The Rolex Sky-Dweller is a very special watch in the Rolex collection. For a long time, people thought the company only made simple tool watches, like the Submariner, or dress watches like the Datejust. But when the Sky-Dweller came out in 2012, it changed everything. It is the most complicated watch Rolex makes today because it has a very smart calendar system with a dual time zone function. The Rolex Sky-Dweller is big, bold, and has a strong presence on the wrist.
Sky-Dweller
The Rolex Sky-Dweller is very famous among travelers, businesspeople, and celebrities. People love the Sky-Dweller because this model is very useful. Here are the most important specifications:
The name “Sky-Dweller” tells you exactly who this watch is for. It is for people who “dwell” in the sky. These include pilots, frequent travelers, politicians, celebrities, and executives. The GMT-Master II was the main travel watch before the Sky-Dweller. However, this one is more formal and more advanced.
The Sky-Dweller uses the Saros Annual Calendar, which is a technological system with advanced intelligence. For instance, the watch knows which months have 30 days and which have 31 days. So, you don’t have to adjust the date at the end of short months like April or June. So much so that you only need to change it once a year.
The Ring Command Bezel is another important feature of the Rolex Sky-Dweller model. The bezel is just for timing or decoration on most watches. However, it is actually a switch on the Sky-Dweller, which means you can turn it to different positions. Thus, you tell the watch you want to set the date, the local time, or the home time.
Almost all Sky-Dweller watches have the same technical specifications:
Rolex does not change designs very often. However, there are important differences that you must know when buying a Sky-Dweller watch. For instance, the first generation used Calibre 9001. Rolex first launched the Sky-Dweller with reference starting from 326, which came with solid gold and Arabic numerals or Roman numerals on the dial. The company released the Steel and Gold (Rolesor) versions in 2017. These had stick markers or batons, which became very popular.
Rolex launched the second-generation models of the Sky-Dweller in 2023. These watches use the new Calibre 9002 with the Chronergy escapement for better efficiency. You can identify these easily because they have the tiny Rolex crown logo printed at the bottom of the dial between “SWISS” and “MADE.”
Moreover, the Rolex Sky-Dweller models come with Oyster, Jubilee, or Oysterflex bracelets. The Oyster is a classic three-link sport bracelet. You can also find beautiful models with Jubilee bracelets. Rolex added this option for steel models in 2021. Remember, these are usually the five-link dressy bracelets that make the heavy 42mm watch feel more balanced and comfortable on the wrist. The Rolex Sky-Dweller models also come with Oysterflex, which is the black rubber strap, and you can find these on most gold models. The Oysterflex has metal blades inside the rubber, which make it very strong and sporty.
You will find massive differences between the retail and secondary market prices in the UAE and global markets.
The secondary or grey market depends on the supply and demand. It is very hard to get the stainless steel or White Rolesor models today. However, if we look at the current market in the UAE, we find that the steel with Blue Dial is the boss of standard Sky-Dweller watches. It trades very high above the retail price. In addition, the steel with a Mint Green Dial is a new color. Its demand is very high in the UAE and global markets, but the prices are similar to Blue Dial. Steel with Black or White Dial is easier to find. Although the premium is smaller, you still pay more than the shop price.
On the other hand, Gold models usually trade closer to the retail price. Sometimes, you might find secondary prices very close to the official list price for full gold on a rubber strap. Our experts keep a keen eye on the UAE market, and from the data we see in the market, an Unworn Steel Sky-Dweller sells for around AED 79,900. Dealers usually sell the 2019-2020 models quickly, which shows that people like these models and buy them when the price is right. Also, the price is around AED 65,000 to AED 75,000 depending on the condition.
| Model Material | Reference | Dial Colors | Approx. Retail Price (AED) |
| Steel and White Gold | 336934 | Blue, Green, Black, White | AED 64,700 |
| Steel and Yellow Gold | 336933 | Blue, White, Champagne | AED 70,650 |
| Yellow Gold (Oysterflex) | 336238 | Black, White, Gold | AED 146,000 |
| Everose Gold (Bracelet) | 336935 | Slate, Chocolate, Blue-Green | AED 185,000+ |
Rolex Sky-Dweller is a good investment, but you must be selective. The model used to be a sleeper watch because nobody paid attention to it until 2017. But after that, the steel version came out, and since then, the price has gone up.
The blue dial effect is what makes the Rolex Sky-Dweller a good investment. For example, the blue dial reference 326934 has increased in value in recent years. It was trading for almost double its retail price at its peak in 2022. Although prices came down in 2023 and 2024, the market is stable now. Solid gold watches are heavy assets and do not jump in value like steel. However, gold models maintain their value because this material itself is expensive.
Several factors influence the value of Sky-Dweller watches. The first one is the condition of the watch. For instance, an unworn watch with stickers and full links retains its value. You must have the Green Warranty Card, the White hangtag that shows the serial, the manual, and the green box. Otherwise, you will lose thousands of Dirhams in value without the full set. Moreover, our experts at Watch Maestro believe that blue and green dial colors are the safest when it comes to investment and value retention.
There are fake Sky-Dweller watches available in the market. But usually, it is extremely difficult to fake a Sky-Dweller because the movement of this model is very complex. At Watch Maestro, our experts check authenticity by checking the following:
All Sky-Dweller watches are Superlative Chronometers, which means two things. The first one is COSC, which confirms that the Swiss Institute has tested the movement. The second one is the Rolex Test that involves experts putting the movement inside the case and testing it again to ensure it is accurate to -2 / +2 per day.
Similarly, all new Rolex watches, including Sky-Dweller models, come with a 5-year international guarantee. If you buy the latest model as mentioned in the listing above, you will have the warranty until 2030. The warranty always follows the watch and not the owner. Therefore, if you buy a second-hand Sky-Dweller, the warranty is still valid as long as you have the card. Here at Watch Maestro, we offer a limited one-year warranty for all Sky-Dweller watches.
Testimonials
It depends. The 42mm case is large, and the lug-to-lug distance is around 50mm. So, if your wrist is smaller than 16cm or 6.5 inches, it may feel very heavy and sit high. However, the Oysterflex strap helps the watch fit better on smaller wrists compared to the full metal bracelet.
It is easy once you know the trick. First, unscrew the crown and rotate the bezel all the way to the left. Now, you can set the home time. You can set the local time by rotating the bezel to position 2. Setting the date and month requires you to rotate the bezel to position 1.
No. It is purely mechanical and works using gears and springs inside the Calibre 9001/9002 movement. Likewise, it uses the energy from your wrist movement to wind itself.
Technically, both are the same watch. However, blue is the hero color for the Sky-Dweller. Collectors prefer this color, and that’s why the demand is higher. Remember, supply is the same for both colors, but the price of the blue dial color goes up on the secondary market.
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