Rolex 2026 Predictions – New Rolex Models Possible at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026

Another year has passed, and we’re back to predicting potential Rolex replica luuxry watch releases for 2026.

With less than two months to go until Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026, the watch industry’s annual highlight… On April 14, 2026, this grand event will bring together over 60 brands, including returning exhibitors like Audemars Piguet. For our team, this is not just a tradition, but a highly anticipated event in our annual publishing schedule. We’ve put our creativity to work and predict what new models Rolex – undoubtedly one of the most anticipated – will release. In about a month and a half, Rolex will unveil its 2026 collection. Now, let’s look ahead and see which models will be unveiled. Just like our predictions for 2014-2025, we’ve been working hard to guess and design future Rolex watch collections. Below are our predictions for Rolex watches in 2026, which we expect Rolex may release this year.

As you know, predicting Rolex watches has been a tradition at MONOCHROME for over a decade. We genuinely love this work, and we know our readers enjoy it too. What started as a fun discussion among our team members—after all, we’re watch enthusiasts just like you—has evolved into a more rigorous task, with us striving to create realistic renderings and accurately depict potential new watches. However, things are becoming increasingly complex, and predicting what new Rolex watches might release is no longer as easy as it used to be. In the past, Rolex’s watch update strategy was more predictable, with a proven track record. However, in recent years, Rolex has demonstrated a stronger spirit of innovation. Times have changed, and Rolex is no longer as conservative as it once was. Last year, we witnessed the launch of the Land-Dweller collection, a completely new series that almost no one anticipated—not to mention the 7135 movement with its Dynapulse escapement, which truly surprised us all. So, as you can imagine, this exercise in prediction is getting increasingly difficult, but still incredibly fun. luxury men watches

So, let’s get straight to the point: what new Rolex models we predict, guess, or expect to unveil at this year’s Geneva Watch Fair. Welcome to our 2026 Rolex predictions.

The New Milgauss with DYNAPULSE, a Touch of the New

Let’s start with the most anticipated timepiece—the Milgauss watch, which we eagerly await its return. In fact, although this watch was discontinued in 2023, we are proud to include its return in our 2026 Rolex predictions. What makes us think the Milgauss watch will return? There are several reasons. First, this year marks the 70th anniversary of its official release, at least according to Rolex (1956, model 6541), although the watch was originally a prototype in 1953, model 6543. We know Rolex isn’t particularly keen on anniversaries—while there are occasions, they’re far less frequent than we’d expect, and sometimes quite understated—but this year might be its year of return. Another point of interest is a patent filed by Rolex on September 30, 2025 (US Patent No. US 12,428,335 B2), which relates to a new method for obtaining colored sapphire crystal—a hallmark of the previous generation Milgauss watch (model 116400GV, the Glace Verte). Finally, a key point is the presence of the Dynapulse escapement, renowned for its exceptional resistance to magnetic fields—again, a hallmark of the Milgauss watch.

So, what do we envision the new Rolex Milgauss watch for 2026 to look like? This new model, possibly model number 126400, will retain the basic case design of the modern Air King best swiss watch. This means it will feature sleek lines, a smoothly polished bezel, and crown guards on the right side, giving the watch a more modern and practical feel. The case diameter will remain the classic 40mm. The dial will retain the series’ signature elements, such as the lightning bolt-shaped central hand and the colored elements on the minute markers, while maintaining a cleaner overall style.

Now, after reading Rolex’s patent regarding “colored crystals,” you’ll find that it doesn’t just refer to green, as the brand has listed a range of potential colors—red, pink, blue, orange, yellow, brown, and green. This gave us some inspiration, ultimately resulting in a bold and playful piece (after all, Rolex isn’t as conservative as it used to be). Therefore, we not only created colored sapphire crystal watches in green (obviously), orange, and blue, but also experimented with matching colored decorations on the dial to these colored sapphire crystals. The final effect is bold yet undeniably cool. Alternatively, we could imagine the classic orange accents…

Now, let’s talk about the movement. With Rolex introducing the new Caliber 7135 and its innovative Dynapulse escapement, it’s entirely plausible that this base movement will evolve into the no-date Caliber 7130, housed in the new Rolex Milgauss watch launching in 2026. Designed to resist strong magnetic fields and geared towards scientists, the Milgauss is a perfect vehicle for innovation, and this new movement is perfectly suited for that role. If our predictions are comprehensive enough, we could even envision this new movement receiving Master Chronometer certification from the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS) to prove its antimagnetic properties—if Tudor has done it, why can’t Rolex?

