Rolex Has Officially Discontinued The “Pepsi” GMT-Master II & “Cookie Monster” Submariner Date

Watches and Wonders Geneva 2026 was meant to be the Oyster centenary celebration. Instead, the conversation pivoted almost immediately to what Rolex quietly pulled from the catalog. The Pepsi is out. The Cookie Monster is out. A whole wing of the Yacht-Master has been redesigned. For collectors in the UAE, this is the most meaningful Rolex catalog reshuffle in years.

1. What changed at Watches and Wonders 2026
2. The Pepsi GMT bows out after a decade on top
3. The Cookie Monster Submariner disappears
4. A Yacht-Master reset, from Falcon's Eye to paved dials
5. The Celebration dials, already a memory
6. Why Rolex retires its most wanted watches
7. What discontinuation means for the secondary market
8. Buying a discontinued Rolex in Dubai
9. Frequently asked questions

What changed at Watches and Wonders 2026

Rolex does not issue press releases for discontinuations. References simply leave the catalog. Dealers stop receiving deliveries. The watch vanishes from rolex.com. By the time Geneva opens, the market has usually priced in the rumor, and the confirmation arrives as absence rather than announcement. The 2026 show was held against the backdrop of the Oyster case centenary, a milestone Rolex patented in 1926 as the first commercially viable waterproof wristwatch case. The brand introduced 58 new references at the fair, ranging from a $6,750 Oyster Perpetual 36 to a $98,100 diamond-paved Day-Date 36, alongside a new Rolesium Cosmograph Daytona and a Day-Date 40 in a newly developed 18ct Jubilee gold alloy. The headline arrivals were striking. The headline exits were historic. Here is the short list of references that left the Rolex catalog around Watches and Wonders 2026, based on authorized dealer reports and the post-show absence from rolex.com:

• GMT-Master II "Pepsi" in stainless steel (ref. 126710BLRO, Oyster and Jubilee)
• GMT-Master II "Pepsi" in 18k white gold (ref. 126719BLRO, including meteorite and midnight blue lacquer dials)
• Submariner Date "Cookie Monster" in 18k white gold (ref. 126619LB)
• Everose gold Yacht-Master Oysterflex paved dial variants (refs. 126655 and 268655)
• Datejust 31 floral motif dial configurations
• Several GMT-Master II and Daytona "SARU" and gem-set rotations
• The original Yacht-Master II (replaced at the same show by refs. 126680 and 126688)

The Pepsi GMT bows out after a decade on top

If only one discontinuation from 2026 will still be discussed in ten years, it is this one. The GMT-Master II "Pepsi" ref. 126710BLRO has been removed from active production in all configurations, the stainless steel model on both Oyster and Jubilee bracelets and the 18k white gold ref. 126719BLRO with its meteorite and midnight blue lacquer dial variants. The Pepsi bezel is not just a colorway. It is the visual DNA of the GMT-Master lineage. When Rolex debuted the original ref. 6542 in 1955 in partnership with Pan American Airways, the red half signified daylight hours and the blue half signified nighttime, a functional cue for transatlantic pilots tracking a second time zone. Every Pepsi since has carried that history on the wrist, which is why its exit feels less like a catalog edit and more like the close of a chapter. The market response has been immediate. WatchCharts data shows the pre-owned steel Pepsi selling in a median of 16 days in March 2026, faster than 91 percent of the watches it tracks. Robb Report reported secondary prices on the steel Pepsi surging past $30,000 on confirmation, with unworn examples pushing above $40,000 against a retail of roughly $10,700. Earlier in 2026, prices had already climbed about $3,000 on rumor alone, per Bloomberg's Subdial Watch Index.

Reference breakdown: the 2026 Pepsi exits

Reference	Case	Notable	Approx. pre-discontinuation retail
126710BLRO (Jubilee)	40mm Oystersteel	Original modern Cerachrom Pepsi	$10,900
126710BLRO (Oyster)	40mm Oystersteel	Added 2021 for a sportier profile	$10,700
126719BLRO (blue dial)	40mm 18k white gold	Launched 2014, first modern Pepsi	~$45,000
126719BLRO (meteorite)	40mm 18k white gold	Asteroid-origin dial, high collector demand	~$48,000

Industry analysts have been tracking a second signal: Rolex filed a patent in 2022 for a ceramic process capable of producing a stable red-and-black bi-color bezel. The Coke GMT, the other original GMT-Master II colorway, has not been made in modern Cerachrom. The Pepsi's exit clears the slot. Whether Rolex uses it is the open question, but the patent is in hand.

