The Book of Rolex by ACC Art Books

THE BOOK OF

ROL E X

JENS HÃ&#x2DC;Y

CHRISTIAN FROST

THE BOOK OF

RO L E X

CONTENTS Introduction 7

Rolex's Secret Merchandising 97

The Rolex Story 11

The Masters of Advertising 101

Cosmograph Daytona 19

The Pilot's Watch: GMT-Master 107

Twelve Facts about Rolex 24 at Daytona 25

The Science Watch: Milgauss 113

Paul Newman's Daytona 27

The Fake Rolex 118

A Rolex is 100 Per Cent Swiss-Made 29

Frankenstein 123

Explorer 31

How to Spot a Fake Rolex 126

The Classic: Oyster 39

The Next Level: Customised 129

When Your Rolex Needs Servicing 47

The Workhorse: Submariner 133

Changing the Dial on Your Rolex 55

Know Your Rolex's Nickname 140

The Classic Rolex: Datejust 57

The Captain's Watch: Yacht-Master 147

Materials 65

For the Lady in Your Life: Lady-Datejust 155

The Bracelet 67

Submariner ultra: Sea-Dweller 163

The Movement 69

Your First Rolex 169

The President's Watch: Day-Date 73

The Secret Cellini 175

Ten Facts about Rolex 81

The Doctor's Watch 181

The Businessman's Watch: Sky-Dweller 85

The King of Diving Watches: Deepsea 185

When a Rolex Becomes Vintage 91

Rolex's Forgotten Brother: Tudor 191

Why Vintage Is a Great Investment 95

THE BOOK OF

RO L E X

CONTENTS Introduction 7

Rolex's Secret Merchandising 97

The Rolex Story 11

The Masters of Advertising 101

Cosmograph Daytona 19

The Pilot's Watch: GMT-Master 107

Twelve Facts about Rolex 24 at Daytona 25

The Science Watch: Milgauss 113

Paul Newman's Daytona 27

The Fake Rolex 118

A Rolex is 100 Per Cent Swiss-Made 29

Frankenstein 123

Explorer 31

How to Spot a Fake Rolex 126

The Classic: Oyster 39

The Next Level: Customised 129

When Your Rolex Needs Servicing 47

The Workhorse: Submariner 133

Changing the Dial on Your Rolex 55

Know Your Rolex's Nickname 140

The Classic Rolex: Datejust 57

The Captain's Watch: Yacht-Master 147

Materials 65

For the Lady in Your Life: Lady-Datejust 155

The Bracelet 67

Submariner ultra: Sea-Dweller 163

The Movement 69

Your First Rolex 169

The President's Watch: Day-Date 73

The Secret Cellini 175

Ten Facts about Rolex 81

The Doctor's Watch 181

The Businessman's Watch: Sky-Dweller 85

The King of Diving Watches: Deepsea 185

When a Rolex Becomes Vintage 91

Rolex's Forgotten Brother: Tudor 191

Why Vintage Is a Great Investment 95

THE BOOK OF

RO L E X

THE ROLEX

STO RY

The story of Rolex is the story of an orphan boy, born in Germany, who created the world's most iconic watch, which helped plan the Great Escape during WWII

ROLEX OYSTER FROM 1953, which is WATERPROOF

to a depth of 100 METRES. It was this model that evolved into ROLEX'S successful SUBMARINER SERIES.

