12/23/2022
 6 minutes

2023 Rolex New Releases: What’s Coming Our Way?

By Donato Emilio Andrioli

It’s getting to be that time again: Rolex will soon be revealing its 2023 new releases. Exactly what could the brand with the crown have waiting in the wings for us? Will enthusiasts be treated to another dose of high-level boredom, or will the new 2023 Rolex models set things ablaze? Today I’m telling you not only what Rolex definitely needs to release this coming year, but also which watches should finally be discontinued, and what I think their new designs should look like.

A Very Special Anniversary – The Rolex Submariner

We need to talk first and foremost about the Rolex Submariner, because this diving watch icon will celebrate its 70th birthday in 2023. Even if its latest edition is a mere three years old, I would love to see Rolex honor the Submariner in a manner worthy of this legend. The 2023 Rolex rumor mill is already abuzz with whispers of a new Submariner. What would it look like? The current “Starbucks” already offers a Submariner with green tones, something typically seen on Rolex anniversary editions. I personally don’t think we’ll be seeing a new “Hulk”; it just wouldn’t hit the right tone for an anniversary of this magnitude. If you ask me, it’s high time for the “No Date” version to be commemorated with an anniversary edition. It was after all the first Rolex Submariner to come out in 1953, and is for many watch fans the only true version of this legendary diving watch. All the more surprising that Rolex has yet to release a special edition of its “No Date” – a fact which hopefully could finally change in 2023. How about a solid gold version of the diving icon? Any material Rolex decides on would be more than fine with me, because the Rolex Submariner looks fantastic in both yellow and white gold. I personally would love to see a “No Date” Submariner in Everose gold. That would not only look amazing on this diving watch, but would also set it apart from the “Date” version that’s been around for decades in precious metals. A golden three-hand Rolex Submariner with no date window at 3 o’clock: That would be something very special, something the watch world has yet to see, and an unbelievable Rolex new release for 2023. Olive green dial? Why not? We also know that a black dial would make this Rolex downright irresistible as well. So what about you? Do you agree with my thoughts about a 2023 Submariner?

A solid gold “No Date” would be a dream for watch fans, and a great 2023 Rolex new release.

Time for a Design Revamp – The Rolex Milgauss

The rumor of an imminent Rolex Milgauss discontinuation has been around for the last three years, but somehow this watch continues to maintain its place in the Rolex portfolio. Yes, 2023 will see ongoing rumors about a Rolex Milgauss discontinuation. High time, if you ask me! I mean, the current Rolex Milgauss is not only extremely old hat, it also needs a new set of smaller dimensions. After seeing great updates to the equally quirky Rolex Air-King, it’s time to give the Rolex Milgauss the facelift it desperately needs, and release a modern version of it for 2023. It would really be something to see Rolex draw from the original 1956 design as a guide for the new model, with perhaps two dial colors such as black and white, with a black ceramic bezel and a red triangle at 12 o’clock. Rolex could design different dial highlights and the iconic lightning seconds hand in red, which for me would give this watch – originally designed for scientists – a great visual touch. The case should be 40 or 41 millimeters wide, and be thin enough to sit perfectly on the wrist. Technology would be a big part of this new Milgauss, too. Omega’s Co-Axial caliber delivers 15,000 gauss of anti-magnetism all day, every day. It’s time for Rolex to follow suit here, and provide at least this same level of protection and specs: 15,000 gauss of anti-magnetism, 150 meters (15 bar, 492 feet) of water resistance, and 70 hours of power reserve for its new 2023 Milgauss. The Rolex Milgauss has been the ugly duckling of the Rolex catalog for years, and it’s time for it to return as a beautiful swan in 2023. Do you agree? Or am I maybe laying it on a little too thick? If so, I can at least imagine a design that’s a little more nuanced, with a domed bezel and red highlights. That too would make for a great new 2023 Rolex Milgauss.

A Milgauss revamp is long overdue: It would be great to see Rolex use the original design from 1956 as its guide for a new release.

Over the Course of Time – The Rolex Daytona

I’m a huge fan of the design and smaller dimensions of the current Rolex Daytona. For me, they’re perfect, and they fit just about every wrist extremely well. That said, not every watch lover out there will agree; some will tell you, in a united voice, that the legendary Rolex Daytona is too small! And, well, they’re right. It really is time to bring this iconic chronograph up to date with dimensions and a design more in keeping with the times. What would a new 2023 Rolex Daytona look like? Well, Rolex has achieved great things in terms of the overall look of this watch. Its ceramic bezel gives it a modern feel; design-wise, everything on this timepiece could stay the way it is, letting Rolex focus entirely on dimensions and a new case design. Expanding the case to 41 millimeters should make even the most skeptical of fans happy. Rolex is more than up to this task, as seen with the current Submariner, Datejust 41, and Oyster Perpetual: all of these timepieces have “41 mm” in their names or descriptions, although upon closer inspection they’re actually a tad smaller. As a watch world primus, Rolex can apparently make its own rules in terms of how to measure a watch, especially when it comes to just what “41 millimeters” means. Nothing to worry about, by the way, because Rolex knows what it’s doing. When trying on a 2023 Rolex Daytona new release, fans will by this time (at the very latest) be blown away yet again. And while the new Rolex Daytona is the talk of the watch town, its predecessor will most likely transition steeply upward in value – it will become, after all, the final 40-mm Daytona – at least for now. Isn’t it crazy what one millimeter can do in the Rolex universe? Do you think a 41-mm Daytona is a legitimate prospect as a 2023 new Rolex release?

Although the Rolex Daytona boasts a modern design, it’s time for a more up-to-date case size.

Want a New Rolex Watch?

What Rolex new releases does 2023 have in store for us? We’re telling you today which watches we think Rolex should release, and which ones need an overhaul.

It’s always a beautiful thing when watch enthusiasts become owners of new, updated versions of Rolex classics. And how about a completely new timepiece for a change? The Rolex Sky-Dweller has been in production for 10 years now, meaning it’s time once again for a brand-new Rolex watch. I happen to believe that Rolex will introduce one to its catalog in 2023, even if the rumor mill has been silent on this subject. Sure, its design would be based on an existing model, but we can be sure that Rolex will deliver something absolutely special in 2023. When it comes to brand-new models, the luxury watchmaker is known for pulling out all the stops, and sparing no costs. The Rolex Sky-Dweller and Rolex Yacht-Master II are some of the most innovative watches in Rolex’s portfolio, delivering exciting, amazingly executed complications. My bet is on Rolex releasing a new maritime-themed timepiece. What do you think? Will Rolex release a completely new model in 2023?


About the Author

Donato Emilio Andrioli

With the purchase of my Tudor Black Bay 41, I discovered a passion for mechanical watches. I am particularly drawn to iconic watches with long and exciting histories.

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