The Cookie Monster Submariner disappears

Alongside the Pepsi, Rolex has discontinued the Submariner Date ref. 126619LB, known by collectors as the Cookie Monster for its blue ceramic bezel paired with a black dial, set in an 18k white gold 41mm case. It launched in 2020 as the successor to the all-blue Smurf (ref. 116619LB) and held its place in the catalog for six years. Unlike the Pepsi, the Cookie Monster spent most of its run trading at or below retail. With a list price of roughly $52,100 before the 2026 price adjustments, pre-owned examples routinely settled between $33,000 and $45,000 on platforms like Chrono24 and WatchCharts. Unworn 2026-dated pieces are now listing closer to $50,000 as supply tightens, a move that looks less like a cultural moment and more like a slow but real tightening of available stock. What makes this exit meaningful for collectors is scarcity. White gold Submariners have always been produced in small numbers. Only six years of the 126619LB exist worldwide. Precious-metal Submariners with a distinct visual identity have historically built strong generational collecting arcs once production ends, and the Cookie Monster is the only Submariner in modern memory to combine a full white gold case and bracelet with a non-matching, boldly colored bezel.

A Yacht-Master reset, from Falcon's Eye to paved dials

The quietest story of 2026 is also the most strategic. Rolex has been reshaping the Yacht-Master family in stages, and 2026 completed the reset.

The Everose Oysterflex paved dials are gone

Both paved dial configurations of the Everose gold Yacht-Master on Oysterflex have been retired: the 40mm ref. 126655, in the catalog since 2019, and the 37mm ref. 268655, which had been in production since 2015. The broader Oysterflex Yacht-Master line remains active, but these specific high-jewelry references are out. Of particular note, the 268655 holds a permanent place in Rolex history as the first reference to use the silicon Syloxi balance spring, a material milestone for the brand.

The Falcon's Eye Yacht-Master 42 was already out

The Yacht-Master 42 ref. 226659 in white gold with the semi-precious Falcon's Eye stone dial had been retired at Watches and Wonders 2025, after a production run of just three years. At $50,000 to $55,000 on the secondary market in early 2026, it is already trading above retail but has not yet seen the parabolic climb that typically follows a rare stone-dial discontinuation.

The Yacht-Master II returns in its place

At the same 2026 show, Rolex announced the return of the Yacht-Master II (refs. 126680 and 126688), a regatta-complication model that had been absent from the active lineup. Taken together, the simultaneous retirements and return signal a full architectural repositioning of the Yacht-Master collection.

The Celebration dials, already a memory

For context on how quickly modern Rolex references can come and go, the three Celebration dial variants of the Oyster Perpetual (41mm, 36mm and 31mm) were retired at Watches and Wonders 2025, only two years after their 2023 introduction. The multicolored crown motif on turquoise was one of the most divisive, and most instantly collectible, Oyster Perpetual designs of the modern era. They now sit on the secondary market without a direct replacement, and the catalog has shifted focus to the centenary pieces instead. The 2025 wave also included the white gold Turquoise Day-Date (ref. 128239) and several diamond-set Day-Date 36 variants, along with the Datejust 31 floral motif dials. These are worth knowing about in 2026 because they represent the two-year window in which a recently discontinued Rolex is typically either underpriced or overlooked, before the market catches up.

Why Rolex retires its most wanted watches

Rolex discontinuations are rarely accidental. There is a pattern, and it helps explain what just happened.

• The watch becomes more valuable than it is wearable. When a reference consistently trades at double retail for years, it has stopped being a retail product and become a speculative one. The Submariner "Hulk" (ref. 116610LV) was discontinued in 2020 under very similar conditions. The modern Pepsi spent most of its decade in precisely that territory.
• Production complexity outpaces demand. The red-and-blue Cerachrom bezel is one of the most technically difficult components Rolex manufactures. Rumors of low production yields have followed the Pepsi since launch. Retiring it clears a production line that rolex can redeploy.
• The catalog needs a narrative. The Oyster centenary was always going to be the 2026 story. Simplifying around that theme required pulling hero pieces that would otherwise crowd the release.
• Scarcity is the product. Rolex deliberately produces fewer watches than demand supports. Rotating references reinforces the aura, keeps the secondary market liquid, and makes the brand's next release feel consequential.

What discontinuation means for the secondary market

Discontinued Rolex references do not all behave the same way. A useful mental model, looking at the last five years of data:

• Cult sport watches tend to jump and hold. The Submariner Hulk roughly doubled in two years after its 2020 exit. The steel Pepsi, starting from a higher floor, is already past $30,000 with unworn examples clearing $40,000. Dealers expect the 2026-dated pieces to push toward $40,000 by year-end, per reporting in Robb Report.
• Precious metal variants appreciate more slowly. The Cookie Monster, the white gold Pepsi 126719BLRO, and the Everose paved Yacht-Masters all fall into this category. Upside is real but driven by scarcity over time rather than a sudden spike.
• Stone-dial references are a specialist market. The Falcon's Eye is the clearest example. Collectors who want it will pay, but the pool is smaller.
• Rumor trumps confirmation. Most of the Pepsi's 2026 price move had already happened by the time Geneva opened. Watching authorized dealer inventory is usually more useful than waiting for the show.

For detailed historical price charts on any of these references, WatchCharts maintains the most comprehensive public tracker. A live view of the steel Pepsi is available on the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLRO market page, which updates weekly.