de-Fonds in Switzerland. How Wilsdorf came up with the name olex watches are seen on the wrists of artists and ‘Rolex’ has been discussed at length among watch aficionados. businessmen, doctors and mechanics, as well as The official explanation from Wilsdorf himself was that he wanted presidents and hip-hop stars with millions in the a name short enough to fit on the dial of a watch, that could be bank. They come in a range of prices, from the fairly pronounced in any language. A more romantic explanation is that inexpensive Air-King to the Daytona in platinum, which costs more Wilsdorf was inspired by the distinct sound of winding a Swiss than most of us spend on a car. A Rolex can be steel or precious watch movement. metal, decorated with diamonds and gems in all the colours of the The quality of the watches from Wilsdorf & Davis quickly made rainbow, and on top of that, there are the vintage models, which, in a name for themselves, and in 1914 they were awarded a Class A terms of value, span the entire price range. precision certificate by the renowned Kew Observatory. This It's fair to claim then, that Rolex might have the most diverse certification was normally only bestowed upon watches used by the range of customers anywhere. The brand itself is an icon and, love Royal Navy, since successful navigation of the seven seas depended it or loathe it, you will have an opinion about it. For some, Rolex's upon being able to tell the time with great accuracy. This same classic design and rich tradition are the definition of the classic year, 1914, also marked the start of WWI, which spelled the end for Swiss watch. For others, Rolex is nothing more than a rather gaudy Wilsdorf & Davis and the advent of Rolex. way to demonstrate wealth and success, as was indeed the case with The outbreak of war meant higher taxes on luxury goods like the yuppie generation in the 1980s. However, the story of Rolex is gold, silver and Swiss watch movements, and so the watches from so much more than that. Wilsdorf & Davis simply became too expensive. In 1919, Wilsdorf & It started in 1905, when Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis, Davis left London for Geneva, and changed the name to the Rolex who were related by marriage, decided to become business Watch Company. In the years to come, the name would be changed partners. Wilsdorf & Davis imported watch movements from to Montres Rolex SA and then to Rolex SA. Wilsdorf never forgot Aegler in Switzerland, and set them in watches made by British about London and England, which he demonstrated when the watchmakers. The watches were then sold to London jewellers, world went to war once again. who stamped their own name on the British soldiers would often dial; the only trace of Wilsdorf & Rolex watches are seen on the purchase a Rolex, since it had greater Davis was the initials ‘W&D’ on the wrists of artists and businessmen, accuracy and was more robust than back of the watchcase. Then, in 1908, Hans Wilsdorf doctors and mechanics, presidents the standard issue Army watch. And so it was that a Rolex watch came to registered the name ‘Rolex’. Though and hip-hop stars with millions play a decisive part in what came to be still living in London at the time, in the bank known as the Great Escape. he opened an office in La Chaux11

THE BOOK OF

RO L E X

THE ROLEX

STO RY

The story of Rolex is the story of an orphan boy, born in Germany, who created the world's most iconic watch, which helped plan the Great Escape during WWII

ROLEX OYSTER FROM 1953, which is WATERPROOF

to a depth of 100 METRES. It was this model that evolved into ROLEX'S successful SUBMARINER SERIES.

THE BOOK OF

RO L E X

Very few pictures exist from STALAG LUFT III, the WWII POW camp. The mastermind behind the Great Escape, C.J. NUTTING, is seen on the left in the picture. THE GREAT ESCAPE became a movie with STEVE MCQUEEN, but without ROLEX it would never have happened.

I Above, the first ROLEX OYSTER from 1926, the world's first WATERPROOF WRISTWATCH, and to the left, the legendary COSMOGRAPH DAYTONA in gold. Below, the first MOVEMENT from Rolex, which made the whole thing POSSIBLE.

