The Sky-Dweller is amongst Rolex’s largest and most expensive watches. It was released at the Baselworld in 2012, and it is the largest release to date. The Sky-Dweller was a completely new reference from Rolex, the powerhouse Swiss brand of luxury watches. So, naturally, it got a lot of attention. The Rolex Sky-Dweller (Ref. 326938) is the most complicated modern Rolex in production, and its functions are made with the frequent jet-setter in mind. Some of the functions that the Rolex Sky-Dweller offers are a Dual Time Zone, an Annual Calendar, and a Date Function. An interesting feature is the Calendar complication that allows the Date Function to display the current date throughout the year. The function is smart enough to know when the month ends on the 30th or the 31st, so you won’t have to re-set the watch every month. Another attractive complication is the Ring Command Bezel. The crown only has one setting position, so by rotating the bezel, you can access the three main functions mentioned above.
These two models significantly reduced the new collection’s entry price point. The original gold models had an entry point of around $40,000, and with the release of the stainless steel Rolesor versions, the entry point for the Sky-Dweller became around $14,000 at retail. This is a huge difference and makes the highly sought out Sky-Dweller available to a wider audience. This Sky Dweller Review is of our Yellow Gold Sky-Dweller (ref. 326938). We hope you enjoy the review and Rolex Sky-Dweller Yellow Gold pictures.
Because Rolex produces watches in-house at their own factory, they are able to create the highest quality 18k gold alloys and always maintain a standard that is truly unparalleled in the watch industry. 18k gold colors can range from yellow, pink or white. The model in this Rolex Sky Dweller review is of the yellow gold variety. The 18k gold alloy is made with only the purest metals, and is assiduously examined with the most advanced equipment before being molded and shaped into form. The process of creating the watch from the gold alloy also undergoes extremely meticulous inspection to make sure that every watch lives up to Rolex’s top-notch reputation. The yellow gold Sky-Dweller, in our opinion, is one of the best gold colors you could ask for. It is a beautiful eye-catching gold that we couldn’t live without.
The dial layout is very well balanced and the champagne gold color really completes the look of the yellow gold case and bracelet. The Sky-Dweller has a signature-offset ring for the second time zone and annual calendar cutouts above the Arabic numbers. There is a fixed inverted red triangle on the dial points of the center dial 24-hour disc for a preferred reference time. The dials also feature rectangular index hour markers; further more, the hands are long and have a luminous Chromalight display to boost readability.
Rolex Sky-Dweller comes with a Calibre 9001 automatic movement. This means that it has a self-winding mechanism. The Calibre 9001 movement is completely produced in-house by Rolex, so we can be sure the movement is of the highest quality, which is something that Rolex is so well known for. As we mentioned, the Rolex Sky-Dweller is the most complicated modern Rolex and it is one of the most complex calibres that Rolex has ever created in its entire history. Furthermore, Rolex has seven different patents to protect it. The architecture, innovative qualities and manufacturing level of the Sky-Dweller make it extraordinarily accurate and trustworthy. The Sky-Dweller is made to last a lifetime. Another one of the very impressive features of this watch is the 72-hour Power Reserve. So, you can leave it off for the whole weekend and throw it back on your wrist on Monday without it stopping.
The Rolex Sky-Dweller has a GMT function, so it has a 24 hour scale of international timezones; a Ring Command Bezel, so it can be set quickly and effectively by simply using the bezel and crown, which we will explain exactly how it works below; and a Dual Time Zone function that can be re-set to a new timezone without stopping the entire watch; all of which make the Rolex Sky-Dweller one of the most functional watches in history.
Neutral Position: From the neutral position, you can rotate the bezel counter clockwise into different positions, triggering certain functions the Sky Dweller is equipped with. The original position is the neutral position. If you take out the crown and turn it when in the neutral position, the time settings won’t change. First Position: If you want to set the watch from a dead start, you would rotate the bezel counter-clockwise into the first position. Then you can pull out the crown and set the time. When doing this, you will see the center dial, which is the GMT position; rotating counter counter-clockwise into position as the minute and hour hand rotates clockwise. Second Position: If you rotate the bezel to the second position, you can turn the crown to make a quick hour jump. A quick hour jump allows just the hour hand to jump forward, in one-hour increments both forwards and backwards, without the minute hand moving. As the watch doesn’t stop, accuracy is maintained. Also, for every two full rotations on the dial, the date will change as well. Third Position: From the bezel’s third position, you can adjust the date. You can also control the calendar from this position. The rectangle openings just above the Arabic numbers on the dial are the calendar. So, if the rectangle opening on the 1 is darkened, it means it is set on January; the two would be February; three would be March; and so on and so forth. After you set the time, date and calendar, you would press the crown in, then rotate the bezel to its neutral position and tighten the crown. Then you pop it on your wrist and you are set and good to go.
The Oyster bracelet is made of 18k yellow gold with polished, mirror finish center links and stain finish on the outer links. The bracelet is extremely solid and comfortable, which can also be attributed to the simple, adjustable Oysterclasp, safety deployment. The Oysterclasp offers approximately 5mm more flex-room for any circumstance. Lastly, the Oyster bracelet has another perk, that being the newly concealed attachment arrangement beneath the bezel. The new concealed attachment provides a smoothly continuous visual amongst the case and bracelet.