Last but equally important, one advantage of incorporating this Dynapulse-equipped movement into the newly upgraded Milgauss watch is its slim profile. In fact, since the movement and its key components are antimagnetic, the watch will no longer require an internal shield. This would not only allow the Milgauss watch to be approximately 10mm thick (compared to the 116400GV’s approximately 13mm), but also enable the inclusion of a sapphire crystal case back to showcase the potential dateless 7130 movement…

New Dials, Materials, and Models for the Land-Dweller
Next, unsurprisingly—and central to our 2026 Rolex predictions—the Land-Dweller collection will undergo a natural evolution, introducing new colorways, materials, and models. In fact, the Rolex Land-Dweller collection, unveiled last year at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2025, deliberately maintained a minimalist design, offering only two sizes, three materials, and only one dial color for each material. We believe that this crucial timepiece for Rolex, as its first entirely new collection in a decade, will not maintain this minimalist style for long. https://www.chronowrist.ru

We anticipate Rolex will expand the Land-Dweller collection in the coming years, starting in 2026 with new dial colors, new material combinations, and potentially a style overhaul. This may take several years, but there’s no doubt that this monocoque watch, similar in style to the Datejust, will continue to evolve. We envision the most significant change in 2026 being the introduction of new dial colors. While we might see new patterns at some point in the model’s lifecycle, we believe this will happen later. Currently, we envision three options: a classic black dial (with a touch of Explorer watch flair), and a pistachio green dial (a color currently favored by Rolex).

But why stop there? Why not offer more options for the Land-Dweller collection? While the slim, fluted bezel is classic Rolex, we envision the Land-Dweller also featuring a smooth bezel (this time in stainless steel), giving the watch a more stylish and streamlined look. Therefore, we envision a polished stainless steel bezel with a salmon pink dial, a classic silver-white dial, and our envisioned black dial. Finally, the Rolex Land-Dweller continues the brand’s classic design, and we can imagine it using different material combinations, such as gold Rolesor, a precious metal used on the bezel, crown, central link of the bracelet, and dial hands and hour markers. Furthermore, the bezel can be chosen from either fluted or polished finishes.

A Refreshed Explorer II Following these highly anticipated new watches, we hope to include a long-awaited timepiece in our 2026 Rolex forecast: a refreshed Explorer II. In fact, this watch has always been a favorite of the MONOCHROME team, but not its current version—or rather, since the introduction of the 216570 model in 2011, this 42mm large-dial, large-case watch has lost its five-figure appeal. The Explorer II 226570 (current model) is one of the easiest Rolex sports watches to purchase from authorized dealers (meaning its sales aren’t particularly high), leading us to believe it’s time for a refresh… or perhaps a return to classic design.

We envisioned not some esoteric technological revolution or radical overhaul, but a gradual upgrade aimed at recreating beloved elements of this five-figure timepiece: a smaller case, a slimmer profile, and an abandonment of oversized dials. More understated, more compact, yet without sacrificing performance. The secret to creating a more appealing new Explorer II is actually quite simple. The case can adopt the same proportions as the modern Submariner, approximately 40.5 mm in diameter (currently 42 mm), with slimmer lugs, and a case profile similar to the GMT-Master II, or even thinner, since the Explorer doesn’t require a rotating bezel, meaning the case thickness can be kept to 11.5 mm.

Now let’s talk about the dial. While the current Explorer II has its merits in terms of contrast and legibility, its oversized hour markers and hands fall far short of elegance. Therefore, we envision a return to smaller hands and hour markers, similar to the five-digit hour marker series, along with smaller classic orange GMT hands. The Explorer II will continue to be offered in two dial versions: a black dial with polished applied hour markers and hands, and a white dial with black outlined hour markers and hands. Discount replica watches

Technically speaking, the current Explorer II watch (model 226570) is quite advanced, powered by the 3285 movement and equipped with a practical bracelet and clasp. If this watch were to be redesigned, no technical innovation would be necessary; only a design update would be needed to recapture its charm.

