Rolex 176200 Oyster Perpetual 26
Oyster Perpetual -> 176200
The 176200 is the Oyster Perpetual 26 — a 26mm steel Oyster running from 2007 to 2020, the smallest size in that generation's five-strong entry-tier lineup and the only one Rolex chose not to carry forward when it rebuilt the Oyster Perpetual line in 2020. Its close reference number has led it to be conflated with the 177200, a genuinely different watch one size up; the two share a caliber and not much else.
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 year, caliber family and general design language with the 116000 (36mm), 177200 (31mm) and Air-King 114200 (34mm) — the 2007 refresh that put Rolex's entry-tier Oyster catalogue onto COSC-certified, engraved-rehaut movements across every size then offered. It is the smallest of that group and, along with the 39mm size introduced later in 114300, one of only two sizes Rolex chose to retire outright in 2020 rather than carry forward under a new reference.
The reference gets far less individual editorial attention than its 36mm and 39mm siblings — no dedicated hands-on review from Monochrome or Fratello has been located, likely reflecting its position as the smallest, lowest-profile size in a catalogue that was itself considered unremarkable before 2020. Rolex's own archived catalogue lists it as a "You may also like" cross-reference from the 176200's own product page pointing toward the "OYSTER PERPETUAL 31" — Rolex's own site copy distinguishing the two sizes rather than treating them as a single model.
Production outline
The 176200 entered the catalogue in 2007 as part of the same coordinated refresh that introduced the 116000, 177200 and Air-King 114200, running caliber 2231 rather than the caliber 3130 fitted to the two larger references. It remained in the catalogue through August 2020 — Rolex's own site listed the 176200 as late as an archived 2019 snapshot — before being dropped entirely in the September 2020 relaunch of the Oyster Perpetual line, which replaced the smallest entry-tier size with a new 28mm reference (276200) rather than continuing a 26mm option.
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
Two configurations are documented: a silver dial and a red grape dial, both with applied stick hour markers and baton hands. The documented range is narrower than the 116000's or 114300's, consistent with the reference's thinner editorial coverage generally — further colors likely existed across a 13-year run but are not independently confirmed here.
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