Rolex Watches with Blue Sapphires – List of Sapphire Rolex watches

Rolex GMT-Master SARU

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

Photo by Watchfinder.co.uk

126755SARU

Photo by Hamilton.com

126755SARU pavé dial

Photo by Jomashop.com

116659SABR blue dial

Photo by timeseller21.com

116659SABR pavé dial


116595RBOW


116595RBOW pavé dial


116748SARU

Photo by thekeystone.com

116758SARU


116758SARU pavé dial


116759SARU

Photo by Sothebys.com

116759SARU pavé dial

Photo by gruenbergwatches.com

86348SABLV


86349SAFUBL


116695SATS

Photo by thekeystone.com

116695SATS pavé dial

Photo by watchcollectors.co.uk

116598RBOW

Photo by Sothebys.com

116599RBOW

Photo by thekeystone.com

116758SA


116589SACI


11659912SA

Photo by Thewatchbox.com

116599SA

Photo by Phillips.com

16589SACI

Photo by Phillips.com


16599SA

Photo by antiquorum

Yacht-Master 226659 (new 2022 model)


Lady Datejust 79089

Photo by swisswatchexpo.com

Submariner 16613 Serti dial


Submariner 16618 Serti Dial

Photo by robertmaron.com

GMT-Master 16758

Photo by thekeystone.com

 

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