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Gone Bye Bye: The Rolex Watches Discontinued in 2026
For most of us, it is the new watches Rolex brings out every year which causes the greatest excitement. However, in some ways, it is the ones they choose to remove from the catalog which can be just as noteworthy.
When a Rolex is discontinued, the entire secondary market gets almost immediately reshaped—and especially if the watch in question happens to be one of the all-time greats. Additionally, true fans of the brand form real emotional attachments to particular models. Should it get retired, that affection often increases, similarly to when an old friend moves away.
2026 saw the withdrawal of a number of Rolex watches, including the long-rumored halt of arguably their most iconic name.
Below we take a look at the models which are suddenly no more.
The Rolex GMT-Master II ‘Pepsi’
There had been grapevine scuttlebutt over Rolex removing the Pepsi GMT from the portfolio for years before W&W confirmed it this month. In fact, as early as February there was talk that supply to ADs had ceased completely, leading to an almost instant bump in premiums on the secondary market. The steel watch you could buy for around $20K in January was suddenly costing $25-27K in March. Today, you’ll be lucky to find one, with a full set, for under $30K.
Issues have reportedly revolved around Rolex’s inability to manufacture the red part of the bezel in a way which adheres to new sustainability goals. Which is a fascinating statement in itself. If there’s one thing we know about the brand, it is that they’re problem solvers. It seems unlikely the company is not going all out to come up with a technique which will get around the obstacle. Particularly as the Pepsi is easily one of the most culturally significant presences in the entire collection—seen as the ‘original’ version of the world’s favorite travel companion and, as such, among the most in-demand models from Rolex or any other brand. So this could well be more a brief hiatus than a complete demise.
That production problem would also explain why they haven’t come out with the much-anticipated Coke (red and black) reissue for so long.
In the meantime, what is this going to mean for collectors? Well, it depends on what side of the fence you’re on. For current Pepsi owners, it’s happy days! For those looking to buy, it’s all a bit…yikes!
To put it into perspective, when the much beloved Hulk Submariner was discontinued in 2020, it more or less doubled in value on the grey market in two years. But while the Pepsi is starting at a higher base price than the Hulk, it would be surprising if it wasn’t commanding upwards of $35K by the end of the year.
And it’s not just the two steel models either, on the Jubilee and the Oyster. The white gold pieces—with either a blue or meteorite dial—were already some of the most sought-after precious metal sports models Rolex offered, especially the meteorite version. Fittingly, you can legitimately expect examples of those to go positively stratospheric.
The Rolex Submariner ‘Cookie Monster’
Speaking of precious metal sports models…
Something no one was really talking about pre-W&W was seeing the last of Rolex’s ref. 126619LB, affectionately nicknamed the Cookie Monster.
Only in production since 2020 (it was part of the new 41mm generation which took over from the former Super Case models) it was the ostensible replacement for the Smurf. That watch had both a blue bezel and a blue dial, whereas the Cookie Monster was a less in-your-face example, with only a blue bezel fronting a black dial (in the same set up as when the current Starbucks replaced the aforementioned Hulk, except in green).
That leaves the Submariner collection without a white gold option and, in fact, without any precious metal model at all with a contrasting dial and bezel.
What is this likely to mean? The Cookie Monster was only the second white gold Sub ever to exist (the Smurf was the first). It was also one of the very few white gold Rolex sports watches to garner its own acolyte nickname—indicating it was a well thought of model. Those factors, coupled with the relatively short length of time in the collection, would all point towards the Cookie Monster becoming a highly in-demand target for collectors, leading to a massive upsurge in value.
However, unlike the Pepsi, the removal of the ref. 126619LB was not on anyone’s radar—and so, the market has not yet really reacted. Therefore, you still have a bit of breathing room to buy one if you’re on the hunt before everyone catches up and prices start going a bit barmy.
But I wouldn’t drag your feet!
The Rolex Yacht-Master with Pavé Dials
With all the headlines centered around the return of the Yacht-Master II and its impressive regatta timer after a two-year absence, you’d be forgiven for missing the fact that a pair of the most striking examples from the original Yacht-Master series bade their farewells in 2026.
Both references, the 37mm ref. 268655 and the 40mm ref. 126655, were in Everose gold, came with black Cerachrom bezels and Rolex’s rubber Oysterflex straps and both were set with full diamond pavé on their dials.
Neither had been around for all that long. The 37mm was released in 2015, the 40mm in 2019 and their withdrawal could point to the whole Yacht-Master line being taken to a more tool watchy place. The series still has, for example, the non-diamond version of both models, alongside others in Rolex’s newest venture, RLX Titanium. And of the 12 pieces in the current line-up, a third of them sit on the Oysterflex.
Within that line-up the ultra-opulence of the now retired gem-swamped models looked a little out of place. But what happens to those watches now on the preowned market?
Well, Everose gold references, and Professional Collection models with distinctive dial treatments especially, have traditionally performed extremely well as secondary buys. Plus, there is a little bit of historical importance with the 37mm. The piece was powered by the Cal. 2236, the first Rolex movement with a silicon Syloxi hairspring.
Furthermore, with the brand’s gem setters being the fastidious workers that they are, the dials on the pair were extraordinarily labor intensive, and therefore relatively rare.
All of that points to the departing Yacht-Masters looking at strong premiums in the future.
Featured Photo: Mixed art by Oriol Mendivil for BKT Archive.
