A perfectly controlled production line, an unblemished reputation, innovation and avant-garde aesthetics, prestigious ambassadors… Since its creation in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex has never lost its superb character. Drawing on an inestimable heritage, the company continues to arouse admiration in the watchmaking world.
When one thinks of luxury watches, Rolex is surely the first name that comes to mind. Famous throughout the world, the brand reigns supreme in this universe. Visionary and innovative, its founder Hans Wilsdorf dreamed of a wristwatch that was as beautiful as it was technical. This dreamlike quest materialized in a timepiece with a smaller, high-quality movement, which earned the brand recognition from the beginning of the 20th century.
A history of innovation
What defines a luxury watch? First and foremost, its ability to innovate and be a pioneer. And Rolex has always distinguished itself in this area. In fact, it was to be as close as possible to the latest inventions that the company set up in 1919 in Geneva, the world capital of watchmaking. And Hans Wilsdorf’s brand was quick to take up major sporting and scientific challenges.
In 1926, the brand created the first water- and dust-resistant watch. Called the “Oyster”, this timepiece crossed the English Channel on the wrist of swimmer Mercedes Gleitze and emerged from this 10-hour adventure in perfect condition. This incredible feat brought Rolex’s innovative techniques to light, inspiring a good number of watchmaking companies, listed and available on Chrono24.
The company didn’t stop there, as it went on to develop professional watches in the 1950s. Their specific features are perfectly suited to scuba diving with the Submariner and the Deep Sea Special, aviation with the GMT-Master, mountaineering with the Explorer and motorsport with the Cosmograph Daytona, the future Daytona. So many pieces that have allowed Rolex to be associated with sporting records, as evidenced by the Deepsea Challenge, water resistant to 12,000 meters.
Other now iconic watches have enriched the collections of Rolex, such as the Datejust in 1945, the first self-winding chronometer model to display the date in a window on the dial, and the Day-Date (1956), the first wristwatch to display the day of the week in full in a window on the dial.
The brand also established its reputation with its Perpetual movement, an automatic system that winds the watch with the simple movements of the wrist. Calibre 3255, 2232, 4130, 3230; fluted platinum bezel; blue Parachrom hairspring; 904L steel… It is difficult to name all the innovations offered by Rolex, as they are so numerous, decade after decade.
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