II 40mm case, both topped with a never-before-seen grey and black bidirectional Cerachrom ceramic bezel with gold numerals. Furthermore, both come furnished with black dials with gold Mercedes-style hands and gold arrow-tipped 24-hour hands. Rolex chose to pair the yellow gold and two-tone yellow-gold/steel GMT-Master II watches exclusively with Jubilee bracelets, which have Oysterlock folding safety clasps and Easylink extensions.

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Identical to all current-production GMT-Master II watches, this pair of golden variants run on the Caliber 3285 automatic movement.

2023 GMT-Master II Prices

Further reading: What is a GMT Watch?

Explorer – New 40mm Size

The Explorer has always been Rolex’s simplest sports watch model, only available only in very few variations. For 2023, Rolex is expanding the collection with a larger 40mm Explorer watch in steel to sit alongside the classic 36mm versions.

• Explorer 40 ref. 224270: $7,700 MSRP

Aside from its bigger case, the Explorer 40 retains all the signature design details that make this collection one of Rolex’s most beloved. There’s the characteristic black lacquered dial with the oversized Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9, along with the Mercedes-style hands at the center–all of which are coated in Chromalight luminescence.

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There’s also the customary Oyster bracelet, complete with the Oysterlock folding safety clasp and Easylink extension link. And finally, there’s also the same Caliber 3230 automatic movement that powers the time-only functionality of all current-production Explorer watches.

Sky-Dweller – New Dial Colors, Movement, and Metal

Rolex has overhauled its entire Sky-Dweller collection with the new Caliber 9002 automatic annual calendar movement, which is an evolution of the previous Caliber 9001 but now with the patented Chronergy escapement.

Mechanics aside, new to the 2023 Sky-Dweller collection are some fresh dials: a blue-green dial and a mint green dial. The blue-green dial is fitted into the full rose gold Sky-Dweller while the mint green dial (a color once reserved for the Datejust collection) is found within the steel Sky-Dweller with a white fluted bezel.

Rolex also unveiled a white gold Sky-Dweller, which marks the return of this material to the collection. The 2023 white gold Sky-Dweller is fitted with a black Oysterflex bracelet, which joins the other yellow gold and Everose gold Sky-Dwellers with Oysterflex bracelets.

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2023 Sky-Dweller Prices

Further Reading: What is an Annual Calendar Watch?

Perpetual 1908 – Brand New Model

An entirely new collection has joined the Rolex catalog in 2023 called the Perpetual 1908. Named after the year founder Hans Wilsdorf settled on the name “Rolex” for his company, the Perpetual 1908 is a vintage-style Rolex dress watch. No, it’s not a Cellini; this is a brand new Rolex model.

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The Perpetual 1908 watches feature 39mm cases (in yellow gold or white gold), bezels that are both partly domed and partly fluted, and slim winding crowns. The back of the watches includes exhibition casebacks for a view of the new Caliber 7140 automatic movement, which powers the center hour and minute hands, in addition to the small seconds subdial on the dials. The movement features a skeletonized gold rotor and Côtes de Genève decoration on the bridges, and supplies about 66 hours of power reserve to the watches.

The dials, available in white or black, include a distinctive circle-tipped hour hand and a two-edged sword minute hand. There are Arabic numerals at 3, 9, and 12, and faceted indexes for the rest of the hours. These elegant gold Rolex dress watches are combined with alligator leather straps, which are furnished with a double folding clasp called Dualclasp. Rolex Perpetual 1908 watches are water resistant to 50 meters.

Perpetual 1908 Prices

Further reading: The Rebirth of the Men’s Dress Watch

Oyster Perpetual – New “Celebration” Dials

2023 is panning out to be the year of zany Rolex dials, and we’ll start with the so-called “Celebration” dials now available on Oyster Perpetual 31, 36, and 41 watches.

