Smartphone makers partnering up and collaborating with non-smartphone companies isn’t new. Some of these partnerships even make sense, for example the partnerships between Xiaomi and Leica, Oppo and Hasselblad come to mind. But Realme’s partnership with Rolex for the upcoming Realme 12 Pro series is one that has us perplexed.
Realme’s post on X seems to be teasing a collaboration with a watchmaker. One of the posts reveals the collaboration with Ollivier Saveo, a luxury watch designer. Realme hasn’t confirmed their collaboration with Rolex just yet, but a post by @ZionsAnvin appears to have confirmed it.
Here is the Realme 12 Pro+…
Seems like a co-brand with Rolex#Realme12ProPlus #Realme12Pro #Realme12ProSeries5G pic.twitter.com/CF3GRl8t62
— Anvin (@ZionsAnvin) January 10, 2024
The post shows a render of the upcoming Realme 12 Pro series designed with a Rolex motif, featuring what appears to be blue leather with gold accents, similar to that of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust. We’re not sure what is the point of this collaboration since Rolex obviously has nothing to do with smartphones. Perhaps Realme is trying to create some sense of “luxury”.
The date shown on the watch suggests that the Realme 12 Pro series might see an official launch on the 28th. If this happens, we should have more details before the month ends. The Realme 12 Pro series will launch in two variants – the Pro and Pro+. Be sure to check back with us later for more updates.