Disappointed with Basel?! Or not!

[Daytona4130]

Originally Posted by behardt

One of the best years of the last 10. RG Yachtmaster shows they'll finally offer something a little different and modern. New DD brings back the class it deserves, right size and smooth lines again. I always thought the DD II was kind of blocky, oversized and the bracelet wasn't proportional to the watch head.

New guy gets it...

This.

[GolfPunk]

Originally Posted by MrSimba

underwhelmed would be an understatement!

It's Rolex's century anniversary & this is it?

I know why you say that but 2008 was the centenary year!!

[B.B.B.]

Was expecting more.

[Annan]

In general I'm disappointed. I am encouraged by the 40mm DD however, in hopes that maybe next year there will be a 40mm DJ and with option of jubilee bracelet.

[SALTY]

With Rolex, I've learned not to expect earthquakes - though a new Daytona (GMT Date) would have been interesting. Hint, hint.

That said, it would have been a good solid "meh" for me but for the fact that this was the centennial after all. In that context, I am below "meh."

[Ravager135]

I'll just repeat my comments from the other thread...

I see it two different ways. Over the past 10 years or so we have been really spoiled with new releases from Rolex. It started with the Daytona and GMT Master II and slowly but surely new upgrades were released in new metals with new dial/bezel combinations. Throw in the Yachtmaster II, Skydweller, and the new Cellini line and you've had some major progress from Rolex. If you reflect on the brand's history however there have been many years in which virtually nothing has changed. Monochrome was way off on their predictions this year but I do think some day these will be the eventual changes we will see in the sport lines we know and love. They just aren't coming as soon as we thought.

I like the new Day-Date 40s, though none are affordable to me any time soon so it's hard to get excited. I never really care much when Rolex puts out jewelry, which if you ask me, is all the new Pearlmaster is. The modernization of the Oyster Perpetual is nice. The new rose gold Yachtmaster is surprising, but confused. Maybe it will bring more people into the brand but it is a huge departure for Rolex style wise.

I think the most honest response I can offer is that yes, this year is a disappointment when compared to the last couple of years. How could it not be? That said, maybe we should be more conservative in what to expect from the brand. Stop waiting for that ceramic stainless steel Daytona or the ceramic coke bezeled GMT Master II, just enjoy what's there and be surprised or underwhelmed once a year.

[Roll the Lex]

Love the Day Date 40... except for those laser etched dials. But give it time and I'm sure they'll release different dials.

It's enough to make me pause and rethink my next purchase (smurf vs. aquanaut vs. nautilus)

But then again I have small wrists... maybe the DD40 is going to make the 36mm DD look tiny and dated and prices here will drop, which would be another option as well.

[Dyim]

Thank you Rolex! You just saved me a lot of $ this year!

[jp1166610]

I am very excited to see a new 3155 AND a new 3135 movement. I wonder if new Submariners and Deepseas, Datejust2, etc., will receive the new movement in years to come? I for one would love the longer power reserve and 2X the accuracy in my divers.

[red1108nyc]

It is a great SIHH..... for my wallet!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[AK797]

I'm beginning to think Rolex do read this forum and others and whatever the masses are begging for they deliberately do not make and instead they are trying to come up with new models and variations that no one has thought of such as the BLNR, PepC but in WG, platinum brown Daytona, half blue DSSD, ceramic RG YM, DD40... so it looks like whatever we wish for is instantly crossed off the list so I predict no more ceramics on Daytonas, unless they come up with a brand new model, ie 42mm and date - altho probably too many members have asked for this so it will probably be 38mm, and no Coke in any metal, unless they invent a new metal.

[lapince]

I find the YM pretty cool but that's the only thing, last year they had the pepsi, SD4000 and don't remember what else, this year is "poor" in comparison

[Saoirse32]

Originally Posted by Chewbacca

i like what they did. slow, steady for rolex. big bang for tudor.

fwiw, we did get a blue pelagos, rubber (ehm, oysterflex) and a manufature calibre from tudor. i think its what was needed for both brands.

Agreed^^^

[RXAPPP]

Excluding the SkyDweller year it was the same as any other - very conservative, I can't believe anyone expected anything different. It's almost always the same

[Nidal]

It's not the best impression a new Rolex CEO would give! His "Zenith" touch does not work well IMO for a much bigger name like rolex!!