The bubbles-motif dials reunite the five colors that Rolex introduced to the Oyster Perpetual collection in 2020: candy pink, turquoise blue, yellow, coral red, and green. The cluster of bubbles, which are outlined in black, are arranged on a turquoise dial.

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Models with Celebration dials are priced the same as other Oyster Perpetual watches.

Oyster Perpetual Celebration Prices

Diamond Day-Date 36 – New Stone Dials

Three new versions of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 have been added to the collection, each furnished with decorative stone dials with plenty of diamond embellishments.

The first is an Everose gold model fitted with a green aventurine dial (ref. 128345RBR-0068) with a finely crystallized surface. Then there’s the yellow gold version with an orange carnelian dial with layers that mimic a sunset.

Finally, there’s the white gold variant with a textured turquoise dial with natural veining. Regardless of the specific stone, all three dials have diamond-set hour markers and all the watches include 52 brilliant-cut diamonds set into the bezel.

Retail prices for these diamond Day-Date 36 watches with stone dials are only revealed “on request,” which immediately tells you that they’re exceedingly expensive.

Day-Date 36 – Inspirational Words and Emoji Dials

Perhaps the wackiest release we’ve ever seen from Rolex, the Swiss watchmaking giant has announced three Day-Date 36 watches (in yellow, white, and Everose gold) that are not only furnished with jigsaw-puzzle decorated dials but also include day wheels with the inspirational words Happy, Eternity, Gratitude, Peace, Faith, Love, and Hope and a date wheel with 31 emojis!

Who needs to know the day and date when you can have that much joy in your watch, anyway?

Further reading: A Complete Guide to Every Special Rolex Dial Ever Produced

Rolex Watches Discontinued in 2023

As is the case every year, Rolex has discontinued some watches from its 2023 lineup. Some were expected while others are a bit of a surprise.

Discontinued Rolex Daytona Watches

All previous generation Daytona watches with references 116xxx have been discontinued and replaced with the new generation Daytona 126xx series. Although Rolex has replaced many of the previous Daytona variations with updated references, there have been a few discontinued models without any replacements.

As of 2023, these popular Rolex Daytona watches are no longer available in the current catalog:

• Yellow Gold Daytona with green dial “John Mayer (ref. 116508)
• White gold Daytona with blue dial (ref. 116509)
• Everose Daytona with brown dial (ref. 116505)
• All Daytona watches with meteorite dials (ref. 116518LN, 116519LN, 116515LN, 116508, 116509, 116505)

Now that these Daytona models have been dropped from the lineup, it’s likely that the demand for them, particularly the “John Mayer” Daytona, will increase on the secondary market.

Further reading: The Most Popular Rolex Watches

Discontinued Rolex Sky-Dweller Watches

Similarly, all the previous generation Sky-Dweller models with references 326xxx have been discontinued and replaced with the new generation 336xxx series with the new 9002 movement. That said, it appears that Rolex has included updated replacements for most if not all of the previous Sky-Dweller configurations.

Discontinued Rolex Milgauss

Say goodbye to the Milgauss as Rolex has discontinued the entire collection of its antimagnetic watches with lightning-bolt seconds hands.

Many thought Rolex would update the range this year, but the brand decided to let go of it altogether. The last two remaining Milgauss watches that were discontinued in 2023 include:

• Milgauss 116400GV with a Z-Blue dial
• Milgauss 116400GV with a black dial

Further reading: Rolex Milgauss Watch 116500GV

Discontinued Cellini

Not much of a surprise here, but Rolex has bid farewell to the Cellini collection in 2023. The last remaining model of the Cellini collection was the Moonpase ref. 50535, which has now been discontinued in 2023.

The Rolex Perpetual 1908 takes over from the Cellini as the Rolex dress watch collection with leather straps.

More Rolex Guides from Grey Market Magazine:

• What is the Best Entry-Level Rolex?
• How to Sell My Rolex Watch?
• How to Spot a Fake Rolex – The Ultimate Guide