The Rolex Land-Dweller and Other Watches That Excite the Stars
As Rolex unveiled its new line of Land-Dweller watches at its flagship Washington store in Greenbelt, Makati, we got to talk to two watch guys you may have heard of. Pop culture personalities Dr. Hayden Kho and Luis Manzano are fans of the brand and they gamely talked to Esquire Philippines about the craziest pieces and Daytonas in their collection, and the Rolexes they recommend you should go after.
The legendary Swiss watchmaker launched the retro-inspired Land-Dweller in Spring available in both 36 or 40 mm case sizes, both aimed for versatile use cases via its simultaneous vintage and modern feel much like the Day-Dates.
“With its bold lines and remarkable performance, the Land-Dweller has a very modern feel,” Rolex said in a news release. "Through both its fluid, sleek forms and its major technical innovations, it remains firmly focused on the future, heralding the evolution of Rolex watches. This timepiece is designed for those who assert their place in the world and build their own destinies, seeing new opportunities in every moment.”
If you want to get into the measurements and particulars, the watch mesaures about 9.6 mm end to end, with a lug-to-lug of 43.5mm for the 36 mm model and 46.5 mm for the 40 mm model. It’s also thin but not wafer thin for an integrated bracelet piece.
While we already have collections from Rolex such as the beloved Sky-Dweller, and the outlandish Deepsea-Dweller, the Land-Dweller collection tries to strike a balance with an integrated bracelet and the brand new Caliber 7135 movement. This is a watch that looks like it came straight out of the '60s and '70s but refreshed for 2025. Rolex is taking a leap in expanding its heritage line of watches such as the Day-Date, Submariner, and Daytona.
The 6 and 9-hour markers still evoke a vintage Rolex feel with its open design that differ from those on watches like the Explorer. The side of the watch also has a fresh crown design presented with a blockier aesthetic from the 1970s from its Oysterquartz line.
Rolex Land-Dweller in Rose Gold
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Of course the first thing that caught our eye was the new and reformed “Flat” Jubilee bracelet centered on a flat-link design that follows from the case and an angular silhouette. Think of broader outer links compared to the original Jubilee bracelet found on the Datejust and even on the Submariner.
The ethos here with the newest member of the Rolex family is a sport-luxury vibe similar to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, but I think of it as Rolex’s own unofficial spin on it.
Wearing the Land-Dweller also involves using the crown clasp on the bracelet which promises to be more durable through the 10-component system of ceramic tubes that hold the spring bar.
A possible con of the watch’s crown clasp may be the limited micro-adjustment potential. The watch comes in white gold and rose gold color variations and Rolex’s recognizable fluted bezels, with an even higher count of flutes at 180 from 71.
On the wrist, the Land-Dweller in steel especially in the 36 mm wears pretty well on average wrist sizes and feels pretty slim for what the bracelet and case is made of.
The watch features a textured honeycomb dial to compliment the Rolesore, Everose, and Platinum case material options. The first two metal variations have the pristine white dials, while the Platinum has a more icy blue hue commonly found on Rolex’s other Platinum watches.
Despite its honeycomb naming convention, it’s still a very flute-centric design. The Land-Dweller also comes in either factory diamond-set dial and bezels and hour markers fashioned with Chormalight lume.
Rolex’s new piece boasts 18 new patents unique to the Land-Dweller, showing the watchmaker’s intention to put out fresh luxury pieces suitable for the next generation of watch collectors.
Looking at the Land-Dweller’s internals, the Caliber 7135 movement inside the watch features a Chronergy escapement system and a high-beast 5hz movement. It is designed to be energy efficient and accurate simultaneously and has been in development for a decade.
Rolex says the movement is 30 percent more efficient than previous 3230 calibers, bringing the Superlative Chronometer accuracy to the 5hz. This translates to a -2/+2 second accuracy rate. The new piece carries this complication while having the capacity to maintain 66 hours of power reserve.
Rolex’s new Dweller series will set you back P826,500 for the 36mm and P881,000 for the 49mm in silver; while the rose gold models will cost P2.45 million in 36 mm and P2.722 million for 40 mm.
The Land-Dweller's honeycomb dial
Hayden Kho and Luis Manzano on the watch bug and Rolex
We got to have a quick chat with celebrity doctor, businessman and overall style wizard Dr. Kho, who was also checking out the new Land-Dwellers, and yes he gushed over esoteric Rolex Daytonas. It was only natural for us to talk to a major investor of the luxury Swiss-Horology brand Vanguart Watches.
“I mean, the Land-Dweller is obviously a novelty, so I was interested in that,” he told Esquire Philippines on the sidelines of the Rolex watch line launch in Greenbelt 5. “But my favorite right now is the Daytona that has a Tiffany dial.”
Kho added that it was about time that Rolex put out the Land-Dweller for us “land-beings.”
And newsflash, his grail watches include out-of-catalogue Daytonas with sapphire and obsidian bezels, crazy pieces fitting for an ultra-stylish personality that go for upwards of P30 million if you get on a reasonable waitlist spot.
Kho also praised the Oyster Perpetual line with the new summer colors that include a sand-colored dial, saying it was one of Rolex’s more affordable options that is incredibly easy to wear and pair outfits with. This could be the ultimate starter watch as he said collectors shouldn’t really go for watches jam-packed with complications to start their collections.
”So, what I found is, you really, personally, have to choose a watch that you really like,” he said. “What I noticed also, in terms of investment, in terms of value, the simpler watches go up in prices faster or higher or better and it’s also easier to dispose of compared to more complicated watches."
Kho said first-time Rolex buyers should try to go for a Submariner or a classic Datejust to satisfy a burgeoning watch bug.
We also got to talk to actor and host Luis Manzano, who eloquently catalogued his thoughts on the new Rolexes and his own grail watches.
“When it first came out, I was not blown away,” he said. “But then after seeing it, seeing the thickness, seeing the bracelet, now I understand the hype. For me, the Platinum, there's something special about Rolex Platinum, once you mix it with the Icy Blue Dials.”
Manzano was sporting a beautiful Platinum Rolex Daytona or more affectionately called the “Platona,” which he said took him two years to get. On top of his grail list, he cited the iconic original Rolex “Paul Newman” Daytona” made of 18k gold, saying the watch just encapsulates the ultimate expression of Old Hollywood glamour.
Paul Newman and his coveted Daytona
“It's always nice if you have the simpler watches. I still do. get to enjoy a few pieces here and there,” Manzano added. “Whether it be digital, whether it be something as simple as other brands. It's all about collecting. Every watch has its purpose.”
