Rolex Oyster Perpetual Turquoise Dial – Is it a Tiffany Dial?

On September 1, 2020, Rolex unexpectedly launched a new product. The updated Submariner range was of course the star of the show, with its larger 41mm case, slimmer lugs and, importantly, the latest generation movement. Caliber 3235 with date and 3230 without date.

The update to the Submariner series comes as no surprise. In fact, this is expected. What is surprising, however, are the significant changes Rolex has made to its Oyster Perpetual collection. Most notable is the introduction of new dial colors that are unorthodox (very un-Rolex), bright and bold.

Now available in 41mm

At Baselworld 2015, Rolex updated an older model but with new dimensions. This is an Oyster Perpetual watch with a 39mm case. This watch quickly became the most popular as the 39mm size was more in line with today's size ideals with a sportier size compared to the classic 36mm size (although the 36mm size also exists, and probably always will).

On September 1, 2020, Rolex decided to discontinue the Oyster Perpetual, reference 114300, and replace it with the new reference 124300. However, surprisingly, it measures not 39mm, but 41mm.

Not only does the case size increase by 2 mm, but it also has slimmer lugs, a newly upgraded 3230 movement, and finally, an Easylink extension system that allows the wearer to extend the length of the bracelet by 0.5 mm.

The new version also involves upgrades and changes to the rest of the range in existing sizes, including 34mm, 36mm and 31mm. All feature new generation movements, slimmer lugs, but most importantly, new wild and crazy dial color options. These bold and bright colors soon became known as “Stella dials” due to their similarity in color to the original Stella dials that Rolex used to produce for the Day-Date and Oyster Date collections. One dial that stands out in particular is the one Rolex has named “Turquoise Blue.” This dial features a bright, fresh and very rare Rolex watch turquoise color.

What is a Tiffany dial?

Viewers quickly dubbed this dial the “Tiffany Dial” because the color was so similar that it was reminiscent of the iconic colors of the famous jewelry company Tiffany & Co. The colors are not exactly the same, so why do so many people immediately come to think of Tiffany? The answer is that it has something to do with Rolex’s history.

You may ask yourself why is this important or what is so special about it? Well, Tiffany & Co. and Rolex actually have a close relationship with each other. A relationship that dates back to the late 1950s.

Tiffany & Co is known for its high-end, elegant and luxurious jewelry and watches. That being said, a collaboration between these two giants of the luxury goods industry seems like a good fit. To understand the background of the Turquoise Blue Oyster Perpetual, we need to go back in time.

Tiffany & Co is a brand that is not a reseller of other brands, but a brand that designs and manufactures its own products - just like Rolex. When it comes to Tiffany, however, there are exceptions to this rule, but there's a catch.

To do this, Rolex supplied Tiffany & Co with watches and then stamped its name on the dials of Tiffany & Co in New York. In later years, Rolex decided to print Tiffany & Co-branded dials directly at their factory in Geneva, Switzerland, before sending them to Tiffany & Co for sale in their boutiques. This is why today you can find vintage Rolex watches bearing the Tiffany & Co name.

The partnership lasted for decades, but in the early 1990s, Rolex decided it would no longer allow Tiffany & Co. to put its name on the dials of its watches. Additionally, Rolex will not honor the warranty on watches stamped and sold by Tiffany & Co in the case of warranty repairs. As mentioned earlier, Tiffany & Co is a private label brand that only sells its own products, or products bearing its name. As a result, the partnership between the two iconic luxury brands came to a halt when Rolex decided not to allow Tiffany to continue adding its name to the dials of its watches.

All Rolex models with "Tiffany & Co" emblazoned on the dial have increased in value in recent years, becoming sought-after collector's items due to their rarity, and as you can imagine, the production numbers of these pieces are significantly lower than the total production of non-branded models (since the vast majority of Rolex watches are obviously not sold by Tiffany & Co., given Rolex's vast network of retailers).

Rolex Oyster Perpetual “Tiffany” Dial

As we mentioned before, the new dials released by Rolex quickly earned the nickname “Stella dials,” but what’s even more interesting is that Rolex decided to go with a turquoise dial, a color very important to Tiffany. This watch face is even more interesting considering the past collaborations between the two aforementioned companies. Not to mention a brave and unorthodox move by Rolex (one of the most orthodox watch brands in the world) to make the dial truly stand out from the ordinary supply of dials.

What is the future of this watch?

We firmly believe that this dial, due to the colors it is reminiscent of Tiffany and Rolex’s historical relationship with Tiffany, may become a future collector’s piece, or at least become an iconic classic that holds a prominent place in the Rolex collection.

Tiffany dials have very light, innocent and calm colors that he and she can appreciate in every occasion. The market has proven to love new versions of Rolex, and there is no doubt that the Rolex Oyster Perpetual with its turquoise blue “Tiffany” dial will be highly sought after and, perhaps, end up like most Rolex professional watches today: long wait times, huge popularity, limited supply, huge demand.

reach a verdict

The new Oyster Perpetual features an extremely bold choice of bright and colorful dials in its lineup. Perhaps the most exciting dial is what Rolex describes as “turquoise blue,” which quickly earned the nickname “Tiffany Dial” due to the two companies’ past history. This dial, whether in 41mm, 36mm, or 34 or 31mm Oyster Perpetual, provides many of the prerequisites it needs to become a future classic.

Today, Rolex and Tiffany & Co. have no relationship or collaboration, but this Oyster Perpetual turquoise dial piece becomes a blast from the past and a reminder of their previous relationship for all who know how legendary this collaboration proved to be in hindsight.

What do you think of the new Oyster Perpetual, especially the “Tiffany” dial? Is this a future classic?