The Rolex Sky-Dweller is perhaps one of the brand’s most misunderstood watch collections. Not only does it not look like any other watch in Rolex’s lineup, it also comes with its own set of unique functions. Read on for four quick facts about the Rolex Sky-Dweller to brush up on some key information.
1. The Sky-Dweller is Rolex’s Newest Collection
Rolex is more about evolution than revolution when it comes to their watches. The company is well known to stick to what they know best and spend their efforts on improving their greatest hits rather than releasing brand new watches. So it came as a surprise to many when Rolex unveiled the brand new Sky-Dweller in 2012. This wasn’t a new edition of an existing watch, or even a second edition of a collection like the Yacht-Master II, GMT-Master II, or Explorer II, but a completely new watch collection.
2. The Sky-Dweller is One of Rolex’s Larger Watches
One of the most striking things about the Sky-Dweller is its size. Unlike many of Rolex sports watches that come with 40mm Oyster cases or their dress watches with 36mm – 41mm Oyster cases, the Sky-Dweller boasts a large-for-Rolex 42mm Oyster case.
For context, when the Sky-Dweller made its debut, only the Explorer II had the same 42mm measurement and the Deepsea and the Yacht-Master II had a larger 44mm cases. Today, there’ the 43mm Sea-Dweller that came out later, in 2017.
Along with offering plenty of presence on the wrist, the 42mm size of the Sky-Dweller also gives room for all the features on the expansive dial.
3. The Sky-Dweller is One of Rolex’s Most Complex Watches
One glance at the Sky-Dweller dial tells you that this watch goes well beyond just time and date functionality. In fact, the Caliber 9001 is one of the most complex modern Rolex movements that provides the Sky-Dweller with plenty of functionality.
First, the Sky-Dweller is a dual time watch, indicating local time via the center hands, in addition to a second time zone displayed on an off-centered 24-hour disk. Furthermore, the Sky-Dweller is an annual calendar that not only displays the date by the window at three o’clock, but also the month via the twelve boxes adjacent to the twelve hour markers. Most importantly, since the Sky-Dweller is an annual calendar, it automatically adjusts to indicate the correct time, date, and month throughout the year, except for once a year when February turns into March—that’s the only time the Sky-Dweller requires manual adjustment on the part of the wearer. Finally, the fluted bezel is not just there for looks, but is in fact the way the wearer switches between what functions to set on the watch, and is aptly dubbed the Ring Command bezel.
4. The Sky-Dweller is Available in Many Materials
In the early part of the Sky-Dweller’s history, the watch was exclusively available in gold—yellow, white, and Everose. There was also the option of gold Oyster bracelets or leather straps.
However, in 2017 Rolex launched two new versions of the Sky-Dweller, which dropped the entry point of the very expensive watch collection. One was a Rolesor yellow gold and steel option, while the other was a steel Sky-Dweller with a white gold bezel.
Positioned as the ultimate luxury watch for globetrotters, the Rolex Sky-Dweller is a serious watch that makes a serious style statement on the wrist.