n 1944, a year before WWII ended, Hans Wilsdorf's wife passed However, Rolex didn't become a success by accident. The reason away. Needless to say, this left Wilsdorf deeply saddened, but Wilsdorf went into business in the first place, was to make highit also made him very aware of his own mortality and worried quality watches for a reasonable price. A Rolex might seem very about what would become of the company he had created. He expensive, but in fact it's more or less impossible to find another had spent the majority of his life as an orphan, since both his parents hand-assembled Swiss wristwatch that is more affordable. passed away before he was 12 years old. By this time Rolex SA was Wilsdorf never stopped pushing the limits of what was possible. already a giant in the watch industry, and its products were in great The first Oyster model from 1926 was also the world's first waterproof demand, especially in America. The story of how Rolex had sent wristwatch, and the first Submariner from 1953 was the first diver's watches to British officers in German POW camps had made a great watch able to remain waterproof at depths of 100 metres. Today, impression. the diving watches from Rolex are legendary. This legend was More than anything, though, Wilsdorf was worried that Rolex forged when the Rolex Deepsea went to the bottom of the Mariana SA would become a public company in the event of his passing. The Trench, attached to the bathyscaphe Trieste with French explorer result of this would be that the money Rolex made would end up Jacques Piccard. From inside the Trieste, Piccard could observe the in the pockets of already wealthy investors. This was the last thing watch ticking away, despite the enormous pressure at the deepest Wilsdorf wanted to happen and, as a result, he decided to bequeath point in the ocean, and later wrote a telegram to Wilsdorf: ‘I am his shares to a trust, in order to ensure that Rolex would never delighted to inform you, that your watch is as accurate at the depth become a public company, and that part of the profits from Rolex of 11,000 metres as it is on the surface.’ would go to charity. Since then Rolex has created watches that are both timeless and This is the reason you can't buy shares in Rolex SA on any stock innovative. If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, then exchange. It also means that Rolex is shrouded in mystery. In fact, it's Rolex has been the subject of much flattery indeed. A Rolex is a more or less impossible to get any information on Rolex, other than mechanical masterpiece that will last more than a lifetime, and is what Rolex choose to reveal. In fact, we don't even know for sure how frequently passed on from father to son. There are those who will many watches Rolex produces every never see a Rolex as anything more To this day Rolex is owned by a year. A qualified guess would be 2,000 than a distasteful display of wealth, watches a day, which means an annual as demonstrated by the yuppie trust, since Hans Wilsdorf was profit of nearly £6 billion ($8 billion). generation of the 1980s. However, concerned that the result of his This would make Rolex irresistible to this really couldn't be further from the Gordon Gekkos of this world, if it the truth, or from the life of Hans life's work would end up in the were a public company. But thanks to Wilsdorf, the nineteenth-century pockets of rich investors Wilsdorf, it never will be. orphaned German boy. 17

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PAU L N E W M A N ' S DAY TO N A wearing a Rolex Daytona REF. 6239 with a white dial. In other photographs he wears one with a black dial, or the traditional Daytona watchface, just to add to the confusion.

PAUL NEWMAN

assuming the magic touch of Paul Newman would make it rise in hen Paul Newman first put on the Rolex Daytona value. This turned out to be a correct assumption. Besides, these his wife, Joanne Woodward, presented to him, watches were quite affordable at the time. Look through the auction he couldn't have known he was about to make catalogues from the 1980s, and the estimated value was often around the model legendary. The Cosmograph Daytona £8,000 ($11,000). By the early 1990s prices had doubled. Then, on Ref. 6239, affectionately known as the ‘Paul Newman Dial’, is 11 June 2013, Christie's sold a Ref. 6239 at auction in New York for the highest valued vintage model from Rolex. Values have gone £58,000 ($75,000) and the whole thing exploded. through the roof and a well-maintained example can cost upwards This created another problem. Because the watchface is the of £80,000 ($100,000). only difference between the normal Daytona and the ‘Paul Newman Ref. 6239 with the white dial is regarded as the true ‘Paul Dial’, and because prices went up so fast, fitting a new watchface to Newman Dial’, even if the name is also used for Ref. 6262, 6263, a normal Daytona became an irresistible way for collectors to make 6264 or 6265. It comes with a white or black watchface and the a quick profit. In fact, when it comes to the ‘Paul Newman’, there bezel in black or polished steel. Just to make things a little more are probably more fakes than originals. This is not just because confusing the Ref. 6239 also comes with the watchface of the Newman was an icon in the same way as Steve McQueen, but also regular Daytona, which is often incorrectly referred to as a because the watchface has a unique minimalist elegance found in ‘Paul Newman’. A true ‘Paul Newman Dial’ has the art decono other Rolex. style watchface as seen on the facing page, but then again, the The Daytona wasn't actually that popular when it came out in whole thing might just be a myth. At least according to the man the 1960s, and buyers would mostly go for the traditional watchface. himself. The design with the art deco subdials and the plain white or black When Newman was interviewed for Goodwood Magazine in background, didn't appeal to the watch aficionados of the day. So 2003, the journalist, John E. Brozek wanted to know about the not very many were sold, although we will never know exactly how ‘Paul Newman Dial’ legend. According to Newman the whole few. The watchface known as the ‘Paul Newman Dial’ wasn't even thing had always been a misunderstanding. The watch he was produced by Rolex, but by a supplier called Singer, that made the given by his wife, he claimed, had the normal watchface. As proof very same dial for a number of other watchmakers. Back then, he took off the Daytona he was wearing and showed the engraving Rolex didn't keep records like they do today, so no one knows on the back which read: ‘Drive slowly, Joanne’. This watch had the which serial numbers were fitted with what dial. And besides, traditional Daytona watchface. Rolex themselves never used the term ‘Paul Newman Dial’. So what was it that made collectors around the world believe in It all adds to the myth, of course. In the late 1980s, when the legend of the ‘Paul Newman Dial’? Well, it seems it all started collecting watches became more popular than ever, the ‘Paul with the influential Italian fashion magazine MODA. Back in the Newman’ term was used for more or less any vintage Daytona, 1980s MODA ran a cover featuring Paul Newman wearing a Rolex and it became the vintage model that Daytona Ref. 6239 with the watchface were lusting after, driving which hence became known as the During an interview in 2003, Paul collectors up the prices at auction. Perhaps it's ‘Paul Newman Dial’. There was Newman revealed that the watch something to do with human nature, just one slight problem. The watch because we do love anything that Newman is wearing in the picture is he was given by his wife, wasn't comes with a great story. The fact that not his, but was selected by the stylist actually fitted with what became Paul Newman never wore the watch from the magazine. However, collectors threw known as the ‘Paul Newman Dial’ that he unknowingly made legendary, just makes that story even better. themselves at this rare model, 27

