Rolex Watches with Sapphires – List of Sapphire Rolex watches
Whilst Rolex is a brand associated with functional and robust tool- and sports watches, the company is a master at gemology and the art of gem-setting. Rolex has created some of the most unique, special, and mesmerizing gem-set ever made.
Due to the special nature of sapphires, most of the sapphire-gem set watches that Rolex makes are so-called “off-catalog watches“. This means that they are not a part of the standard product catalog and are generally only presented to premium VIP customers. Rolex gives these watches a particularly special rarity due to low production and not including them in the standard collection, meaning that few people actually know that they exist.
Whilst Sapphires are known to be blue, the truth is that sapphires can also have other colors, such as black or orange/cognac, pink, red, and many other colors. And the fact of the matter is that for some of its watches, Rolex doesn’t only use blue sapphires. In this article, we have focused specifically on the classic blue sapphires, but some of the watches in this list also feature sapphires in other colors in addition to the blue sapphires.
Rolex and gem-setting
Rolex takes gem-setting very seriously. They have their very own gemologists and gem-setters in-house and select only the finest and most flawless gemstones for their watches. In Rolex’s own words:
“Gemmology and gem-setting are the two disciplines that allow Rolex watches to be endowed with diamonds, sapphires and other precious stones. Strict quality control of the gemstones, via a range of specialist methods, ensures that gem-set models sparkle with exceptional intensity.”
When setting its watches with gemstones, Rolex tolerates variances of no more than 2 hundredths of a millimeter, which is around a quarter of the diameter of a human hair. This goes to show the extreme precision and great lengths that Rolex goes to with its gem-set creations. And with this in mind, it doesn’t surprise that Rolex’s gem-set watches tend to be extremely expensive.
“The gemologist and the gem-setter work in harmony to reveal the diamond’s radiance. One selects the stones, the other sets them one by one into the dial, bezel, case or bracelet.”
Diamonds on Rolex watches are relatively common. They can be found on bezels, dials, bracelets, or the actual case. Watches with only diamonds on the hour markers are almost always standard production timepieces and do not cost considerably more than a watch without diamonds on the dial due to the low number of diamonds used.
But when it comes to watches with more special gemstones like sapphires, emeralds, or rubies, Rolex puts more emphasis and exclusivity. The vast majority of sapphire gem-set watches are off-catalog watches and Rolex treats them almost as special edition timepieces with low production numbers and limited availability. This partially has to do with the complexity of making sapphire gem-set watches but it also has to do with the fact that Rolex sees them as truly special creations, and wants to keep their exclusive status high.
In this article, we have compiled an extensive list of Rolex watches with blue sapphires. Some have sapphires only on the dial, others on the bezel. Some watches use sapphires in a bunch of different colors as well as other types of gemstones like diamonds. In this list, you’ll be able to admire some of Rolex’s most spectacular gem-set creations with blue sapphires (and other gemstones as well).
Rolex watches with sapphires
116749SABLNR
126755SARU
126755SARU pavé dial
116659SABR blue dial
116659SABR pavé dial
116595RBOW
116595RBOW pavé dial
116748SARU
116758SARU
116758SARU pavé dial
116759SARU
116759SARU pavé dial
86348SABLV
86349SAFUBL
116695SATS
116695SATS pavé dial
116598RBOW
116599RBOW
116758SA
116589SACI
11659912SA
116599SA
16589SACI
16599SA
Yacht-Master 226659 (new 2022 model)
Lady Datejust 79089
Submariner 16613 Serti dial
Submariner 16618 Serti Dial
GMT-Master 16758