Introduced in 2012, the Sky-Dweller was the perfect watch for the traveling businessman. Although one of Rolex’s most complicated watches, the sophisticated styling set it apart from its more sporty counterparts. At the time, it was only available in precious metals and was one of their more expensive models.

The functionality of the fluted ring command bezel improved long term water resistance by reducing the need for additional pushers to access the various complications. Instead of using an additional hand to indicate the secondary time zone or having a designated window listing the month, Rolex redesigned the dial for a more streamlined approach. The annual calendar accounted for the differing number of days in various months, meaning wearers only needed to manually adjust their watch once a year, at the end of February.

In 2017, Rolex released two Rolesor versions of the Sky-Dweller. Rolesor being the company term for mixed metal watches. A stainless steel version with white gold fluted dial and a two tone stainless steel and yellow gold version were added to the collection. The stainless steel version retailed for about half the price of the all gold models, making it more accessible and therefore highly sought after. The roman numeral markers were updated to baton markers to further simplify the dial’s appearance.

Ring Command Bezel

While the ring command bezel debuted on the Yacht-Master II, the expanded functionality and integrated styling on the Sky-Dweller set it apart. Linked directly to the winding crown, each counter-clockwise quarter turn of the bezel unlocked a different function on the watch. From the start position, rotating the bezel to the third position activated the 24 hour disc, the second position allowed the local time to be set, and the first position let you set the month and date.

This unique dial design removed the need to have additional pushers on the watch which helped the long term durability of the watch’s water resistance. The single position crown also helped reduce wear and tear to the stem and crown.

The Dial

Instead of using an additional hand to indicate the secondary time zone, Rolex used an inverted red triangle to mark the time on its 24 hour sub wheel. With this design, there was no need for a designated 24 hour hand or additional markings on the edge of the dial or bezel.

Typically, the month is displayed in a separate window that takes up valuable real estate on the dial. For this watch, Rolex utilized the correlation between the 12 hour markers and the numerical value of the (1-12) of each month. The current month is indicated in a small window next to the hour marker in a contrasting color. The annual calendar also accounts for fluctuations in the days of the month, meaning wearers only need to manually adjust the date once a year, at the end of February.

GMT/Reference Time:

Unscrew the crown counterclockwise and pull it out to the first notch.
Turn the bezel counter clockwise to the 3rd position (as far as it can go).
Turning the crown in either direction will set the 24-hour disc and the minute hand (the hour hand will also move but that will be adjusted in the next step).
Spin the bezel clockwise back to the start position.
Push and screw the crown back down in a clockwise direction to secure.

Local Time:

Unscrew the crown counterclockwise and pull it out to the first notch.
Turn the bezel counter clockwise to the 2nd position.
Turn the crown to set the hour (the minute and 24 hour disc shouldn’t move). You can turn the crown in either direction, but changing the hour in the clockwise direction will allow you to determine if it’s set to AM/PM after passing 12.
Spin the bezel clockwise back to the start position.
Push and screw the crown back down in a clockwise direction to secure.

Month And Date:

Unscrew the crown counterclockwise and pull it out to the first notch.
Turn the bezel counter clockwise to the 1st position.
Turning the crown in either direction will set the month (indicated by the highlighted window at the month’s corresponding numeric value above the hour markers).
Once the month has been selected, continue to rotate the crown for the correct date.
Spin the bezel clockwise back to the start position.
Push and screw the crown back down in a clockwise direction to secure.