All the 2026 Rolex Releases: Grand Feu Enamel Daytona, a New Gold Alloy and Much More

For the 100th anniversary of the waterproof Rolex Oyster case, collectors were expecting a lot of fanfare from Rolex at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026. And the 2026 Rolex releases did not disappoint: a wild multicolor Jubilee dial, a much-improved new Yacht-Master II, a grand feu enamel Daytona dial, a new yellow gold alloy, and solid gold Oyster Perpetuals are the highlights. Plus there’s a slew of off-catalog heavy hitters. Let’s go over everything.

Yacht-Master II

The Rolex Yacht-Master II has returned to the lineup for 2026 after a two-year hiatus. The original Yacht-Master II, which debuted in 2007, was one of Rolex’s greatest horological achievements, but its 44mm size and in-your-face aesthetics made most collectors overlook it. Its programmable countdown timer could count down from any number of minutes from 1-10, which is extraordinarily mechanically complex to pull off.

The 2026 Rolex Yacht-Master II improves and streamlines the countdown chronograph feature, which is designed with regattas in mind. Racers have a ten-minute pre-start interval which they use to gain as much speed as possible without crossing the starting line too early.

Instead of a large 10-0 countdown layout duplicated on the dial and bezel, it’s moved to the rehaut. The chronograph countdown minute hand moves counterclockwise from 10 (or whichever number you have programmed it to) to 0. Plus there’s an additional countdown seconds hand, which is new, and it also rotates counterclockwise. Rolex has never made hands that move counterclockwise before. Running seconds is still in a subdial at 6 o’clock.

Notably, the innovative Ring Command Bezel system from the first version is gone from the 2026 Rolex YM2. Instead of programming the minutes with the bezel, you simply do it with the bottom pusher when the chronograph is not in use. Just press it until it shows the number of minutes you want to countdown from. Easy!

Movement caliber 4162 is an evolution of caliber 4161 from the first generation, and it gets modern updates one would expect like Rolex’s Chronergy escapement in addition to the re-engineered countdown system. Oddly, half of the bezel insert has hash marks, apparently to maximize legibility in the crucial final 30 seconds of pre-start time.

The 2026 Rolex Yacht-Master II lists for $57,800 in yellow gold or $20,300 in stainless steel.

Rolesium Daytona with Grand Feu Enamel Dial

Unexpectedly, Rolex has released, essentially, the ultimate stainless steel Daytona: ref. 126502, featuring a grand feu enamel white dial, an anthracite ceramic bezel set in a platinum ring, and an exhibition caseback.

Because it’s a stainless steel watch with a platinum part, Rolex calls it “Rolesium,” which is silly. But wow, what a great watch. The $57,800 list price sounds wild, but grand feu enamel is a serious high-art stuff and I’m sure most mortals will spend an eternity on the Rolex waitlist for one. After all, this is the ultimate modern stainless steel Daytona now.

Multicolor Jubilee Oyster Perpetual 31, 36 and 41

Rolex Jubilee dials, made from 1985-2022, were originally made to celebrate the Datejust’s 40th anniversary. So, the “ROLEXROLEXROLEX” pattern of the Jubilee dial has always been associated with anniversaries, and thus it makes sense that a Jubilee dial would be resurrected for the 100th anniversary of the Rolex Oyster. But I don’t think anyone was expecting the multicolor Jubilee dial that Rolex released for the Oyster Perpetual 31, 36 and 41.

Rolex has used femtosecond lasers to create interesting dial patterns several times before, but the multicolor Jubilee dial is probably the boldest laser-etched Rolex dial yet. But it doesn’t add any extra to the price, so you’ll pay the normal prices for an Oyster Perpetual 31 ($6,300), Oyster Perpetual 36 ($6,750) or Oyster Perpetual 41 ($7,050).

100th Anniversary Oyster Perpetual Two-Tone

The waterproof Rolex Oyster case was arguably the single most important breakthrough in Rolex’s history in 1926, so it was expected that Rolex would release a special Oyster for the 100th anniversary. And here it is: a two-tone Oyster Perpetual with a fully steel bracelet. Rolex actually used to offer that configuration back in the 1960s, but they haven’t offered it in recent times.

The 100th Anniversary Oyster Perpetual says “100 Years” at the bottom of the dial where “Swiss Made” normally would go, and it’s available in three sizes: 31mm ($7,700), 36m ($8,450), and 41mm ($9,650). An attractive slate dial is the only option.

Green Ombré Datejust 36 and 41

For 2026, Rolex has released green ombré dials for both the Datejust 36 and the Datejust 41. Ombré dials fade to black towards the edge, and Rolex has been making them since 2019, at first on the Day-Date 36 only.

Rolex has gradually expanded them throughout more of the lineup. Rolex also used to make dials like this decades ago, but on vintage models collectors call them “vignette dials.”

Mint Green Steel/Rose Gold Datejust 41

Rolex’s mint green dial is their most popular Datejust dial of all. But it wasn’t offered on two-tone models before. Now, the 2026 Rolex releases include a mint green dial with applied rose gold Roman numeral hour markers, made for the Everose gold/stainless steel Datejust 36 and Datejust 41.

The new 2026 mint green Rolex two-tone Datejusts start at $15,000 in 36mm and $16,950 in 41mm.

Olive Green Steel/Yellow Gold Datejust

Rolex’s olive green dial is very popular on the Everose gold Day-Date 40, and now olive green is offered on the two-tone (steel and yellow gold) Datejust 36 and 41. A different diamond olive dial was already offered on the Datejust 31.

Prices start at $14,650 for the 36mm yellow gold/steel Datejust 36, and $16,360 for the Datejust 41.

Jubilee Gold Day-Date

Jubilee Gold is Rolex’s new proprietary gold alloy released for 2026. It appears to be a very light shade of yellow gold, and its inaugural use is on two Day-Date 40 models. There’s one with a light green aventurine dial and baguette diamond hour markers, ref 228235JG-0003.

And there’s one with a gold leaf dial, ref. 228235JG-0002:

Usually, when a model ends in a “5,” that’s a sign of a rose gold Rolex. But apparently Rolex is using “5JG” as the suffix of Jubilee Gold models.

Gold Oyster Perpetual

For decades now, the Oyster Perpetual, as the entry-level Rolex, has only been offered in stainless steel. But that wasn’t always the case. And for 2026, Rolex has released 16 solid gold variants of the Oyster Perpetual. Both the Oyster Perpetual 28 and Oyster Perpetual 34 are now offered in yellow gold or Everose gold, and each gold option has 2 bezel options, which in turn have 2 dial options each.

And, interestingly, some of the dials have stone hour markers at 3, 6 and 9. That’s a first for Rolex. The 2026 gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual lineup starts at $30,000.

Carnelian Yacht-Master 40

A gem-set Rolex Yacht-Master 40 with a carnelian stone dial is among the off-catalog 2026 Rolex releases, with a price tag around $180,000. Aside from the “Indian corn” sapphire bezel, the most notable thing about this watch is probably its brown Oysterflex strap. It’s only the second Rolex ever–after the Giraffe Daytona–to get a non-black Oysterflex.

There are also more off-catalog 2026 Rolex releases, like two stone dial GMT’s and a half-dozen stone dial Day-Date 36’s.

And yes, the rumors that the Rolex Pepsi GMT is discontinued turned out to be true. I expect plenty of haters for the Multicolor Jubilee, although that’s probably my favorite 2026 Rolex release of all. Overall, another strong year from the world’s strongest watch brand.