On the occasion of 100 years since the original Oyster case was introduced, Rolex has created an “Oyster 100” special edition timepiece to mark the milestone.
The first Oyster wristwatch debuted in 1926, in an octagonal case, with wire lugs, Roman numeral hour markers, a railroad minutes track, thin baton hands, a small seconds indicator, an onion-shaped crown, and an engine-turned bezel.
One hundred years later, Rolex chose to carry-over virtually nothing from the original Oyster watch, other than the most important element: the Oyster case design. For a century and counting (read about the history of Oyster), Rolex’s famous Oyster case creates an airtight shell, and protects the dial and movement from water, dust and moisture.
For 2026, Rolex launched the Oyster Perpetual “Oyster 100” Special Anniversary Edition — in three sizes (31 mm, 36 mm, and 41 mm) — crafted from yellow Rolesor, made in a bi-metal combination of 904L stainless steel and 18K yellow gold (unprecedented within the Oyster Perpetual line).
A few special details evoke the “Oyster 100” centennial occasion.
First, the crown features the number “100” embossed just below the Rolex coronet, in place of the typical dash or two dots you see on the Oyster Perpetual, that mark the Twinlock system. As a side note, Twinlock uses two distinct crown seals to block water and dust — one placed inside the winding crown itself and another inside the crown tube, it’s just that for this special edition, the visual designation has been supplanted by the relief engraved “100.”
Second, at 6 o’clock on the dial, in place of “Swiss Made” Rolex has replaced that with “100 YEARS.”
Third, Rolex has used solid 18K yellow gold for the crown, for the smooth bezel, and for the applied indices and Rolex coronet emblem.
Finally, for all three “Oyster 100” special editions, Rolex designers created a slate gray sunburst dial, with the “Rolex” logo and the small pad-printed squares on the minute track, contrasted in the brand’s iconic green hue.
The Rolex Oyster Perpetual “Oyster 100” Special Edition is available in three sizes:
2026 Rolesor Oyster Perpetual “Oyster 100” 31 Special Edition (Ref. 277203) $7,700
Rolex standard catalog Stainless Steel Perpetual 31 (Ref. 277200) $6,300
2026 Rolesor Oyster Perpetual “Oyster 100” 36 Special Edition (Ref. 126003) $8,450
Rolex standard catalog Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual 36 (Ref. 126000) $6,750
2026 Rolesor Oyster Perpetual “Oyster 100” 41 Special Edition (Ref. 134303) $9,650
Rolex standard catalog Stainless Steel Oyster Perpetual 41 (Ref. 134300) $7,050
Final Thoughts
For serious Rolex collectors, and for those wanting something unique, within the vast Oyster Perpetual line, that currently consists of five case sizes, and numerous dial options, including the highly collectible, investment grade Jubilee dial (which actually retails for less than the “Oyster 100”), this could be a great opportunity to own something historic and that will likely appreciate faster than most other Oyster Perpetual models.
Learn more at Rolex.
Photos by Rolex.
