Rolex Datejust 41 Ref. 126334 Green Lacquer Ombré: The First Fully-Lacquered Ombré Dial in White Rolesor — W&W 2026

Description

The Rolex Datejust 41 Reference 126334 introduces a first-of-its-kind dial execution for Rolex: a fully-lacquered ombré in a deep green. The piece arrives in white Rolesor (Oystersteel case and bracelet, 18k white gold fluted bezel) with a five-link Jubilee or Oyster bracelet option, and it sits at US$11,650 (EUR 11,450 / CHF 10,450). This is the dial-craft highlight of the 2026 Datejust line-up and the return of the lacquer ombré technique to Rolex after a long absence.

Design

The 41mm Oyster case is in Oystersteel. The fluted bezel is in 18ct white gold — the combination Rolex calls white Rolesor. The bracelet is the Oyster bracelet (ref. 72610) in Oystersteel with polished centre links and satin-finished outer links with polished edges, terminating in a Rolex Oysterclasp.

The dial is the piece's signature: a fully-lacquered green ombré. The construction is unusual. Most modern ombré dials are produced by sunburst brushing a metal dial blank and then progressively darkening the edges through varnish or PVD — a lighter, simpler approach. The 126334's dial is different. A base plate receives a coat of pure green lacquer. Then a layer of black lacquer is sprayed on top in concentric circular motions, starting gently from the centre and building up progressively toward the edge. The result is a genuinely centred radial gradient — dark at the perimeter, bright and rich at the centre — with a depth of colour that only lacquer can produce. White applied indices and polished dauphine-style hands read clearly against the gradient. The familiar cyclops over the date aperture at 3 o'clock completes the Datejust identity.

Specifications

Reference: 126334
Case: 41mm, Oystersteel (White Rolesor configuration: steel case + 18k white gold fluted bezel)
Bezel: Fluted, 18k white gold
Dial: Green lacquer ombré (green lacquer base, black lacquer sprayed concentrically to build the gradient)
Bracelet: Oyster bracelet ref. 72610, Oystersteel (polished centre links, satin-finished outer links with polished edges)
Crystal: Sapphire with Cyclops lens over the date aperture
Crown: Twinlock, screw-down
Water resistance: 100 metres
Movement: Calibre 3235 (in-house, self-winding), 28,800 vph, 70-hour power reserve, Chronergy escapement, Parachrom hairspring, Superlative Chronometer certification (-2/+2 sec/day)
Price: US$11,650 / EUR 11,450 / CHF 10,450

What's Exciting

There are two reasons this dial matters. First: the craft move. A fully-lacquered ombré, layered with a concentric black-on-green spray, is a technique Rolex has not previously deployed. It is materially more complex than a sunburst ombré and produces a richer, more saturated, more "wet" looking colour. The Datejust 41 is a commercially safe canvas — but the dial treatment is a real horological-craft statement that elevates the model significantly.

Second: the commercial calculus. Recent Datejust 41 releases have been genuinely competitive on the waitlist — Mint Green, Olive, Slate with Roman numerals — and green-on-white-Rolesor in particular has historically performed very strongly in the Middle East and Asia. A green ombré escalation of that palette is, on paper, one of the most realistic hits of the 2026 Datejust line-up. At US$11,650 it is positioned right in the sweet spot of the Datejust range — not cheap, but not in the rare-metal tier — which is usually where the waitlist dynamics are most intense.

History

The Rolex Datejust was launched in 1945 as the first automatic, chronometer-certified wristwatch with a date window — a genuine industry first at the time. It became Rolex's default benchmark for an all-rounder luxury watch, and 80 years later the Datejust line remains Rolex's single most important commercial pillar.

Ombré (French for "shaded") dials have been a recurring theme at Rolex. Vintage ombré dials from the 1970s — particularly on Day-Date and Datejust references — are prized collector pieces. The technique was reintroduced to the modern Rolex line in the mid-2010s, primarily on precious-metal Datejust and Day-Date references with sunburst-metal bases. The 126334 marks the return of the technique in a new, fully-lacquered execution — closer in spirit to the enamel craftsmanship found at Grand Seiko or Voutilainen than to the metal-based ombré Rolex has been offering for a decade. For a commercial pillar like the Datejust to carry this kind of dial-craft complexity is a real statement.