Back in the day, the name Rolex conjured up images of rugged professional watches, hardy tool-like models for those venturing out into the wildest extremes, whether at the top of the world or diving into the abyssal depths.

More recently, it has become associated with notions of luxury, expense and opulence—worn as symbols of success and achievement.

It was a conscious effort by Rolex to change persona, a well-thought-out tactic to survive the worst of the quartz crisis and set themselves up as the ultimate aspirational purchase rather than a merely utilitarian one.

The shift in direction has led them down some previously unexplored paths, with a completely different type of clientele; the sort of people who would never be satisfied with anything understated or run of the mill, but who wear watches for one reason and one reason only—to stand out.

With money no object for this new breed, the shackles have been lifted and Rolex has been freed up to create some extraordinary, and extraordinarily expensive, pieces of flamboyant excess.

Below, we will take a look at some of the most outrageous:The Rolex Leopard Daytona ref. 116518-SE,The Rolex GMT-Master II Ice ref. 116769TBR,The Rolex Pearlmaster ref. 81405RBR

The Rolex Pearlmaster ref. 81405RBR

One of the Pearlmaster family which debuted in 1992 as a more exuberant take on the venerable Datejust, the series is renowned for its use of the highest quality gemstones, set in exclusively precious metal cases.

The range now comes in two versions; a 34mm and a recently introduced 39mm, with the 29mm from the original series since discontinued.

This model is from the former, with its midsize pink gold case barely visible under its head to toe diamond decoration.

Bar the winding crown, every square millimeter is covered in dazzling rocks. The encircling bezel has 32 of the largest, with similarly proportioned stones in twin lines around the length of the five-link Pearlmaster bracelet. The center and outer links, along with the elegantly curved lugs, are likewise festooned, in varying hand-shaped sizes.

The dial is paved across its entire surface, only leaving room for the date aperture and the ‘Rolex’ and ‘Datejust’ text at the 12 and 6 o’clock. Everose gold Roman numerals are applied on top.

Inside, the Cal. 2236 provides the power, one of the newer generations of movement from the brand, which have started to include silicon-based hairsprings for their antimagnetic properties and shock resistance. Rolex’s Syloxi components actually have a unique geometry, allowing them to compensate for gravitational variations, ensuring a completely unvarying performance in any position. The Cal. 2236 was the first to introduce the new technology, which is slowly being adopted across the range.

Of our three, it is the Pearlmaster which has the most wearability, helped by the warmth of its pink gold case just peeking through between the bucketfuls of diamonds. Although still ranking high on the bling-o-meter, it is not in the same outrageous league as the GMT and most definitely nowhere near the psychedelic Leopard.

A beautiful example of the gem setter’s art, the ref. 81405RBR is Rolex at its most jewelry-like, and a fine addition to an outstanding portfolio.