Nidal

[Sshaughn]

I was hoping for something spectacular this year or some reason, like a SS GMT with a coke bezel, etc...not really sure what to think. Tudor is gaining some steam...I guess I'll have to see what happens next year with Rolex?!

[RC2]

Originally Posted by hl65

in line with my thoughts. Slow, steady and boring typical rolex style true to it's roots. So disappointed? No.

x2

[vitalsignsrn]

I'm underwhelmed. I thought there would be more dials added for the DJ & OP 36mm. I really do like the dark rhodium dial of the OP 39 as it seems the same dial colour that was on the DJ II with diamonds. And the purplish colour is interesting. I'll have to see them in person and wait for a comprehensive dial update list (if there are any).

[Lol-x]

I'm feeling a bit 'I don't know'.

Its great that there are new models.
I am a bracelet guy and I would have really liked Rolex to offer the new RG YM with a full oyster bracelet option. Even the Patek Aquanaut has a bracelet option.
However, even with a bracelet I would most likely not have been in the market for a RG Yachtmaster....but who knows
The new Day-Date isn't for me, but it makes me a little sad that it heralds the updating of the 3xxx series movements to existing models, kind of in the same way that the Pelages now has an in house movement.
But then I look at my 15xx movement watches and they still run really well, so I'm happy that my vintage watches are not obsolete and worthless.

[redsubby]

People are disappointed because they didn't get what they wanted? C'mon man, gimme a break. Rolex can't possibly satisfy everyone with their dream watch.
New and upgraded movement, new DD, new YM, new rubber strap never seen on a Rolex, what more do you want? They ain't going to release a new Sub/GMT/Daytona every year.

[havingagoodtime]

New movement? CHECK
New dials and bracelets? CHECK
True to the Rolex traditions? CHECK
Excited and pleased to say the least.

3255!!

[watchabout]

I was really looking forward for the GMT Master II Coke to make a comeback.

The pearlmasters are some of the ugliest watches I've ever seen. New money real bad.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[drakulie]

Not disappointed but not impressed either.

The ym is nice but looks more like a woman's watch.

[redhotmurc333]

Kudos for Rolex becoming more innovative with the New YM and also the new movement... But was hopin for some more... ehh...

[AlexMachine]

I was happy to see that Rolex introduced green and red grape OP in smaller sizes. My wife wants a Rolex with a green dial. YG day date was the only one I could find, but now she likes new OPs. My wallet is really happy about this.

[engin33r]

Originally Posted by AK797

I'm beginning to think Rolex do read this forum and others and whatever the masses are begging for they deliberately do not make and instead they are trying to come up with new models and variations that no one has thought of such as the BLNR, PepC but in WG, platinum brown Daytona, half blue DSSD, ceramic RG YM, DD40... so it looks like whatever we wish for is instantly crossed off the list so I predict no more ceramics on Daytonas, unless they come up with a brand new model, ie 42mm and date - altho probably too many members have asked for this so it will probably be 38mm, and no Coke in any metal, unless they invent a new metal.

LoL =)

Well no surprise is also a surprise. The oysterflex rg ym caught us all, dd40 also. I think overall they did a good job. The oysterflex rubber ym should be the first of many future models.

[CWIN]

I wouldn't say I'm disappointed, just not blown away. The 40mm DD is a welcome size adjustment and the new OP is solid. If it had a date without a cyclops then I'd be all over it.

[K3vin]

Really wanted a ceramic daytona. Wouldn't buy any of this year's releases but the new movement is stunning. It's really making me think twice about buying more Rolexes this year because I'd assume it will make its way to the other lines next year.

[Drock123]

I'm not so much disappointed with Baselworld as much as I am disappointed with this forum. A few people/websites had been heralded by members as being some sort of experts, indicating their correct predictions in years past, only to discover that just about everyone was wrong. The closest I saw to a correct prediction at all this year was the rubber bracelet.

I was really banking on the common prediction that there would be DJIIs with Super Jubilee bracelets and so I held out for one. Instead, what happened was a price increase in Canada, no such manifestation of these predictions, and I will now have to settle on a DJII with oyster bracelet for a few hundred bucks more than I would have paid last week.

I should have known better, my own fault. I'm just disappointed.

[wuyeah]

New movement aside. Isn't older DD40 a better looking piece?