The gateway Rolex comes into its own.

We know what you ballers are thinking: if you want a class of 2020 Rolex, just go for the new Submariners already. But please - pause, breathe and shake your head clear of the excitement a little... and consider, too, the Oyster Perpetual that has been freshly revitalised for the year. Planting seeds of should-or-shouldn’t-I conundrum amongst collectors since Rolex pulled the curtain on its latest watches, the erstwhile unassuming Oyster Perpetual may just be the sleeper hit of the year.

That’s right. We are putting our money on the humble, no-date, non-sports, no-airs Rolex, which has been given a new stage to shine this year with larger cases and new dials. And, boy, do the new Oyster Perpetual 41s rock.

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It’s not that the latest Oyster Perpetual references (also available in 36mm and 31mm variants) have abandoned their modest, office-appropriate disposition. Quite the opposite. Rolex’s entry-level offering is actually embracing its virtues as a straightforward, three-hand workhorse - only this time with a lot less inhibition.

The new Oyster Perpetual 41 will replace the Oyster Perpetual 39. The slight increase in case size to 41mm is a small but significant cosmetic update, signalling that the collection is now happy to join the plus-sized league. An overdue and welcome update, in our books.

As a direct descendant of Rolex’s first waterproof watch from 1926, the Oyster Perpetual 41 is built to be a daily-beater. Like before, its Oystersteel case and bracelet offers robust but distinguished protection, along with rudimentary 100m water resistance.

Calibre 3230

On the inside, however, the entire Oyster Perpetual range has been overhauled. Powering the watches is the new automatic Calibre 3230, a time-only engine that boasts all of Rolex’s most progressive mechanical innovations. The new movement features Rolex’s patented Chronergy escapement, blue Parachrom hairspring, and high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, all designed to improve shock resistance and energy efficiency, offering close to 70 hours of power reserve.

For us, though, the deal-clincher is the wide range of dial executions. The version with silver sunray finished dial is an instant favourite. We love the slightly monochromatic style, accentuated by raised indices with yellow gold trim, which are in turn complemented by hands, hour markers and the Rolex ‘crown’ logo that are also in rendered yellow gold. There are other fail-safe options with black and navy dials, but this silver-dial variant adds just that bit of twist and refinement to an otherwise classic design.

Speaking of twists, Rolex's internet chatter has been all about its decision to dress typically staid Oyster Perpetual range with a rainbow-coloured assortment of dials. We, too, saw the pictures on social media, and were at first unsure if they would work. But it took all of five nano-seconds (or perhaps less) of seeing the watches up close to obliterate our doubts.

The coloured lacquered dials, available in coral red, sea turquoise, sunshine yellow and forest green for the Oyster Perpetual 41 family are gorgeous (there are more colour variants in the 36mm and 31mm lines).

The vivid shades offer delightful contrast against the Oyster Perpetual’s typically sober disposition, injecting vivacity into a familiar icon like never before. Like the sliver version, the intense hues on the coloured models provide an excellent foil to the raised indices and hour markers, adding depth to the dial.

Contrary to naysayers’ put-downs, the coloured Oyster Perpetuals are not the least bit uncomfortable to look at or strap on. Some collectors suggest that Rolex is motivated by a desire to attract a younger generation of customers with these watches. And certainly, one has to accept that a brightly coloured Oyster Perpetual is meant to attract attention. And to both, we say, ‘Why the hell not?’.

Case	41mm Oystersteel
Dial	Silver, black, navy, green, yellow, red
Movement	Automatic Calibre 3230
Bracelet	Oystersteel, three-link
Functions	Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve	70 hours
Water Resistance	100m
Price	S$7,910

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