The first water-resistant case made by fake Rolex was the “Oyster”. Perpetual refers to the permanently wound rotor inside each Rolex watch. That’s why you never see the word “Automatic” on the dial – it’s just redundant. They are the words printed on almost all Rolex dials.” Oyster Perpetual Motion.” These two seemingly insignificant letter combinations are not only historically significant, but they also subtly encapsulate everything that has made a replica Rolex a watchmaking powerhouse.
To get to that point, we had to lose a few watches along the way – good watches that left everything on the field. I’m talking, of course, about the much-loved Rolex OP39, a watch that is considered near-perfect. It is an exemplary example of the Rolex ideal. It has competence and timelessness that is at odds with its simplicity. We have owned it for just two short years, only to see it flash by as if struck by Thanos’ armor.
Within each side of the replica Rolex Oyster Perpetual collection, there are noteworthy nuances. the 36mm and 41mm variants are practically mirror images of each other, only in different sizes, with painted squares next to each hour marker. The OP 34 has Roman numerals on the dial – a feature unique to this size.
A key difference between the 36/41mm model and the others is the style of the markers themselves. The former has a marker set known as the double-barrel style, where the markers at three, six, and nine o’clock are presented in a double-barrel style. This is a divisive topic for OP devotees. Fans of OP 39 lament this choice for OP 41.
All OP models, regardless of size, have a common dial feature. For years, Rolex has made its blue-chip watches in a luminescent blue material called Chromalight, while continuing to produce its OP line in green Super-LumiNova. In this update, you’ll notice that the familiar blue glow has appeared on the dials of all five size options – and it’s about time.
Here’s where things can get confusing. At the most basic level, the OP comes in two main dial colors: black and silver with gold accents. Black dials are a known quantity, but silver is something really new. Check out the interaction of the sunburst silver face with the surrounding gold accents and the copy Rolex crown. The effect gives this watch a bit of a sporty and a bit of a dressy feel. In many ways, this dial configuration is the most OP as it feels like a throwback.
After black and silver, a plethora of colors enters the fray. Picking a color is like configuring a new car online. Each trim level has certain paint colors to choose from. Some overlap, others don’t. As each size changes, you’ll find slight variations in the available color options. To keep it all together, you can split the colors into two different buckets.