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Rolex
Discontinued: Late 1940s
The original luxury rectangle. This Art Deco Rolex featured dual dials and was worn by Al Capone himself. Rolex marketed it as the world's only "Observatory Grade" wristwatch, and even created the first-ever "digital" watch with jumping hours.
Discontinued: Mid-1950s
Rolex's first automatic watch with a signature "bubble" caseback to house the rotor. Nicknamed "little egg" in Italy, these thick, distinctive timepieces became the first collector "hype" watches, selling for six figures in the 1980s boom.
Discontinued: 1956
Created for CERN researchers working with magnetic fields, this ultra-rare model had a Submariner-style bezel but no lightning bolt hand yet. Fewer than 200 examples exist, making it legendary among collectors.
Discontinued: 1999
The Pan Am pilot's companion. Born from an airline partnership with Pan Am, this dual-timezone Rolex featured the iconic red/blue "Pepsi" bezel. Honor Blackman wore one in Goldfinger, earning it the "Pussy Galore" nickname among Bond fans.
Discontinued: 1960
The lightning bolt legend. With its iconic lightning seconds hand and honeycomb dial, this anti-magnetic watch was so unpopular that Rolex gave them to NASCAR winners. After the product's discontinuation, they now resell for millions.
Discontinued: 1959
This was the first Rolex Explorer with the iconic 3-6-9 layout. This rugged companion celebrated Hillary and Tenzing's historic summit. Some early examples lacked "Explorer" text, making them especially sought after by vintage enthusiasts to this day.
Discontinued: 1954
This was the first true Explorer with the name on dial, featuring the rarest "waffle" textured surface. This galvanic-coated masterpiece had COSC certification and special temperature-resistant oils for extreme conditions.
Discontinued: 1963
The refined explorer. This watch introduced flatter casebacks and red depth markings on early examples. The ultra-rare "Albino" version featured a white dial instead of black, making it one of the most coveted vintage Explorers today.
Discontinued: 2011 (final version)
Predating GMT and Submariner bezels, this rotating-bezel Datejust was issued to the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds for navigation. Rolex revived it in the 2000s but couldn't recapture the magic.
Discontinued: 1986
Running for nearly 30 years, this smooth-bezeled scientist's Rolex dropped the rotating bezel for understated elegance. Despite its long production, it remained a niche favorite, making survivors highly collectible.
Discontinued: Early 2000s
This was Rolex's angular answer to the Japanese quartz crisis that took five years to develop. With integrated bracelets and superior accuracy, it proved Swiss makers could do quartz—they just preferred not to.
Discontinued: 2023
The elegant astronomer. This sophisticated dress watch brought lunar complications to Rolex's formal collection. Named after Renaissance artist Benvenuto Cellini, it represented Rolex's commitment to classical elegance beyond tool watches.
Discontinued: 2023
The musical masterpiece. This rare collaboration featured John Mayer's signature green on yellow gold. As one of Rolex's few celebrity partnerships, it instantly became a collector sensation.
Discontinued: 2024
This massive 44mm chronograph featured a unique countdown function and mechanical memory. The only one of its kind. Despite impressive engineering, it never achieved the popularity of simpler Rolex sports models.
Discontinued: 2023
The green crystal came back. After 20 years away, the Milgauss returned in 2007 with an orange lightning bolt and a green sapphire crystal. Its distinctive look made it a modern classic, but Rolex surprisingly discontinued it again after 16 years.
