Article: 2026 | Rolex Working On A Perpetual Or A New Classic Annual Calendar? Patent Filed
2026 | Rolex Working On A Perpetual Or A New Classic Annual Calendar? Patent Filed
In the past 7 months, Rolex has filed two patents for two complications.
Rolex SA applied for the first patent on September fourth, 2025, and it was later published as EP4632499A1 by the European Patent Office(EPO) on the 16th of October 2025. On the same day, Rolex SA applied for a second patent in the US, which was later published on the 16th of April 2026.
Both of these patents could mean the crown is looking to release a new annual calendar, similar to the Sky Dweller but in a more compact dress-style, or even a perpetual calendar in the future. Rolex is gearing up for a big year, celebrating 100 years of the Oyster case, teasing something on the 12th May 2026 and an exhibition in Shanghai marking the 100th anniversary of the case. Could these patents be a part of these events?
Shown above is the first patent, EP4632499A1, which relates to a timepiece calendar system. The patent application discloses a perpetual calendar with instantaneous jumps, which is capable of being in the form of a complete calendar. The patent depicts a mechanism including two discs. The left disc displays the day and the right disc displays the month.
This patent could take a similar form to what Rolex used in reference 8171 to display the day and month shown below. The compact nature of the patents suggests Rolex may intend to use them in a dress style annual calendar other than the currently available Sky-Dweller. Rolex discontinued its Cellini Moonphase at Watches and Wonders 2023. Could this patent be used in an upcoming model, maybe in the form of a Rolex 1908?
Image courtesy of EveryWatch
The second patent shown below, US 20260104672 A1, consists of double-date discs. This invention by Ludovic Zyblut, now working at Laurent Ferrier, relates to a method for operating a device for displaying timepiece information, in particular a date displaying device. The two discs work in conjunction to display each individual date in one fixed aperture. The left disc counts from one to three twice, whereas the right disc counts from one to nine.
The question being, is it possible these two complications could be used together to create a completely new Rolex, giving customers a brand new icon to froth over or will the complications be used to reinvent a classic from the Rolex archive, using their heritage to continue to develop modern offerings, perhaps a new annual calendar or even a perpetual calendar? Whatever these patents are used for it is certain that Rolex enthusiasts will be watching closely for what is to come on May 12th 2026 and beyond.
The recent filing of these two patents suggests that Rolex is developing high-complication movements for future use. While the specific purpose of these complications remains unclear. It shows Rolex is continuing to innovate 100 years on from its Oyster case release.
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