Daistona watch with commemorative bracelet. Due to popular demand from watch enthusiasts, and because we’ve seen some collectors create their own combinations—and with stunning results—we envision adding a Jubilee strap option to the Cosmograph Daytona series, similar to the GMT-Master II. Aside from that, there are no other changes or upgrades, just more options by adding another strap style to the Daytona. The final result speaks for itself—it looks fantastic.

For clarity, we’ve created four versions here—the classic steel panda dial (reference number 126500LN), improved versions of the two recently launched models, the “John Mayer 2.0” with a gold and green dial and the white gold with a blue dial, and a version not yet available, namely the gold and black ceramic bezel version (only available with an Oysterflex strap), but now equipped with a Jubilee strap.

Non-catalog Daytona Le Mans Platinum and Meteorite

Next, let’s look at another Daytona, but this time it’s a non-catalog model. In 2023, Rolex launched the Daytona 126529LN, a watch with an exotic dial inspired by Paul Newman, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This rare timepiece was initially launched in white gold, featuring a reverse panda dial, a unique 24-hour chronograph, and a distinctive Caliber 4132 movement, but was discontinued in less than a year. However, the entire design concept reappeared in April 2024 as a non-catalog model in yellow gold, designated 126528LN; last year, an Everose gold version was also released, designated 126525LN. Aside from the different gold alloys used for the case, bezel, bracelet, and dial components, all these watches are identical in appearance and technology, and equally difficult to acquire.

So what’s next? Stainless steel? Probably not. But platinum might be the material for the 2026 Daytona Le Mans watch, and likely the last one. As a watch associated with the centenary celebration of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, its significance seems less profound. So, what makes this new, final version of the 126526LN so special? Visually, it’s the same as before, except all components will be made of platinum. But how then can it be differentiated from the first white gold 126529LN watch?

This is where we got creative, adding a touch of novelty to the platinum Daytona Le Mans with a meteorite panda dial (silver base, black chronograph subdials), while the design of the other subdials remains unchanged, including its unique 24-hour sub-dial.

Explorer Polar White Dial
Now let’s talk about a prediction we can’t avoid. These articles would be soulless without our iconic Explorer Polar dial. Frankly, we’ve had this type of watch on our prediction list since 2018, but luck hasn’t been great, though this year might see a breakthrough. Why? Because Tudor has also used a similar design in its Ranger series (basically Tudor’s version of the Explorer), and the effect is quite stunning. Since Tudor’s sister brand has proven the advantages of lightweight dials in this type of watch, we hope Rolex might finally listen to us.

The concept is simple. Based on the existing Explorer 36 (model 124270) and Explorer 40 (model 224270), keeping all components identical—case, movement, bracelet, hands—then simply mirroring the black dial creates a white “Polar” dial version. This isn’t just a figment of our imagination; white-dial Explorer watches have indeed existed historically—for example, Christie’s auctioned an extremely rare white-dial Explorer, its prototype being the vintage 6610. While this white-dial Rolex Explorer will undoubtedly remain a rare gem, we can still envision its return to mass production in a modern style.

Since the discontinuation of the Oyster Perpetual 39 with a white dial (model 114300), the collection has lacked a clean, sporty white-dial version. Therefore, we believe it’s time to introduce an Explorer in a Polar White dial.

1908 Perpetual Calendar Moon Phase

After several evolutions in appearance and materials for the elegant Perpetual 1908 collection (such as the platinum case paired with a guilloché dial and Settimo strap), we felt it was time to introduce complications. As part of our “Rolex 2026 Predictions,” we envisioned the Perpetual 1908 Moon Phase watch as a starting point, offering a variety of models.

This concept originates from the Cellini watch, the predecessor of the 1908 Perpetual, representing a classic and elegant evolution of that timepiece. The moon phase display is located at 6 o’clock, but its design is simpler and more streamlined than that of the Cellini (no date display is present). Placing this additional function in the same position as the small seconds hand on the original 1908 watch, which only displayed the time, completely changed the dial layout; now, the dial features a central seconds hand.

As for other models, Rolex may retain the classic design of the existing series, such as white or yellow gold cases, opal white or black dials, and exquisite Settimo bracelets—yes, we’ve also envisioned a white gold version. Furthermore, we predicted in July 2025 that the Perpetual 1908 series would see some innovations, including the introduction of Settimo bracelets in white gold and platinum, as well as gemstone dials (malachite and lapis lazuli). These new products may also be released this year or in the near future.