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PAUL NEWMAN

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EDMUND HILLARY and his faithful Sherpa, TENZING NORGAY. Together they reached the summit of EVEREST on 29 May 1953. TENZING NORGAY'S date of birth was unknown, so after the expedition he decided that this date would be his BIRTHDAY from then on.

An early EXPLORER with a leather strap whose hands and markings have turned a yellow colour. For a COLLECTOR, a watch like this is a dream come true.

The back of the gold watch that ROLEX presented to TENZING NORGAY after conquering Everest. A funny detail is that they spelled his name NORKAY.

THE FIRST EXPLORER II had more functions than the EXPLORER. For instance, the extra hand, which takes 24 HOURS to make a full rotation, and the DATE. Rolex introduced the world's first WRISTWATCH with the date displayed like this in 1945 with the EXPLORER II

THE FIRST EXPLORER Simple, elegant and, most importantly, robust â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the ROLEX OYSTER was one of the few WATCHES that could withstand the gruelling conditions in the mountains, and Rolex took these qualities and made them even better with the EXPLORER SERIES.

ROLEX were always the masters of advertising. This advert for the OYSTER PERPETUAL shows HILLARY, HUNT and NORGAY, after conquering EVEREST. It was an effective way to market the EXPLORER as the watch for, well, explorers.

DATEJUST SERIES.

A map of MOUNT EVEREST, the world's highest mountain, with the summit some 8,850 METRES above sea level. 1,500 PEOPLE have tried to conquer Everest since then. MORE THAN 170 have lost their lives in the process. An advert for the OYSTER PERPETUAL together with JOHN HUNT'S book about the climb of MOUNT EVEREST, which was

a bestseller in its day. 35

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An early EXPLORER with a leather strap whose hands and markings have turned a yellow colour. For a COLLECTOR, a watch like this is a dream come true.

The back of the gold watch that ROLEX presented to TENZING NORGAY after conquering Everest. A funny detail is that they spelled his name NORKAY.

DATEJUST SERIES.

a bestseller in its day. 35

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YOUR WATCH IS STRIPPED DOWN When your watch is being serviced, it will pass through a number of sequences, perfected through a century and millions of watches. However, the majority of it still takes place in the hands of experienced watchmakers, although advanced machines are also used where they improve quality. But before the work can begin, the watch needs to be stripped down and all the little bits and pieces placed in a special bowl that serves as a home for the watch while it is being serviced. A Rolex Submariner, for example, consists of 220 individual parts.

