Reference Guide for Iced Out Rolex Watches

While ice-out Rolex watches may not be to everyone’s taste, there is no denying that the quality of the factory gem-set fake Rolex watches is top-notch. Similar to all other parts of its watch-making process, Rolex maintains strict control over the precious stones used in its watches. From sourcing the best stones on the market to getting the settings just right, much of the development of Rolex diamond watches is done in-house and to the highest standards possible.

Adding aftermarket diamonds to Rolex watches is a fairly common practice. There are plenty of independent jewelers who will gladly pave any Rolex watch – whether it’s a Datejust, President, Submariner, GMT-Master, or Daytona – with a sparkling gemstone. Unfortunately, contrary to popular belief, customizing a Rolex watch with diamonds or other gemstones can quickly depreciate in value – regardless of the price of the actual gem setting.

However, a Rolex sports watch on ice is also very necessary. Rolex has produced many different gem-set Daytona, Submariner, GMT-Master II, and Yacht-Master models, and the Daytona with diamond hour markers and the Yacht-Master with a diamond-paved dial is now part of the standard Rolex catalog.

Another common area where Rolex offers gemstone accents is the watch bezel, which usually features diamonds, but can also include sapphires, rubies, or emeralds. Some bezels are entirely set with round or baguette-cut diamonds, such as those found in the Datejust, Day-Date President, and Pearlmaster collections. Rolex also made some Pearlmaster and Datejust models with a dozen or so diamonds set around the bezel rather than covering the entire surface, while the replica Rolex Rainbow Daytona model is a particularly collectible icebreaker with its rainbow-colored trapezoid-cut sapphires.

Although not as common as dials and bezels, Rolex also made watches with diamond-set cases and bracelets. Some examples include the Lady-Datejust ref. 179159, as well as the Day-Date ref. 18348 with the remarkable President bracelet with a diamond-set center link, and the Daytona ref. 116598SACO, which comes with a leather strap but features diamond-set lugs that fill the gap.