Rolex is a brand that has long taken pride in playing the long game. Unmoved by short-term trends, their novelties often come in the form of incremental changes, subtly upgrading the watches that have long stood as icons for the brand. Thus, when they release something entirely new, the watchmaking world sits up and takes notice. Launched this year, the Oyster Perpetual Land-Dweller represents the next chapter in the brand’s long and storied history. And although its aesthetics have been the point of many discussions among enthusiasts, arguably it is the leaps in technology that have made the Land-Dweller possible that deserves the attention. The 32 patent applications and patents that pertain to the watch represent the foundation for Rolex’s future. It is the culmination of the brand’s expertise today, the fruit of more than a century of experience in watchmaking.  

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER  

“‘A model to be inspired by our aesthetic heritage but looking to the future.’ This was the brief for the design of the Land-Dweller. Finding a harmonious balance between these two worlds was certainly our biggest challenge. We came up with creative new codes without ever losing sight of the brand’s DNA or its style. At the same time, we integrated technical innovations from the Research and Development Division in the most refined and elegant way possible,” says Davide Airoldi, head of design at Rolex.  

The Land‑Dweller’s aesthetic reinterprets the style of watches with integrated bracelets. Explored in 1969 with the Rolex Quartz, then in 1974 on a Oyster Perpetual Datejust with a self-winding mechanical movement, this design presents a fluid, continuous line between case and bracelet. Although similar in spirit, every component from the Land-Dweller was redesigned to meet the rigorous expectations of Rolex today. The Oyster case had to be specifically developed for the model, with special consideration given to the waterproofness system around the crystal due to constraints from performing the technical satin finish on the upper part of the middle case. Additionally, the curved, polished sides of the new case are chamfered, and this bevel along the top edges is also polished. Even the fluted bezel, an emblematic signature of Rolex, has been redesigned, giving it a decidedly contemporary look with wider fluting compared to other Classic models.  

The second most visible aesthetic element of the Land-Dweller is the honeycomb motif that adorns the dial. Its creation calls on traditional craftsmanship and high-technology methods, all mastered in-house. Time-honoured techniques are employed for the dial surface finishings: a fine satin finish for the intense white dial and a sunray finish on the ice blue version. These patterns are an intrinsic part of the Land-Dweller with a counterweight shaped like the cells of the honeycomb motif finding its way onto the seconds hand. The honeycomb pattern is precisely cut via a femtosecond laser and if you look closely in between the cells, there are delicate lines in the grooves between each cell, etched with the same laser.  

Yet another first for Rolex is a reinterpretation of the classic Jubilee bracelet unveiled on the Datejust in 1945. The new Flat Jubilee bracelet was specifically designed to match the design codes of the Land-Dweller. It keeps the five-piece link structure with three narrower links in the centre flanked by two broader ones at the edges, the new bracelet differs in that all the links are flat. To add dimension to these flat links, a beautiful interplay of polished and technical satin finish is cleverly used. The centre links are polished and slightly raised, while the outer links are satin-finished for contrast. Additionally, the chamfered top edges of the outer links are also polished for visual harmony as they extend to the Oyster case as an uninterrupted stream of light.

INNOVATIVE SPIRIT

While the visual design of the Land-Dweller is what most will notice first, taking a loupe to the transparent case back, reveals hints as to why, out of the 32 patent applications, half of those pertain to the calibre 7135 movement. Looking right where the Syloxi hairspring ‘breathes’ as the balance wheel oscillates, there is a small hint of blue peeking out from beneath. This belongs to the revolutionary Dynapulse escapement. This new system replaces the Swiss lever escapement that has been regulating mechanical timekeepers for centuries, with a new concept that is significantly more efficient than its predecessor. The Dynapulse is a sequential distribution escapement which works by the components rolling against each other rather than sliding which was the case with the Swiss lever escapement. By replacing the sliding motion that lost some energy due to friction with a rolling motion, the Dynapulse escapement becomes more efficient. To make this work, Rolex designed the entire escapement to be made from silicon and created a whole new assembly and lubrication process.

Accompanying this new escapement is an oscillator that allows the watch to beat with a higher frequency of 5 Hz. This translates to 36,000 beats per hour meaning that the Land-Dweller is capable of measuring time with a precision of up to one-tenth of a second. To achieve this higher frequency, the Syloxi hairspring has been reshaped with thicker coils for greater rigidity. With this higher beat rate, the balance staff has also been made with a high-technology ceramic, patented and exclusive to Rolex.

The Flat Jubilee bracelet is not simply an aesthetic addition to the new Land-Dweller. To perfectly integrate the bracelet with the Oyster case, a robust and durable attachment had to be conceived. This novel and complex assembly is also the subject of a patent application. For the first time, small ceramic tubes were developed by Rolex to protect the spring bar against premature wear, as they secure the bracelet to the middle case.

With its debut, the Land-Dweller is available in two sizes: 36 mm and 40 mm. In terms of case and bracelet material, the Land-Dweller 40 comes in a white Rolesor version (combining Oystersteel and white gold). The Land-Dweller 36 is fasioned in 18 ct Everose gold, and set with ten baguette-cut diamond hour markers and surrounded by a bezel glittering with 44 trapeze-cut diamonds. Lastly, drafted from 950 platinum, the third version is a Land-Dweller 40 with a fluted bezel and a dial in ice blue, a colour reserved exclusively for watches in this prestigious material.

With the launch of the new Land-Dweller from Rolex, they are laying down the foundations for the future. It represents a new chapter in Rolex’s history, combining more than a century of experience, and a culmination of the brand’s expertise today. As they put it, “The Land-Dweller is designed for those well-grounded men and women who build their own destinies, seeing opportunity in every moment.”