Rolex Land-Dweller Opening new horizons

At the heart of the Land-Dweller beats calibre 7135. This movement at the cutting edge of horological research stands out for its frequency of 5 hertz. Thinner than the majority of Rolex movements, it nonetheless offers exceptional performance. Underlying this performance are a regulating system composed of an innovative escapement – the Dynapulse – and a state-of-the-art oscillator.

The first of the watches presented is a Land-Dweller 40 in a white Rolesor version (combining Oystersteel and white gold). It features a fluted bezel and an intense white dial with a honeycomb motif. The second, a Land-Dweller 36, is fashioned in 18 ct Everose gold. Its dial is identical, but it is set with ten baguette-cut diamond hour markers and is surrounded by a bezel glittering with 44 trapeze-cut diamonds. Crafted from 950 platinum, the third version is a Land-Dweller 40 with a fluted bezel and a dial in ice blue – a colour reserved for watches made of this prestigious metal – which is also adorned with a honeycomb motif.

The dial of the Land-Dweller is graced with a honeycomb motif, a graphically appealing pattern that Rolex has revisited with stylized cells in subtle relief. Its creation calls on traditional craftsmanship and high-technology methods, all mastered in-house. Time-honoured techniques are employed for the dial surface finishings: a fine satin finish for the intense white dial and a sunray finish on the ice blue version. The honeycomb structure is cut with a femtosecond laser, which is also used to etch the delicate lines in the grooves between each cell. The display elements on the Land-Dweller are exclusive to the new watch. Its 6 and 9 numerals, inspired by those of the Explorer and Air-King models, are particular in that they are open at their centre, which lends a modern touch. On the index hour markers, the luminescent material extends the full length of the component. This new design is the outcome of an innovatory manufacturing process for which a patent application was filed, and the use of a substance harder than the one typically used by Rolex but which delivers the same luminescent performance, colour of glow, and hue in daylight. The distinctive hands, specially created for this watch, are perfectly rectilinear.

Specially designed for the Land-Dweller, the Flat Jubilee bracelet is a reinterpretation of the emblematic Jubilee bracelet, unveiled at the launch of the Datejust in 1945. While retaining the same five-piece link structure, with three narrower links in the centre flanked by two broader links at the edges, the Flat Jubilee differs in that all the links are flat. Moreover, the centre links on this new bracelet are polished and slightly raised in relation to the outer links. The latter feature a technical satin finish on all but their polished edge. A robust, durable attachment system was also devised to ensure the perfectly seamless integration of the Flat Jubilee bracelet with the Oyster case. This novel and complex assembly is the subject of a patent application. It also includes ceramic inserts. For first time, these small patented tubes, developed by Rolex to help prevent premature wear, are used to protect the spring bar, the metal pin that secures the bracelet to the middle case. Comfortable and supple on the wrist, the Flat Jubilee is equipped with an elegant, concealed folding Crownclasp, which contributes to the visual harmony of the watch. On the versions in 18 ct Everose gold and in 950 platinum, this bracelet includes ceramic inserts inside the links.

The Land-Dweller is powered by calibre 7135, a movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex and released this year. An evolution of calibre 7140, which has equipped the 1908 model since its launch in 2023, the new self-winding mechanical movement delivers outstanding performance, particularly in terms of precision, power reserve, convenience and reliability. Driven by a self-winding system via a Perpetual Rotor, calibre 7135 is particularly noteworthy for its revolutionary regulating mechanism –escapement and oscillator – that enables it to beat at a frequency of 5 hertz, or 36,000 beats per hour, thereby measuring time to one tenth of a second. Thanks to its barrel architecture and the escapement’s excellent efficiency, the power reserve of this movement extends to approximately 66 hours. Fine attention to detail has been paid to the aesthetics of calibre 7135. Its bridges are decorated with Rolex Côtes de Genève, while the cut-out oscillating weight is fashioned in yellow gold.

For the highly energy-efficient Dynapulse escapement – the first component of the regulating system – seven patent applications were filed. The new escapement significantly enhances the way in which the energy delivered by the barrel is transmitted to the oscillator. The Dynapulse is a sequential distribution escapement made from silicon, a material resistant to strong magnetic fields. It is composed of a transmission wheel that engages with two distribution wheels; these, in turn, activate the impulse rocker, which then connects with the oscillator. This innovative architecture reduces the escapement’s energy consumption since the various components interact by rolling against each other, rather than by sliding as in the case of the Swiss lever escapements used in the brand’s other mechanical movements.