What is Rolex batgirl? Complete Guide!
If you have been diving into the Rolex market and all of the beautiful creations that are in it, chances are you have come across the term ”Rolex Batgirl”.
But what does it really mean?
Let’s take a closer look.
What is Rolex batgirl?
The world of Rolex watches is full of nicknames and terms. Some are official names from Rolex but most of them are unofficial.
The term Rolex batgirl is one such term that is unofficial and has never been used by Rolex.
The watch market has come up with plenty of nicknames for Rolex watches over the years, including Pepsi, Kermit, Starbucks, Batman, and many more. Most of the time, the nicknames are strictly unofficial and are never used by Rolex. But if they stick, they become widely used by the watch market. Rolex Batgirl is one such nickname.
But there are also other nicknames and terms that have come about in other ways, for example,”Buckley dial”, which is named after a famous watch dealer in New York, Patrizzi dial, named after a famous auctioneer, or ”APH” dial, named after the way the text is printed on the dial.
Rolex ”Batgirl” refers to the Rolex GMT-Master II 126710BLNR. To understand how the name came about, we need to go back in time to the launch of the predecessor, the GMT-Master II 116710BLNR. The watch was released in 2013 and eventually acquired the nickname ”Batman” in the watch world. The reason for this nickname was the black and blue color scheme of the Cerachrom bezel which reminds of Batman’s colors in comic books.
The start of the nickname Rolex Batgirl
In 2019, Rolex discontinued the 116710BLNR ”Batman”. At the same time, it was replaced by a predecessor, reference 126710BLNR. Because it was a new model, it couldn’t use the same old nickname and instead needed something new to make it possible to distinguish between the two. Soon after its release, people started using the term Batgirl to refer to the model.
The reason for the nickname was because the 126710BLNR has a slightly more elegant and refined design than the 116710BLNR. The lugs on the 126710BLNR are slimmer, and upon its launch, it was also presented on a Jubilee bracelet which looks more elegant and less sporty than the robust Oyster bracelet. Moreover, the lugs of the watch are also slightly more curved than on the previous model.
With this in mind, because the watch appears slightly less sporty and more elegant, ”Batgirl” seems an appropriate name to describe the watch and how it differs from the predecessor.
In 2021, Rolex updated its whole steel GMT lineup by making the watches available with a Jubilee or Oyster bracelet. Whilst the 126710BLNR looks almost identical to the predecessor when it is fitted on an Oyster bracelet, it still retains slimmer lugs than on the predecessor. Therefore, the term Batgirl is used both for the 116710BLNR and the 126710BLNR. This is despite the fact that it was originally only used for the Jubilee bracelet.
Rolex Batman VS Rolex batgirl
To the untrained eye, the Rolex Batman and the Rolex Batgirl look identical. Especially when both of them are presented on Oyster bracelets. However, they do have slight differences, both visually and technically.
Movement: The 116710BLNR is powered by the GMT caliber 3186. The primary reason for the introduction of a new model was so that Rolex could upgrade it to a new generation caliber. The 126710BLNR is powered by the 3286 which has a power reserve of 70 hours. This is much better than the power reserve of 48 hours with the 3186.
Dial: The dials of the two watches are identical except for one small detail: at the bottom of the dial at 6 o’clock, it says ”Swiss Made” on the 116710BLNR. On the 126710BLNR, there is a Rolex coronet between the words ”Swiss” and ”Made” to indicate a new generation caliber. This is good to know as it will allow you to quicker determine whether it is a Batman or a Batgirl by quickly looking at the dial.
Case: At its core, the cases of the 116710BLNR and 126710BLNR are identical. However, there are slight differences. Some people found the case of the 116710BLNR to be a bit bulky with unnecessarily thick lugs. Rolex resolved this issue by making slimmer, more refined and curved lugs on the Rolex Batgirl. This is also one of the primary reasons why it acquired its new nickname.
Bracelet: The Rolex Batman was only available with an Oyster bracelet when it was in production. The Batgirl was initially only released with a Jubilee bracelet but was in 2021 made available with either the Jubilee or the Oyster bracelet. The Jubilee bracelet is considered more elegant and feminine than the sporty Oyster bracelet. This was also a contributing factor to why it acquired the nickname ”Batgirl”. If it would have bee presented only with an Oyster bracelet from the start, it’s not certain that it would have gotten this nickname. Instead, it perhaps would have been nicknamed ”Batman 2”, but we can only speculate.
Should you choose Rolex Batman or Batgirl?
This is ultimately a matter of preference. Both the Batman and Batgirl are highly popular models. Although, the newer model tends to be slightly more popular due to it being a newer watch.
For most people, it’s a matter of Jubilee bracelet or not. The Batman is not made with a Jubilee bracelet, so if you prefer the Jubilee bracelet, you may opt for the Batgirl. At the same time, the Batgirl is now available both on the Jubilee or the Oyster, so if you opt for the Batgirl on Oyster, it’s primarily from a technical aspect and the fact that the watch has a superior movement.
From a technical perspective, the Batgirl is of course the superior watch. It is powered by the new generation Rolex caliber and offers a greatly improved power reserve as well as improved performance. Both are of course great movements, but the movement of the Batgirl is an evolution of the Batman so naturally it is better technically.
It’s worth mentioning that it is possible to fit the old Batman with a Jubilee bracelet, even though it didn’t come as standard from factory. The Jubilee bracelet reference 63600 fits this model so if you prefer the chunkier case of the Batman but want the Jubilee, you can buy a 63600 Superjubilee and fit it to your watch.
Last but not least, the case of the Batgirl is more refined and is slimmer than that of the Batgirl. This comes down to preference, but if you want less chunky lugs and instead something that appears more elegant, you should opt for the new model.