Two more Rolex models you have never heard of!

Everyone knows the Daytona or the Submariner. After all, those are the models which made Rolex the industry leader of today.

 

Apart from those iconic and well-known watches, Rolex has also done some lesser-known (or in some cases unknown) timepieces as well.

 

The last time we’ve done this, we explored models like Tru-Beat or the trio of Air-King predecessors. Today, go more towards the classy side.

 

Photo source: Lunar Oyster

 

Rolex Veriflat

 

Although Rolex is more known for its sports steel models, they’ve done some pretty good dress watches as well - just look at the Cellini line.

 

One of their attempts at making a good dress watch was the Rolex Veriflat.

 

An elegant timepiece with a beautiful leather strap, breathtaking proportions, and exclusively made in gold was produced only between the years 1955 and 1962. So, why is Veriflat lost in the annals of history? The movement is the answer.

 

Rolex, a brand known and praised for its automatic movements, decided to put a manual-wound one in their new watch instead. Don’t get us wrong, the movement was perfect, just like all the movements produced by Rolex, but people just did not resonate with it.

 

The Swiss giant tried to make an elegant, refined, and sophisticated dress watch, but the market was not impressed.

 

That is, until today. Nowadays, a well-preserved Veriflat is a collector's piece, found only on the wrist of the richest and best-connected watch enthusiasts.

 

Photo source: GQ

 

Rolex Space-Dweller

 

Sky-Dweller? Sea-Dweller? We all know those more than well.

 

How about a Space-Dweller?

No worries, if you don’t know this one, you are not alone. The Rolex Space-Dweller is one of the rarest vintage Rolex watches you can ever find. It was exclusively sold in Japan around the 1960s, so the European market was quite oblivious to this watch.

 

The timepiece is based on the famous Rolex Explorer 1016, but instead of the “Explorer” written on its dial, you can see the words “Space-Dweller” there instead. But why?

 

Rolex decided to create this watch to honor the NASA astronauts of Project Mercury, who visited Japan in 1963 and were celebrated as the ultimate explorers. See the connection now?

 

The Space-Dweller did not become popular enough to warrant a full production run, so after some time, Rolex decided to discontinue it and focus solely on its big brother, the Explorer.

 

Today, the Explorer is one of the most popular Rolex models, meanwhile, the Space-Dweller became a legendary timepiece that is practically unobtainable. It is one of the hardest-to-find vintage watches on the entire market, only further proving that Rolex timepieces age like fine wine.

 

So, those were two more Rolex timepieces you have never heard about before. What do you think of them? Are you more of a Veriflat or Space-Dweller guy? Let us know!