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Memorial Day Watches: Rolex in Red, White & Blue

Paul Altieri

If you have been waiting for the right time to purchase your next luxury watch, there isn’t a much better opportunity than the Memorial Day luxury watch collection offered at Bob’s Watches.  These watches have been hand-selected as some of our favorite patriotic watches.  

For Memorial Day, many people across the country choose to honor our fallen heroes by wearing red, white, and blue.  For watch enthusiasts, that might also mean donning a patriotic watch on your wrist.  Rolex released several exciting watches in recent years with vibrant dial and bezel combinations, leaving us with plenty of red, white, and blue timepieces to browse through.  We’ve compiled our favorite patriotic Rolex watches here.

Pepsi Bezel GMT Master II 126710BLRO

The red and blue Pepsi bezel has been a cornerstone of the GMT Master collection since the first reference came to market in the 1950s.  It features a red and blue insert to distinguish between day and night hours and 24-hour graduations in white.  When choosing a patriotic watch to wear, it doesn’t get any more on the nose than the Pepsi GMT Master.  Even more popular is the Pepsi GMT Master in stainless steel.

For decades, the famed red and blue bezel featured an aluminum insert.  Around the mid-2000s, the material was discontinued in favor of more resilient ceramic, aka “Cerachrom.”  The first instance of a Pepsi bezel in ceramic didn’t hit the market until 2014 when Rolex released the white gold GMT Master II ref. 116719.  It would take four more years until we would see the triumphant return of the Pepsi Bezel on stainless steel via ref. 126710.  It debuted on the 5-piece link Jubilee bracelet but has also since become available on the Oyster bracelet.  The newer-model Pepsi Rolex GMT Master II also takes advantage of the newest dual-time movement, the cal. 3285.  Collectors will appreciate such modern amenities as Chromalight lume on the dial, 904L Oystersteel, and the Triplock waterproof screw-down crown.

ROLEX GMT-MASTER II CURRENT COLLECTION KEY FEATURES:

     Case Diameter: 40mm
     Materials: Stainless steel; Everose Rolesor; 18k Everose gold; 18k white gold
     Features: Time + running seconds, date display, GMT functionality
     Dial: Black; blue (white gold model only); meteorite (white gold model only)
     Bezel: Bi-directional GMT bezel with bi-color Cerachrom insert
     Movement: Rolex Caliber 3285
     Water Resistance: 100 meters / 330 feet
     Strap/Bracelet: Oyster bracelet (gold and two-tone models); Jubilee bracelet (stainless steel models)

View our reference guide on the different bezels of the Rolex GMT-Master.

White Dial Datejust 41 126334

The Datejust 41 isn’t Rolex’s first foray into producing larger Datejust watches.  That honor goes to the Datejust II, which came to market in 2009 sporting a 41mm case.  In 2016, Rolex tweaked the watch’s design to feature a more refined look and feel with more tapered and less bulky lugs, a new bracelet option, and a thinner bezel.  Reference 126334 is the White Rolesor edition of the new and improved 41mm Datejust, featuring a harmonious blend of Oystersteel and 18k white gold.

As one of the most sought-after Datejust watches in the current Rolex lineup, reference 126334 is produced in a vast selection of design sets.  That includes either a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet and countless dial color and hour marker combinations.  One example that might appeal to your wrist this Memorial Day is the Rolex 126334, with a classy white dial adorned with contemporary Chromalight baton hour markers.

ROLEX DATEJUST 41 126334 KEY FEATURES:

     – Case Size: 41mm
     – Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds, Date Display
     – Dial: White
     – Bezel: Fixed, 18k white gold Fluted bezel
     – Crystal: Sapphire w/ Cyclops Lens
     – Luminescence: Chromalight
     – Bracelet: Oyster or Jubilee Bracelet
     – Water Resistance: 100 Meters / 330 Feet

View the Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex Datejust.

Coral Red Dial Oyster Perpetual 126000

Rolex added a fresh selection of colorful lacquer dials to their Oyster Perpetual lineup for 2020, including bright blue, green, yellow, and turquoise blue, just to name a few.  One such example that might catch your eye this Memorial Day is the vibrant coral red dial available on the 36mm, 31mm, and brand-new 41mm OP watches.  Each dial is topped with Rolex’s newer Chromalight lume, which glows bright blue in the dark and remains crisp white during the day, adding even further to the updated look of the overall watch.

At 36mm in diameter, reference 126000 is a cult favorite for its classic and versatile size and weight.  It utilizes Rolex’s next-generation cal. 3230 self-winding movement, complete with the brand’s signature antimagnetic Parachrom hairspring and Paraflex shock absorbers.  The newest time-only movement in the OP lineup also features integration to the Chronergy escapement with a more efficient skeletonized structure.  Aside from unparalleled accuracy, the movement also boasts a 70-hour power reserve, nearly double its predecessors.  When coupled with the exceptional Oystersteel finish and bright dial, this patriotic Rolex is hard to resist.

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL 126000 CORAL RED KEY FEATURES:

     – Case Size: 36mm
     – Functions: Time w/ Running Seconds
     – Dial: Coral Red
     – Bezel: Smooth bezel
     – Crystal: Sapphire
     – Luminescence: Chromalight
     – Bracelet: Oyster Bracelet

View the Ultimate Buying Guide on the Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

Paul Altieri

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