With all of the technological developments and improvements repeatedly rising from the world of haute horlogerie immediately, it’s virtually exhausting to fathom a time when mechanical wristwatches had been seen as finicky timekeepers, valued extra for his or her appears to be like than their reliability. More durable nonetheless to think about that this period was as current because the early twentieth century — a mere two generations in the past. Nevertheless it was Rolex that modified every part.
Deeply dissatisfied with the unreliable state of horology in his day, founder Hans Wilsdorf made it his life’s mission to rework the wristwatch from a mere piece of jewelry right into a dependable instrument able to maintaining with the actions of particular person wearers and the vagaries of their more and more energetic each day life. To perform this, he centered on three key improvements:
The primary was to have the ability to produce small actions as exact as marine chronometers, absolutely the references of the interval. The second, to develop a sturdy and waterproof case to guard the actions from exterior elements reminiscent of mud, moisture, splashes and perspiration. And the third, to suit the watch with a self-winding system that will supply the wearer higher comfort every day. By 1931, he had achieved all three targets.
Fashionable-day Rolex has not solely carried that spirit of uncompromising excellence into the twenty first century—it has expanded on it. Right this moment, each Rolex watch bears the title of “Superlative Chronometer,” a promise of outstanding high quality expressed by eight core pillars: precision, waterproofness, autonomy, robustness, simplicity, craftsmanship, consolation, and sturdiness.
Setting New Requirements
Precision is the everlasting pursuit of all watchmakers, however few have taken it as critically as Rolex has from day one. In 1910, a Rolex grew to become the primary wristwatch to acquire a chronometric precision certificates from an official ranking centre, and simply 4 years later, it acquired a Class ‘A’ certificates from the Kew Observatory in England — the best authority on chronometric precision on the time. Right this moment, that authority is the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), and whereas all Rolex actions are COSC- licensed, that alone was not sufficient. As a way to be declared a ‘Superlative Chronometer’, the completed and assembled watch should then go the Superlative Management assessments. This certification, distinctive to the Rolex Manufacture, ensures an distinctive precision of –2/+2 seconds per day, surpassing COSC’s customary of -4/+6 seconds per day.
Rolex proudly holds the excellence of being the inventor of the world’s first waterproof watch, the Oyster, launched in 1926. Nevertheless, it has by no means rested on this specific laurel. In 1953, Rolex enhanced this innovation by introducing the Twinlock crown, which paved the way in which for the Triplock crown in 1970, adopted by the Ringlock system in 2008. Moreover, it isn’t simply the watches which can be impervious to water and dirt; the environments through which these watches are manufactured additionally keep intently monitored humidity and air purity ranges.
Watches within the Oyster Perpetual assortment have a minimal water resistance of 100 metres, however Rolex has in-built a security margin of as much as a further 10 p.c for base fashions and an additional 25 p.c for diving watches. The Deepsea Problem fashions, boasting an unbelievable water resistance of 11,000 metres, are moreover examined in ultra-high-pressure tanks to make sure they’ll face up to pressures at depths of 13,750 metres. The Oyster Perpetual designation signifies {that a} watch just isn’t solely waterproof but additionally self-winding, with a mean autonomy of about 72 hours when unworn and unwound.
High quality In Simplicity
Rolex watches are supposed to be worn, which is why the Manufacture goes to nice lengths to safeguard its timepieces towards the rigours of each day life. This begins with the collection of solely the best high quality supplies, reminiscent of its proprietary Oystersteel and RLX titanium instances, in addition to the vivid and scratch-proof high- tech Cerachrom bezels and bezel inserts. The robustness of Rolex watches can also be assessed by assessments that reproduce publicity to excessive circumstances. There’s a gadget that topics the watches to a strain of 4.5 tonnes; one which drops them from 20 totally different positions; in addition to one which kilos them mercilessly. These assessments make sure that the superlative efficiency of every watch will stay undiminished, whether or not it’s strapped to the wrist of a mountaineer, a navigator, a deep-sea diver or a polar explorer.
Since its creation, Rolex has been pushed by the conviction that mechanical simplification is a measure of efficiency and reliability. The Cosmograph Daytona, as an example, regardless of being a showcase of timing experience par excellence, consists of solely 314 elements. The identical goes for the event of the Saros annual calendar. Unveiled in 2012 on the Sky-Dweller, this annual calendar requires solely a further 4 gear trains and two gear ratios to show the date. Even working the Sky-Dweller is an train in simplicity, due to the Ring Command system, which permits the wearer to effortlessly set the date, month, native time, and reference time utilizing the rotating bezel and crown.
Metiers d’artwork (creative crafts) is obvious in each element of a Rolex watch, no matter how utilitarian the mannequin could also be. From the way in which the center instances catch and mirror mild to the optimised geometry and curvature of the watch case and bracelet, each millimetre adheres to Rolex’s exacting requirements of aesthetic artistry. Even its glamorous gem-set watches comply with the identical rules, with craftsmen choosing solely the highest-quality stones and setting them with distinctive mastery and polish.
Examined and Confirmed
The consolation of the wearer, a top quality dropped at the fore by the appearance of the wristwatch, has turn into an important a part of the search for excellence that Rolex has embarked upon. Steady enhancements in wearability have resulted in progressive options just like the Oysterlock security clasp and the extra Easylink, Rolex Glidelock and Fliplock extension techniques.
Whereas put on and tear are inevitable, Rolex is dedicated to mitigating their results. The sheer number of machines the corporate has developed for stress-testing its merchandise is staggering. Some machines are devoted to shaking bracelets, whereas others constantly open and shut the clasps. There are machines that soak watches in chlorine and salt, spray them with sand, and topic them to intense warmth or chilly. Nevertheless, machines can’t replicate each state of affairs, so prototypes are worn by actual folks for years earlier than the ultimate watches are prepared for sequence manufacturing.
This excessive — some may even name it draconian — strategy to high quality management has at all times been a precedence at Rolex. And so each Rolex watch is, in each sense of the phrase, a superlative masterpiece.
This text first appeared on WOW’s Legacy Challenge #75
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