SCRATCHES ARE REPAIRED It is now possible to repair big dents and scratches in the watchcase or bracelet. Previously, dents had to be polished away, removing a lot of material in the process, but now it's possible to fill the gap with steel or gold. A laser will inject material into the dent, more or less as you would when filling a tooth. Then the surface is polished, making the repair invisible. After polishing, the watchcase and bracelet are cleaned using steam and ultrasound.

2 EVALUATION The watchmaker will then make a note of the serial number of the watch, and do a general assessment of the condition of the watch. This means the quality of vital elements like the glass, movement, dial, bracelet and, most importantly, the movement. This is also done so that it's possible to warn the owner if any vital parts need to be replaced.

3 VITAL DATA IS SENT TO ROLEX The most important data about your watch is sent to Rolex in Switzerland, providing the factory with vital information about the performance of their products over time. Then all parts of your watch need to be cleaned thoroughly, which is done in five different liquids, dissolving dust, grease, and anything else that might have made its way into your watch.

4 POLISHING Polishing a Rolex to the perfect shine requires a high degree of precision. No one is allowed to operate the polishing machines without training at Rolex in Switzerland, and then they have to prove themselves polishing the watchcases and bracelets in steel, before moving on to the models in gold and other precious metals.

When your Rolex goes into SERVICE, it'll literally get stripped down. In a process that takes several days it will be cleaned and ALL PARTS TESTED. When it is returned to you by Rolex, it is virtually a BRAND NEW WATCH.

LAPPING The lapping machine is a new invention, developed to preserve the sharp edges on the watchcase. Vintage models often have soft edges because they were polished before lapping was introduced. Normally a Rolex is polished so it's 98 per cent as it was when it was new. Some owners wish to maintain the worn look, so they choose not to have their watches polished.

7 THE HEART OF YOUR WATCH After polishing, it's time for the watch movement itself. First, all parts are examined for wear and, if necessary, worn-down parts are replaced. It's a time-consuming process, all done by hand, following a number of complex procedures. Along the way the various parts of the watch are lubricated. The number of lubricants used depends on the model. The Rolex Deepsea requires five different lubricants, and seven new gaskets to be fitted.

8 PUTTING THE PARTS BACK IN THE BOX When the watch movement is reassembled, it is once again fitted to the watchcase along with the hands and dial. When this process is complete, the watchmaker issues a service certificate with a two-year warranty.

9 CERTIFICATION Now the watch is ready to go through a certification process to ensure that it lives up to Rolex's standards for precision. Also, the watchmaker will verify that the watch is still waterproof. This is done with the movement removed, to protect against leaks. The watchcase is tested in a vacuum and then in a pressure chamber to ensure that it can be worn to the specified depth — 100 metres below the surface, in the case of the Submariner. Then the watch is placed in a chamber heated to 45°C for five minutes, before being placed in a special refrigerator at a temperature of 5°C. After this, there shouldn't be any condensation on the inside of the sapphire glass.

10 SIMULATOR TEST Finally, the watch is electronically tested, to ensure it lives up to the chronometer certification. Then the watch goes onto a simulator that mimics the movements of the hands for 72 hours. The precision is measured once again, before the watch is ready for its owner. 53

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The size of 36 MILLIMETRES is quite feminine today, but according to Rolex, the new PEARLMASTER is meant for both men and women. This one we assume is mostly for WOMEN.

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THE CLASSIC

THE CHRONOGRAPH

THE FUTURE

THE MASTERPIECE

The Calibre 3135 is Rolex's workhorse. It's robust and well proven, and you'll find it in a wide range of models, from the classic Datejust to sports models like Sea-Dweller, Yacht-Master and Submariner. The movement is generously dimensioned, 6 millimetres tall and with a 26.5 millimetre diameter. The individual parts are scaled to resist the bumps and shock that come from daily use, which would break many other watch movements. The movement is typical of Rolex. Even the mechanism used to manually wind the movement is more or less identical to the one introduced back in 1931, but every part of the Calibre 3135 has been continuously developed. One very important development came in 2005, when the so-called Blue Parachrom Hairspring was introduced to the movement. If the Calibre 3135 has a weak spot, it's the bearings, which need regular lubrication. Keep the service intervals of your Calibre 3135, and it will run forever without ever letting you down. This really is the movement that more than anything defines Rolex.

