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EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW ROLEX 1908

When most people think of Rolex, they often picture iconic tool watches like the Submariner, Daytona, or GMT-Master. Essentially rugged timepieces designed for diving, racing, or flying. The fancy dress watch of the Rolex catalogue is not the most seen or known watch they make. Rolex is well known for their famous sports watches that break records and pioneered several first inventions when it comes to wrist watches. However, they remain a classic watch brand that offers watches for those black-tie events, or for those who prefer the dressier watch. Over the last few years we can really see Rolex introducing more gold into all of their watches and reviving old classic watches from their past. One of these classics is the 1908 but it’s rarely seen or even talked about. That’s why today we're going over everything you need to know about the Rolex 1908.

Rolex’s journey with dress watches began at the very inception of the brand when it was founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf and officially named Rolex in 1908. There’s no secret that the company quickly gained recognition for producing highly accurate wristwatches and it was their sports watches that really gained traction. In 1910, Rolex earned the first Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision for a wristwatch, and by the 1920s and 30s, the brand was producing slim, elegant timepieces with Art Deco influences. These watches, often featuring rectangular or tonneau-shaped cases and delicate lugs, were designed for the modern gentleman and lady of the time period. Though not yet called "dress watches" in the contemporary sense, these early Rolex pieces were tailored more for formal wear than sport or utility, emphasizing beauty and precision. It can almost be hard to picture as the Rolex today makes very few watches on leather straps!

History of Rolex 1908

In the 1960s, Rolex introduced a collection that would become its flagship dress watch line, the Cellini. Named after Benvenuto Cellini, a 16th-century Italian goldsmith and sculptor, this line was dedicated to elegance, craftsmanship, and artistic expression. Unlike the sporty Oyster models, Cellini watches eschewed robust cases and rotating bezels in favour of slim profiles, traditional shapes, and precious metals. The case was a more round shape with a curved case model offering a vintage-inspired look. For those wanting the more square Cartier design look, Rolex created the Cellini Prince which was rectangular and Art Deco in design, with a transparent case back (rare for Rolex given this was back in the 60s). Much later in 2010 did we finally get a Modern Cellini Time, Date, and Dual Time with clean dials, fluted bezels, and leather straps.

Despite their refinement, the Cellini line often struggled to gain traction in a market that increasingly gravitated toward sportier watches. Enthusiasts admired them, but they remained niche within the Rolex ecosystem. You can find many people talking positively about the designs and how many loved them, however they were always sat in the display window often with discounts on them as few actually wanted to purchase one. With this being the case, Rolex knew that if they were going to introduce another dress watch they would have to come up with a new design that could speak to more people. There is no debate as to how beautiful the Cellini was but there could be room for more options as the watch really only catered to people with very specific tastes. By no means is that a bad thing but it did mean Rolex limited themselves to a much smaller audience as a result of the lack of options available.

The Rolex 1908 is more than just a luxury wristwatch, it is a statement of heritage, craftsmanship, and the enduring influence of horological design. Introduced in 2023, the Rolex 1908 may appear like a new addition to the brand’s catalogue, but its name and design philosophy draw deeply from Rolex's foundational legacy. Starting with the model’s name, 1908, is a direct nod to a pivotal year in Rolex history. In 1908, founder Hans Wilsdorf registered the Rolex trademark in Switzerland, officially marking the birth of a brand that would go on to redefine watchmaking. Given that Rolex very rarely introduces a new watch design and line all together they would have to make sure it aligned perfectly with the brand and its history. You can definitely argue that it is safe to say they have done this very well, certainly with the name alone!

The Rolex 1908 was launched as part of the brand's Perpetual Collection, replacing the Cellini line, which was Rolex’s previous attempt to give us a dress watch. Whilst the Cellini is undeniably a beautiful watch, it just never quite got the fame that Rolex thought it would. The Cellini was known for elegance, but it never quite reached the iconic status of Rolex’s sportier models like the Submariner or Daytona. With the 1908, Rolex aimed to blend timeless elegance with cutting-edge watchmaking — offering a slim, refined timepiece that still carried the robust DNA of Rolex performance. This time Rolex wanted to make sure a broader range of people could wear their dress watches. Previously the Cellini was over 13.3 mm thick and only came in rose gold which may have limited themselves to those with specific tastes. But, the 1908 was immediately different in size and also options to choose from.

