Roger Federer’s Colorful Rolex Stars on the U.S. Open Court
The returning champion’s multicolored Rolex Oyster Perpetual was introduced at this year’s Watches and Wonders
Roger Federer holds the tennis racket in his right hand, but the Rolex Oyster Perpetual on his left has also been a lightning rod for attention as the iconic athlete returned to the U.S. Open for an exhibition match. The timepiece in question is the 2026 Rolex Perpetual Oyster 36 with a multicolored lacquer “Jubilee motif” dial.
Rolex describes the dial as a reinterpretation of its Jubilee motif from the late 1970s, with letters from the name “Rolex” arranged in contrasting colors. Bright tones are applied sequentially rather than in a single printing operation. The case is 36 mm Oystersteel, with calibre 3230, roughly 70 hours of power reserve, an Oyster bracelet, and 100-meter water resistance.
The kaleidoscopic Jubilee dial has drawn widespread comparisons to the work of Italian conceptual artist Alighiero Boetti, particularly his vibrant word squares. Boetti died in 1994, and Rolex describes the design as a reinterpretation of its vintage Jubilee designs, but the watch’s grid of multicolored letters visually evokes Boetti’s Arazzi.
Federer has had a long and important relationship with Rolex. He has been a company ambassador since before he won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003, has appeared in Rolex advertising for decades, wears the watches at major public appearances, and is one of the people most closely associated with the brand. But Rolex has had a fruitful connection with tennis stars in general, including Chris Evert. Fereder’s use of the colorful 36 mm Oystersteel is just the latest in a long story.