Rolex 176200 Oyster Perpetual 26
Oyster Perpetual -> 176200
The 176200 is the 26mm steel Oyster Perpetual from the late-2000s generation. Rolex listed the reference in archived catalogues through 2020; the records cited here do not establish the exact last assembly or delivery date. Its similar reference number is sometimes confused with the 177200, which is the 31mm model. Both use caliber 2231, but they are separate case sizes.
Core facts
| detail | value |
|---|---|
| reference | 176200 |
| family | Oyster Perpetual |
| common name | "Oyster Perpetual 26," "OP26" |
| production | 2007–2020 |
| case | 26mm steel Oyster, monobloc middle case, domed bezel |
| crystal | scratch-resistant sapphire |
| crown | Twinlock screw-down |
| water resistance | 100m / 330 feet |
| movement | caliber 2231, self-winding, ~48h reserve, COSC certified |
| dial (documented) | silver, red grape |
| bracelet | Oyster, flat three-piece links, Oysterclasp |
| successor | none directly — Rolex discontinued the 26mm size in 2020; the entry-tier line's smallest size became the 28mm 276200 |
Where it sits in the line
The 176200 shares its launch period and caliber family with the 177200 (31mm), 116000 (36mm), and Air-King 114200 (34mm). The 26mm and 31mm models use caliber 2231; the larger references use different 31xx-family movements. Rolex removed the 26mm size in the 2020 catalogue refresh and began the new range at 28mm.
The available sources are mainly archived Rolex specifications and individual auction or certified-pre-owned records. They identify the reference and its 26mm case, but do not provide a complete catalogue of dials or a full production record.
Production outline
The 176200 appears in archived Rolex specifications from the 2007 generation and was still listed in an August 2020 catalogue. The September 2020 range began at 28mm with reference 276200. These records bracket the catalogue change but do not establish the last watch assembled or delivered.
Movement notes
Caliber 2231 is the smaller-diameter movement family Rolex fitted to the 26mm and 31mm Oyster Perpetual sizes, distinct from the caliber 3130/3132 family used on the 34mm, 36mm and 39mm references of the same generation. It shares the self-winding architecture, bidirectional Perpetual rotor winding, and COSC chronometer certification standard across the line, scaled down for the smaller case.
Dial map
The cited records show silver and red-grape dials, along with a white dial with black Arabic numerals and a silvered dial with luminous rectangular indexes. These are documented watches, not a complete factory dial list.
Case, bezel, crystal, and crown
26mm monobloc-middle Oyster case in Oystersteel, domed smooth bezel, sapphire crystal without a Cyclops lens, Twinlock screw-down crown, 100m water resistance — the same construction language as the rest of the 2007-generation entry-tier line, scaled to the smallest case in it.
Bracelets, end links, and clasps
Oyster bracelet, flat three-piece links, folding Oysterclasp — consistent with the 176200's siblings across the 2007 generation.
Related references
- Oyster Perpetual 31 (177200) — same generation, same caliber family, one size up
- Oyster Perpetual 36 (116000)
- Air-King 114200 — same 2007 launch year
See also the Oyster Perpetual family index, movement reference, bracelet & clasp guide, and serial numbers by year.
Sources
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual 26, ref. 176200 — official specifications, archived (rolex.com via Wayback Machine, 2019)
- Rolex Oyster Perpetual 26, ref. 176200, silver dial — official specifications, archived (rolex.com via Wayback Machine, 2019)
- Robertino Altieri, "Rolex Oyster Perpetual Buyer's Guide: History & Prices", WatchGuys