Features of the Rolex 1908

Though modern in construction, the 1908 takes clear aesthetic cues from early Rolex dress watches of the 1930s and 1940s. It features a slim 39mm case in either 18k yellow or white gold or platinum giving you three colour options. The 1908 has a transparent sapphire case back, something of a first for Rolex, showcasing the new in-house movement which looks incredible. You have a few dials to choose from and they are all a minimalist dial with Arabic numerals at 3, 9, and 12 o'clock that come in black or white, but for the platinum model you get this gorgeous ice blue dial. Regardless of dual colour, each one features a small second’s sub-dial at 6 o'clock, reminiscent of vintage chronometers and makes the watch that bit dressier. The case has a fluted bezel base topped by a domed crystal, combining visual richness with tactile sophistication.

For strap options, each model comes with a black or brown leather strap with a Rolex butterfly deployment clasp for that extra touch of luxury. This also makes taking the watch on and off much easier than your standard pin buckle style of clasp. Rolex relay uses leather but when they do they know how to do it oh so perfectly. The pin holes are designed to be as small as possible so as to not spoil the strap. The clasp is of course made out of solid gold to help balance the weight of the watch out and regardless of the weather you have the brown or black leather strap, each underside is in green. Something subtle but it’s nice that they conclude such small details like incorporating the brand's colours into the leather strap. ZEALANDE have also specialised in luxury leather watch rolls and pouches which would help display your 1908 perfectly, not to mention it would make for the best travel pouch you can buy!

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20mm Straight Rubber Strap For Rolex®

20mm wide NATO Single Pass Rubber Strap for Rolex®

However, there is a very dressy 7-link bracelet that makes for a wave of shiny reflections to beam off your wrist. Something else that makes the bracelet special is that Rolex have re-introduced their hidden style clasp with only the Rolex crown giving it away. This helps the bracelet have a continuous flow and will make it that bit slimmer on your wrist as typically the clasp is the bulk portion of any bracelet. One thing that is noticeably different is that Rolex have designed it so the bracelet does not perfectly join the case but rather has a slightly curved end finish to it. Not something we have really seen them do before but it’s exciting to see their new way of innovating for Rolex. For those who really want the bracelet, you can only have it on the 18k yellow gold model, not the others so just bear that in mind if you are hesitating between what colour of metal to choose.

One of the key stand out points for the Rolex 1908 has to be the movement because it is not often at all you see Rolex launch a brand new movement altogether. Inside the 1908 you can find the calibre 7140 which is of course an automatic in-house built movement. Equipped with the Syloxi hairspring, Chronergy escapement, and Paraflex shock absorbers, it boasts a high level of chronometric performance (−2/+2 seconds per day) and a guaranteed power reserve of almost 66 hours. Given that this is designed to be inside of a dress watch it is more than enough performance for anyone wearing them in the intended form of environment. Something that makes this movement stand-out compared to any of the other work horse movements found in the Submariner or Datejusts, is the level of finishing. Typically, Rolex have closed case backs as they ensure better water resistance for a thinner case. However, their movements, whilst incredible, are barely decorated and are not really all that much to look at. But that changes with the calibre 7140 as it has a hand-finished rotor and bridges which thankfully are visible through the sapphire case back.

Rolex 1908: a watch with a difference

With the 1908, Rolex targets those who enjoy a more formal watch wearing experience and seek elegance without sacrificing durability. Unlike the rugged tool watches in the Oyster Perpetual line, the 1908 is explicitly designed for formal wear, offering collectors a refined option with historic significance and modern craftsmanship. It also serves as Rolex’s quiet entry into the ultra-competitive dress watch segment long dominated by brands like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. With its clean lines, display case back, and impeccable movement, the 1908 really shows us that Roles is slowly trying to move itself closer to the holy trinity of watch making. The Rolex 1908 may be a recent release, but it is steeped in over a century of history and it’s a thoughtful homage to the brand’s earliest days while also pushing the boundaries of what a modern Rolex can be. It does not just have to be all about tool watches when it comes to Rolex, at least not now with the new 1908 as an excellent dress watch option.

And there you have it, everything you need to know about the new Rolex 1908 dress watch. It really is something quite special from its hand-finished movement that can be seen through a display case back to its leather strap or 7-link gold bracelet. It makes for a new attempt at their dress watch designs. It will be nice to see how successful this model becomes over the years. Whilst this watch model in the Rolex catalogue seems to always go unnoticed, it deserves so much more attention as it has so many unique features to it that make it an excellent watch. What will help the 1908 is the variety of metal and strap options you can choose compared to what you could with the Cellini, and the dial colours you can get. The style Rolex has always excelled at, minimalism to get the job done, can be seen here and it’s no different than how they’ve always done it, incredibly well.

James Talbot