D E S I G N E R S P O T L I G H T
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Extreme Comfort T H E N E W R O L E X S K Y- D W E L L E R W I T H O Y S T E R F L E X B R A C E L E T
The Sky-Dweller, originally launched in 2012, is now fitted for the first time with the Oysterflex bracelet, which debuted to great acclaim in 2015 on the Yacht-Master and appeared on the Daytona in 2017. This is the first time the bracelet has been applied to a watch outside the professional sport range and the first time it has been used on the Sky-Dweller, debuting on the 18k yellow gold model. The Oysterflex may look like a rubber bracelet, but it is much more than that. It is made of a very soft, flexible elastomer with an internal cushion system that makes it extremely well fitting and comfortable. The elastomer is molded to fit over a flexible metal blade made of a titanium and nickel alloy, so you get the strength of metal and the comfort of rubber- like elastomer, along with a sporty look. The Rolex Glidelock on the Oysterflex bracelet has six notches of approximately 2.5 mm, allowing the bracelet length to be adjusted easily, up to some 15 mm. Rolex went a long way to make sure the Sky-Dweller with the Oysterflex bracelet is an extremely comfortable watch — easily worn while traveling — but it is also an extremely functional complication. It has a date window, with the signature Cyclops lens cover, and it is a dual timer, with a 24-hour second time zone for reference time on the inner dial ring. A clever month index is shown discreetly as a red square in a window behind each hour marker on the center dial. For example, January is represented by 1 o’clock, February by 2 o’clock, and so on. The border of each tiny opening is chamfered to perfection. The Sky-Dweller is equipped with the Ring Command system. This mechanism of interaction between the rotatable bezel, the winding crown, and the movement, developed and patented by Rolex, allows the user to select the watch’s functions one- by-one — calendar (date and month), local time, or reference time — by turning the fluted bezel counterclockwise by one, two, or three positions, respectively. The selected function can then be rapidly adjusted in either direction using the winding crown.
The simple and intuitive Ring Command system is a complex mechanism consisting of around 50 components. Its design demanded state-of-the-art watchmaking and micromechanical expertise.At the heart of this system are a double cam and levers that engage various gear trains inside the movement, according to the function selected. One of these cams is activated by pulling out the winding crown; the other is driven by rotating the bezel to activate setting wheels located in the middle case of the watch.
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