Rolex are a desirable brand of watch, and are considered to be a status symbol by most people.
Rolex was founded in 1905 by a young man called
Hans Wilsdorf who had a vision of producing a wristwatch that was precise, elegant
and reliable. And that is exactly what he did and Rolex watches are now one of
the world’s largest producers of luxury watches which are renowned for their
performance and reliability as well as their luxury look and feel. Rolex are a
grand example of workmanship, exquisite clockwork design and horological excellence.
What makes a Rolex watch so special is the mix of precise
mechanical engineering coupled with its remarkable aesthetic appeal. The
excellence of the Rolex relates to it’s “Oyster” casing which is strong, robust
and waterproof. Made from 904L steel, 18 ct gold or 950 platinum, the Oyster
casing is the symbol of excellence. The mechanism of the Rolex watch is well
know for its chronometric performance and the excellence of it perpetual movements.
The Swiss movements fit neatly into the top quality Oyster casing.
It is the dial of the
watch which gives the Rolex its many unique faces and aesthetic appeal. The
numbers on the watch face may be in numerals, Roman numerals or in Arabic and
may have diamonds, mother of pearl or other precious gemstones as decoration. The
bracelet and clasps of the Rolex are reliable, elegant and comfortable to wear
and give the watch its uniqueness.
Located in Geneva,
Rolex is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf
Foundation, which is registered as a charity and therefore does not pay
corporate tax. According to Wikipedia the company’s main innovations are:
- It was the first to develop the waterproof wristwatch "Oyster", 1926
- Rolex produced automatic winding watches in 1932 which were based on a patented design by Harwood
- It was the first to develop a wristwatch with an automatically changing date on the dial, 1945
- It was the first to develop a wristwatch casing waterproof to 100 m (330 ft) – the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner, 1953
- It was the first wristwatch to show two time zones at once 1954 courageous
- It was the first to develop a wristwatch with an automatically changing day and date on the dial, 1956
- In the late 60’s and early 70’s Rolex was at the forefront of the development of quartz movements and produced their first quartz movement watch in 1968
- In recent years Rolex introduced ceramic bezels which are UV and scratch resistant in their sports watches.
As early as 1914 Rolex was awarded a Class A precision
certificate by the Kew Observatory. This was a distinction reserved exclusively
for marine chronometers. Rolex was also the first watchmaker to achieve
chronometer certification by the Swiss Contrôle Officiel Suisse des
Chronomètres (COSC) for a wristwatch. This means the watch had to meet specific
precisions standards when tested. Only timepieces that meet the strict criteria
are eligible to use the term chronometer on the device.
.
Because of all these firsts in development, Rolex watches
became sought after as the in thing in watches. A bit like apple products today
I guess, people would eagerly await the next update from Rolex. It was the
innovative approach that Rolex had which made their watches so desirable and
valued. Rolex watches are very valuable and timeless (excuse the pun!) They
maintain their value and are a good investment.
Both MEN and WOMEN alike wear a Rolex when they want to dress to impress.
Other than being well know for its precision and reliability
Rolex became well known for its humanitarian considerations. For example during
World War II pilots adopted Rolex watches because of the precision they
required. However if the were unfortunate enough to become prisoners of war
their watches were confiscated. When Hans Wilsdorf heard of this he offered to
replace all the watches and not require payment until the end of the war. This
simple act of kindness had a role to play in the popularization of Rolex
watches. It is also of important to note that the company is run as a charity although it seems unclear where the charitable donations are made.
But buyer beware! Unfortunately Rolex watches are frequently
counterfeited and sold illegally especially in Asian countries and online.
Always get a Rolex checked out by an expert to ensure its authenticity prior to
spending a lot of money on it.
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