The chronograph function in a Daytona is actually a completely separate system, connected to the watch movement via a clutch. When the chronograph is activated, the two systems work together. However, this also presents a problem. When the chronograph function is used, the load in the movement changes and that can affect the precision of the watch. Another problem is the socalled backlash, when the hands of the watch will jump or stall if the chronograph is stopped or activated, because the gears aren't precisely aligned in that moment. The movement in the Daytona is either the Calibre 4030, or its successor 4130. Rolex have solved the problem with the accuracy and backlash by using a vertical clutch. This eliminates the problem of vibrations transferring from the chronograph function to the watch movement itself, and it can be used without any loss of accuracy. Needless to say, the Daytona was designed to withstand the stress a driver experiences behind the wheel of a racing car.

Calibre 3255 is the movement that Rolex will use in the years to come. It contains no less that fourteen patents, and sets new standards when it comes to absorbing shocks and bumps. The same goes for the power reserve, which is an important factor with a mechanical watch. The power reserve determines how long your watch will keep time after you remove it from your wrist. If your watch is equipped with the Calibre 3255, it can leave your wrist Friday at noon, and Monday afternoon it will still be keeping time and exceeding the precision of what is required for a chronometer. In fact, the Calibre 3255 offers twice the precision of the classic Calibre 3135 from which it was developed, even if 90 per cent of the parts are new. The first model to make use of the Calibre 3255 is the 40-millimetre version of Day-Date, Rolex's most prestigious model which is only available in gold or platinum. From here the movement will find its way to the rest of the line-up as they are updated. However, knowing Rolex, it could be quite a while before this process is complete.

Rolex's latest movement is the Calibre 9001. It is unusually complex and fitted to the Sky-Dweller, the first completely new model from Rolex in twenty years! It has been created specifically for the SkyDweller which contains Rolex's first complication â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the annual calendar, which is exclusive to this model. The Sky-Dweller doesn't just show two different time zones, but also the date and month. Rotating the watch bezel controls everything. It's obvious from the model's design that Rolex didn't mind adding a complication, but it had to be intuitive to use. What's easy to use isn't necessarily easy to engineer, since the watch had to distinguish the four months a year that number only 30 days. However, since this is a mechanical watch, you still have to set the calendar every year at the end of February. Unlike the Calibre 3255, the 9001 will never be seen in models like the Submariner or the GMT. The movement is simply too expensive and too complicated, so if you want to enjoy the Calibre 9001, you have to invest in a Rolex Sky-Dweller.

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THE CLASSIC

THE CHRONOGRAPH

THE FUTURE

THE MASTERPIECE

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TEN FACTS ABOUT ROLEX In watchmaking, Rolex is an icon, but most of what Rolex do is veiled in great secrecy. So here are ten things that we do know about this discreet giant #1

Most wristwatches are manufactured in a type of steel called 316L, and Rolex used the same type of steel for many years. However, since 2003 Rolex has used a higher quality of steel called 904L. It has a much harder surface, that doesn't scratch as easily and retains its shine much longer after being polished. This is why a Rolex looks and feels different to other watches. However, 904L steel is much more difficult to work with, so years of research and development was needed before Rolex could make the switch.

Rolex's philosophy is quite pragmatic. If an industrial robot is better at doing the job, an industrial robot will do the job. Other manufacturers might use fewer industrial robots than Rolex, but mostly it's because industrial robots are a huge investment that smaller watch manufacturers can't justify. Robots collect the components that go into your Rolex from the so-called Master Supply Room. The watchmaker simply orders what he or she needs on Rolex's network of computers, and the part is delivered. This way, Rolex can keep track of every single part in every single watch, just as you would when manufacturing an aircraft like a Boeing 747.