Buying a discontinued Rolex in Dubai

Dubai has always been one of the strongest Rolex markets in the world, and the UAE secondary market typically reflects global pricing with some regional nuance. A few points worth keeping in mind if you are shopping for a discontinued reference in 2026:

• Full set matters more now than ever. Box, original papers, and a clean service history can add ten to fifteen percent to a discontinued reference's value. Unworn with complete set is the benchmark pricing tier.
• Provenance beats price. Super-fakes have become convincing, especially on the Pepsi and Submariner lines. A trusted specialist dealer in the UAE who authenticates in-house will save far more than any online discount.
• Bracelet choice still changes resale. On the steel Pepsi, the Jubilee bracelet typically carries a five percent premium over the Oyster on the secondary market, because the Jubilee was the original 2018 configuration.
• The Batman is the closest living relative. If you missed the Pepsi window, the GMT-Master II "Batman" (ref. 126710BLNR) is still in production, still shares the same case, movement and bracelet options, and is currently trading $3,000 to $5,000 below the Pepsi at most UAE dealers.

For those considering a men's Rolex or a classic reference like the Datejust as a first serious collectible, the 2026 reset is a good moment to pay attention to what is still in production today. Several of the 2026 catalog pieces will be the 2030 discontinuations. For the broader context on what is new in the 2026 Rolex catalog, the official Rolex new watches 2026 page is the authoritative reference.

Frequently asked questions

Which Rolex watches were discontinued in 2026?

At Watches and Wonders 2026, Rolex discontinued the GMT-Master II "Pepsi" in both stainless steel (ref. 126710BLRO) and 18k white gold (ref. 126719BLRO), the Submariner Date "Cookie Monster" in white gold (ref. 126619LB), the paved dial Everose gold Yacht-Master Oysterflex variants (refs. 126655 and 268655), Datejust 31 floral motif dials, and several gem-set GMT and Daytona rotations. The original Yacht-Master II was retired and replaced by new refs. 126680 and 126688.

Is the Rolex Pepsi really discontinued?

Yes. The ref. 126710BLRO has been removed from rolex.com and authorized dealers confirmed deliveries had already stopped before Watches and Wonders 2026. Rolex does not issue official discontinuation announcements, which is standard practice. The absence of the watch from the 2026 catalog and the halt in AD allocations together function as the confirmation.

How much is a discontinued Rolex Pepsi worth in 2026?

Steel ref. 126710BLRO prices have climbed significantly post-confirmation. Pre-owned examples were trading around $22,000 to $27,000 in early 2026 and surged past $30,000 after the Geneva show, with unworn full-set examples reaching $40,000 or more. The white gold ref. 126719BLRO with meteorite or midnight blue lacquer dial trades in a wider $45,000 to $65,000 band depending on condition and dial variant.

Will Rolex release a Coke GMT to replace the Pepsi?

Nothing is confirmed. Rolex filed a patent in 2022 for a ceramic process capable of producing a stable red-and-black bezel, and industry observers see the Pepsi's 2026 exit as the catalog slot being cleared. If Rolex follows the Pepsi's rollout pattern, a Coke would likely debut first in white gold before reaching steel. No release timeline has been announced.

Is the Cookie Monster Submariner a good investment now?

The 126619LB is a strong long-term hold rather than a quick flip. White gold Submariners have always been produced in limited quantities, and only six years of this reference exist. Historical precedent for precious metal sport watches suggests gradual appreciation rather than a sudden spike. At roughly $33,000 to $50,000 on the secondary market in 2026, unworn examples with full sets are the strongest tier for value retention.

Why does Rolex discontinue its most popular watches?

Rolex uses discontinuation as a deliberate catalog strategy. When a watch trades at double retail for an extended period, it has outgrown its role as a retail product. Rotating references maintains scarcity, keeps the brand's mystique intact, and positions new releases as meaningful rather than incremental. Production complexity of components like the two-color Cerachrom bezel also factors into the timing.

Where can I buy a discontinued Rolex in Dubai?

Authorized dealers no longer carry discontinued references once inventory clears. The secondary market is the only route, and in the UAE that means buying from a specialist pre-owned dealer who authenticates in-house and can verify box, papers and service history. Luxury Souq stocks a curated range of new and pre-owned Rolex references including Submariner, GMT-Master II, Datejust, Day-Date and Yacht-Master variants, with authentication and warranty backing every piece.

How can I tell if a discontinued Rolex is authentic?

Verify the reference and serial numbers, which on modern Rolex watches are engraved on the rehaut at 6 o'clock and often between the lugs. Cross-check against original papers and a valid Rolex guarantee card. Movement, dial printing, bezel insert color depth, and bracelet finishing are the most common tells. The safest route is to buy from a dealer who performs multi-point authentication and offers a warranty.

What other Rolex watches should I watch in 2026?

The references still in production that carry the closest design DNA to the 2026 exits are the most likely to appreciate. The GMT-Master II "Batman" ref. 126710BLNR, the steel Submariner Date ref. 126610, and the 40mm Yacht-Master on Oysterflex are all current catalog pieces that benefit directly from Pepsi, Cookie Monster, and paved Yacht-Master departures. Any of these could be the next discontinuation headline.