Rolex and Tudor Just Released a Crop of Awesome New Watches

New for 2024 is a fresh take on the GMT-Master II travel watch with a bi-color black and grey Cerachrom bezel. With numerals coated in platinum via PVD and hour indices and hands coated in Chromalight, it’s perfectly legible in any environment, while a green 24-hour hand pops against the black dial. Inside, the COSC-certified Rolex Calibre 3285 offers 70 hours of power reserve, while a screw-down crown with Triplock technology promises 100m of water resistance. Other than that, it’s largely the GMT-Master II we all know and love — 40mm case, bi-directional bezel, dual time zone tracking, etc. But boy, does it look good in person, and the best part? It comes in your choice of Jubilee or Oyster bracelet.

Diameter: 40mm

Movement: Rolex Calibre 3285 automatic 

Water Resistance: 100m

Now here’s a fun thing that’s totally overdone, but in a delightfully entertaining way: The new take on the Oyster Perpetual Rolex Deepsea is in 18K yellow gold for the first time, including a matching Oyster bracelet. Water resistant to a James Cameron-esque 3,900 meters and featuring a helium escape valve, a ceramic Ringlock system, a COSC certified automatic movement, and an Oysterlock safety clasp with a Glidelock diver’s extension, this is, technically-speaking, a serious tool — even if it’s only a select few intrepid souls with whimsical senses of humor (and expensive insurance policies) who are actually going to dive with it. Measuring 44mm and nearly 18mm tall (including the sapphire crystal), it’s not the type of thing to slip under a tuxedo jacket cuff…unless your last name happens to be “Bond.” (Or “Cameron.”)

Diameter: 44mm

Movement: Rolex Calibre 3235 automatic 

Water Resistance: 3,900m

One of the big surprises from Watches & Wonders 2023 was the new Perpetual 1908 collection, a dressy line that took the place of the discontinued Cellini. Inspired by a Rolex reference from — you guessed it — 1908 and measuring 39mm in diameter, it manages to straddle the line well between vintage and contemporary watchmaking, with a fluted bezel, sub-seconds, and a simplified handset. This year, however, Rolex has turned up the “modernity” knob, recasing the watch in platinum and adding an ice-blue dial in a stunning guilloché pattern. And while you’d think that perhaps this combination of metal and dial color would render the 1908 too idiosyncratic to work as a typical dress watch, the engine turning works wonders — you could easily pull this off with (the right) suit, especially given the luxurious brown alligator leather strap.

Diameter: 39mm

Movement: Rolex Calibre 7140 automatic 

Water Resistance: 50m

The biggest news from Rolex’s sister brand is the addition of a brand-new model to the catalog, the Black Bay 58 GMT. You’re no doubt familiar with the Black Bay GMT, a 41mm model that takes many style cues from Rolex’s own GMT-Master and GMT-Master II. The new BB 58 GMT still offers an automatic GMT movement with an independently adjustable local hour hand, but it houses it within a 39mm case. And unlike the Black Bay Pro — which is 39mm but 14.6mm tall — this one measures just 12.8mm thick and slips more easily beneath a cuff. Beyond that, it also features a new movement, the Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U, which is METAS-certified and boasts a 65-hour power reserve. It’s available on Tudor’s 3-link stainless steel “rivet-style” bracelet or a black rubber strap.

Diameter: 39mm

Movement: Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5450-U automatic 

Water Resistance: 200m

The Black Bay was the collection that relaunched Tudor into the American market and solidified its reputation as a strong player on the tool watch scene once again — one that, while certainly influenced by its sister brand Rolex, is able to offer its own distinct wares at prices under $5,000. The newest Black Bay 41 is a prime example: Housed in the line’s familiar 41mm stainless steel case, it features a black dial with rhodium-plates elements, a black bezel with silver elements, the Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U with 70 hours of power reserve, and your choice of one of three bracelets: A steel three-link rivet-style bracelet; a steel five-link Jubilee-style bracelet (which is very comfortable); or a black rubber dive strap. Handsome and well priced, it’s the perfect alternative (or sister within a collection) to the Rolex Submariner.

Diameter: 41mm

Movement: Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5602-U automatic 

Water Resistance: 200m

Lastly, an elevated take on a modern classic — the new Tudor Black Bay 58 18K. An evolution of Tudor’s vintage-inspired Black Bay 58 line, the new version offers an 18K yellow gold case with a matching three-link rivet-style bracelet with “T-fit” in the same metal. Featuring — for the first time in Tudor watch history — an exhibition caseback in order to give a clear view of the COSC-certified Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5400 movement, the BB58 18K boasts a “golden green” dial with matching gold makers, a Snowflake handset, and a power reserve of 70 hours. Accompanied by a five-year guarantee, this baby will set you back a cool $32,100 — but with 200m of water resistance, you can still bang it around just like any other Tudor tool watch. (Maybe just watch your six for potential thieves once you get out of the water, however.)

Diameter: 39mm

Movement: Tudor Manufacture Calibre MT5400 automatic 

Water Resistance: 200m