ROLEX USE A SPECIAL KIND OF STEEL

THE CROWN is just one of

many components produced by ROLEX. When your watch is serviced, the crown is one of the parts that is REPLACED.

ROLEX HAVE THEIR OWN LABORATORY

In fact Rolex have a number of laboratories. They might seem conservative, but that's just on the surface. Rolex are constantly setting new standards when it comes to precision engineering and high-tech materials. Every year they invest millions in research and development of high-tech materials like carbon fibre, Kevlar and ceramics, and how to produce these materials with a 100 per cent success rate. One of the few things they have revealed to the public is the so-called ‘stress rooms’, where watches and bracelets are abused in ways that would shame even the most careless of owners.

A ROLEX IS HAND-BUILT

Rolex critics will often claim that machines produce the watches. This, however, is a misunderstanding. Industrial robots are used where they can deliver more precision than a human. The watch movements and bracelets, for example, are all assembled by hand, but an industrial robot is used to push the watch hands into place on the dial because an industrial robot can do this with exactly the right amount of pressure every single time. Every watch is then tested and approved by the skilled watchmakers at Rolex HQ in Geneva, before being sent for official certification at the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres — known as COSC.

TECHNOLOGY IS THE WATCHMAKER'S BEST FRIEND

THE WORLD'S BEST SECURITY

It's hardly surprising that Rolex has a strict focus on security, both inside and outside the factories and storage facilities. At any given time, Rolex will stock gold worth hundreds of millions of euros. The value of the watches kept in the gigantic computerised storage facility runs into billions of euros, since Rolex, on any given day, will produce around 2,000 watches. When staff move around the complex or sit down at their workstations, they have to use a combination of ID-cards and fingerprint scanners. In the same way, every single part of the movement is fitted with a unique identification number, so it's possible to determine who made which watch when. Gold and precious stones are kept in a gigantic safe, located several floors below ground, like the lairs of villains in a James Bond movie. Only a few trusted employees have access to this area, and before they can enter they need to scan both fingerprint and iris. When finished watches leave the factory they do so in unmarked armoured trucks. As far as we know, security has never been compromised at Rolex SA. However, a few years ago one of Rolex's directors suddenly left his position, which is highly unusual. The rumour was that he had invested quite a lot of Rolex's money with American fraudster Bernie Madoff.

THE BOOK OF

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TEN FACTS ABOUT ROLEX In watchmaking, Rolex is an icon, but most of what Rolex do is veiled in great secrecy. So here are ten things that we do know about this discreet giant #1

ROLEX USE A SPECIAL KIND OF STEEL

THE CROWN is just one of

many components produced by ROLEX. When your watch is serviced, the crown is one of the parts that is REPLACED.

ROLEX HAVE THEIR OWN LABORATORY

A ROLEX IS HAND-BUILT

TECHNOLOGY IS THE WATCHMAKER'S BEST FRIEND

THE WORLD'S BEST SECURITY

Rolex is an icon and a symbol of the classic Swiss wristwatch, with a history that spans more than a century. It was a Rolex on the wrist of Sir Edmund Hillary as he conquered Mount Everest. And it was a Rolex Deepsea Special that accompanied Jacques Piccard into the depths when he dived nearly 11,000 metres to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. The perfect introduction for anyone with an interest in Rolex, The Book of Rolex presents all the current and vintage models such as Submariner, GMT-Master, Datejust and Daytona, revealing their distinctive features and history, including the special editions. There is a chapter on how to avoid the many fake watches on the market, and in a unique guide the book provides the reader with the knowledge to spot even the best fakes, known as ‘Frankensteins’ by the experts. The authors take a look at why a Rolex is an excellent investment, and how to select the best of both new and vintage models.

THE BOOK OF ROLEX is a fascinating journey through a history full of extravagance and romance, but also style, classical virtues and unadulterated enthusiasm for the refined mechanics that lie hidden in every Rolex.

ISBN: 978-1-78884-023-1

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