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Everything You Need To Know About Iced Out Rolex Watches
Hindsight from the 21st century tells us that the transition from jewelry artisans to watchmakers as a result of the Protestant Reformation was a very good thing. Geneva remains the spiritual home of the watch industry and high-jewelry techniques have been integrated with watches in something of a historical throwback to where the industry began. Gem-set pieces have never been more popular than they are today and names like Harry Winston, Bulgari, and Cartier are doing amazing things with gem-set watches. But there is one brand with surprisingly deep expertise in gem-setting and a deep catalog of gem-set watches: Rolex. Discover more about the Rolex process, why you should avoid after-market gems, and some popular diamond-encrusted Rolex watches.
Rolex Gem Setting
The 1960s and 1970s saw Rolex completing several bespoke projects for major clients that included gem-set pieces. These pieces were not part of the regular production schedule, they were regarded simply as one-off requests and each request was considered individually. From these bespoke requests, Rolex began to formalize its gem-setting program in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Watches from the Crown Program were given special packaging and special treatment, and they were never listed in the catalog. These gem-set pieces would only be revealed to authorized retailers at Baselworld, and retailers would place an order with the hopes of receiving an allocation for one.
In-House Gems
From bespoke watches to the Crown Program series of gem-set watches, Rolex’s gem-setting program has grown into something incredibly special. Given their historical experience with gem-setting, Rolex has built incredible expertise in the field. Following a stringent process for gem-setting and using only the highest quality stones for their watches, a factory gem-set piece from Rolex is far superior to an aftermarket gem-set piece. This is due to both the quality of stones, and the quality and pride of craftsmanship, with gemologists, gem-setters, and watchmakers working together to determine the best way to set a watch. An entire building is dedicated to Rolex’s sertissage program, allowing for collaboration across departments. Engineering, watchmaking, and artistry are combined to bring a very few special pieces to life annually.
Diamond Rolex Models
Rolex’s Pearlmaster collection represents only a portion of the brand’s diamond-set pieces. Almost every model in the brand’s catalog has a diamond-set reference. Here are some of the top diamond-covered Rolex watches.
Gem-Set Rainbow Daytona
The Rainbow Daytona may be the most well-known gem-set Rolex, but there are many great offerings from Rolex’s sertissage program. With increased publicity and visibility on social media, gem-set Rolex’s have never been more popular. For those uncertain of where to begin, a vintage GMT-Master or Submariner with diamond or ruby indices is a great place to test the waters of gem-set watches. Watches like these can help build confidence in wearing a piece with more stones, like a Day-Date, or even the Rainbow Daytona. The Rolex gem-set catalog is deep and at the current production rate, every gem-set Rolex is a limited edition.
Iced Out GMT-Master II
For collectors who prefer a GMT functionality, the GMT-Master II boasts a variety of gem-set models. The white gold reference 116759SANR features a diamond and sapphire bezel and complementing pave diamonds on the top of the case and crown guards.
If you’re a fan of the Pepsi but want something aside from the classic aluminum or Cerachrom bezel, look no further than the 116759SARU, featuring sapphires and rubies on the blue and red sections of the bezel, a diamond minute scale, and a triangular 12 o’clock marker alongside pave case and crown guards.
Sapphire Submariner
The classic steel Rolex Submariner also has a white gold gem-set version. This dive model with gems is rated to 100m water resistance. The bezel consists of dark sapphires, a diamond minute scale, and a light-colored sapphire countdown scale from 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock. The case features pave diamonds across the top and crown guards.
Diamond-Encrusted Pearlmaster
The Pearlmaster collection is no stranger to diamonds. In fact, a requirement of the model is to include diamonds in some aspects of the design. The reference 86349SAFUBL is an exquisite example of the attention to detail in the choosing of gemstones. The bezel seamlessly graduates from blue sapphire to Fuschia sapphire and back to blue. Accentuating the Pearlmaster bracelet on this model are two rows of diamonds in the 2nd and 4th links extending around the entire bracelet and clasp.
Serti Dial
Starting in the 1980s, Rolex introduced the term Serti when referencing gems on a dial. The word comes from the French word ‘sertir’ meaning ‘to set’. For Rolex collectors, a Serti dial typically refers to the Rolex Submariner and GMT-Master II models. Often these models are classic in design, featuring a sunburst dial. What sets them apart from typical models are the diamond hour markers. On a Serti dial, white round diamonds mark the dial, complemented with sapphire or ruby baguettes and an upside-down triangle marker at 6, 9, and 12 o’clock. These colored gemstones have occasionally been replaced with luminescent markers, like in the Submariner 116613.
Iced Out Rolex Popularity and Rarity
Much like the days of the Rolex Crown Program, not all pieces are published in the Rolex catalog, and special pieces continue to be released only at Watches & Wonders. Despite the Crown Program, Rolex wasn’t necessarily known for their gem-set pieces until about 15 to 20 years ago, mostly because production was, and remains, limited.
Rolex Gem-set pieces have become incredibly collectible since then. It might seem like there are a great number of pieces with some form of gem setting available, but very few of each model are produced. Rolex does not publicly comment on its gem-setting and programs. They also do not share data on their production broadly, and they certainly do not share data on their production of gem-set pieces. An accurate guess would be that gem-set accounts for two to three percent of their total production, which is an incredibly small number of watches across all the available gem-set options.