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Rolex

Rolex is one of the world’s largest luxury watch brands. Rolex was founded in 1905 in London by Hans Wilsdorf, eventually Rolex moved to Switzerland in 1919. The Tudor watch brand is a subsidiary of Rolex. In 1914 Rolex obtained a chronometer certificate (Class A precision certificate) and thus became the first manufacturer of a chronometer wristwatch.

By obtaining the first chronometer certificate, Rolex demonstrated that, in terms of precision, a small wristwatch could rival that of the best timepieces, including pocketwatches, which were the norm at the time. This proof of performance would contribute significantly to the rise of the wristwatch in popularity. On the strength of this achievement, Rolex would eventually become the world’s largest manufacturer of chronometer-certified wristwatches. The Geneva-based brand perfected the concept of the modern watch in 1926 by inventing the waterproof “Oyster” case to protect the movement inside and then, in 1931, by developing the self-winding “Perpetual” rotor movement. Today, all Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches are officially certified chronometers, carrying on the heritage of the pioneering role the brand played in bringing precision to the wristwatch. That milestone feat of miniaturized precision. Rolex went on to innovate constantly and several times brought new technologies to the market that eventually set standards for the whole industry; among them are (according to Wikipedia) the first waterproof wristwatch Rolex “Oyster”, 1926; the first wristwatch with an automatically changing date on the dial (Rolex Datejust ref.4467, 1945); the first wristwatch case waterproof to 100 m (330 ft) (Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner ref.6204, 1953); the first wristwatch to show two time zones at once (Rolex GMT Master ref.6542, 1954); the first wristwatch with an automatically changing day and date on the dial (Rolex Day-Date, 1956). Rolex uses only in-house calibers and many automatic movements but also deployed Quartz movements in the 1970s. Notable models today are Rolex Air-King, Rolex Date, Rolex Oyster Perpetual, Rolex Datejust, Rolex Datejust II, Rolex Datejust Turn-O-Graph, Rolex Lady Datejust Pearlmaster, Rolex Daytona, Rolex Paul Newman Daytona, Rolex Day-Date, Rolex Day-Date II, Rolex Day-Date Oyster Perpetual, Rolex Explorer, Rolex Explorer II, Rolex GMT Master II, Rolex Masterpiece, Rolex Milgauss, Rolex Oysterquartz, Rolex Sea Dweller, Rolex Sea Dweller DeepSea, Rolex Sky-Dweller, Rolex Submariner, Rolex Turn-O-Graph, Rolex Yacht-Master, Rolex Yacht-Master II. Rolex is the timekeeper of Wimbledon and many other prestigious sports events. Explorers, aviators, military groups, celebrities and royals regularly purchase Rolex watches. Fake Rolex watches and Rolex replica watches are sought after by bargain hunters but can easily identified by Rolex serial numbers and by comparing the fake prices with the original Rolex prices on the internet and the Rolex price list in every brand boutique.

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Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Tudor Heritage Ranger

Tudor's vintage-inspired Heritage Black Bay and Heritage Chrono have captivated the watch world for some time. Lesser known is the Tudor Heritage Ranger, a piece based on vintage watches that first appeared in the brand’s catalogs in the 1960s. We compare the historical timepiece with its modern counterpart.

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Dec 18, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

WATCH REVIEW

Hands-On with the Tudor Pelagos

In this dive watch review, we take a look at the Tudor Pelagos, a 500-meter water-resistant dive watch featuring a light-weight, brushed titanium case and bracelet.

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Dec 16, 2016 by Roger Ruegger

7 Retro-Styled New Watches from Baselworld 2016

Vintage-look watches continued to be a hot category at this year's Baselworld watch fair. Here we've compiled seven notable timepieces, all launching this year and all inspired by historical models, including Omega's Speedmaster CK2998, TAG Heuer's Monza, Alpina's Seastrong Diver Heritage and others.

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Dec 13, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

WTNY 2016 REVISITED

Bacs at WatchTime New York: No Worries About the Mechanical Watch’s Future

Aurel Bacs, the head of Phillips auction house, in association with Bacs & Russo, does not worry about the future of the mechanical watch. He and Paul Boutros, a senior vice-president of Phillips , tackled this and other questions from attendees and WatchTime editor-at-large Joe Thompson, who moderated a panel on vintage watches at the WatchTime New York show.

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Oct 19, 2016 by Joe Thompson

Eight Important Dive Watches From WatchTime New York 2016

For fans of dive watches, here are eight exciting dive watches that were recently on display at WatchTime New York, from brands like Omega, Blancpain, Seiko, Rolex and others.

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Oct 18, 2016 by Roger Ruegger

Showing at WatchTime New York 2016: 8 Featured Watches from Phillips’ Upcoming November Auction

From a storied Rolex GMT-Master to an extremely rare vintage Panerai Luminor, Phillips Auction House is previewing eight interesting modern and vintage pieces, from its upcoming November auction in Geneva, at this year's WatchTime New York collectors' event.

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Oct 5, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Rolex Explorer I

Today’s Rolex Explorer, Ref. 214270 (above), is one of the more subtle pieces in today's Rolex line. With a 39-mm steel Oyster case with a smooth bezel, a screw-down crown, and a water resistance to 100 meters, it is a solid sports watch in a luxurious, distinctly Rolex fashion.

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Jul 31, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: IWC Aquatimer Automatic

The IWC Aquatimer, founded originally as a line of Super Compressor-style watches in 1967, was a series of dive watches developed by IWC to cater to the growing hobby of recreational diving. The modern version continues to pay subtle homage towards its almost half-century history, along with its more contemporary features.

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Jul 24, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

WatchTime’s July-August Issue is On Sale Now!

The July-August 2016 issue of WatchTime is on newsstands now, featuring our comprehensive report on this year's Baselworld watch fair, including 75 new watches, a test of the newest Rolex Yacht-Master, and more. Here are highlights from the issue.

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Jul 12, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Tudor Heritage Chrono Blue

We look at the Tudor Heritage Heritage Chrono Blue, a watch based heavily on the vintage Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph (Ref. 7169/0), produced from 1971 to 1977 — a very funky 1970s chronograph that is today one of the most sought after vintage Tudors available.

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Jun 26, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

From Fratello Watches

What If You Could Only Have One Watch? My Top 5 Choices

What if you could have only one watch for a lifetime - would you choose one from Omega, Rolex or Patek? Here, we present five watch choices, any one of which you can wear for the rest of your life.

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Jun 24, 2016 by Robert-Jan Broer

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Rolex GMT-Master II

Over the past 100 years or so, Rolex has produced more than a few “dynasty” series of watches — from the Datejust to the Day-Date, to the Explorer, Daytona, and Speedking, to the piece we will be focusing on today: the GMT-Master II. These watch collections originally built much of their reputations on functionality and...

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May 15, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Former NYC Mayor Giuliani Donates Historic Yankee-Owned Watch for Online Auction

Former New York Mayor and Yankees superfan Rudy Giuliani has donated a precious timepiece, once owned by a heralded New York Yankees player, for a charity auction. The watch is a vintage Wittnauer Electro-Chron originally presented to Yankee shortstop Dick Bartell in 1962.

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May 14, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Five Rare Vintage Rolex Watches in Phillips’ May Auction of Steel Chronographs

On May 15, Phillips auction house, in association with Bacs & Russo, will host "Start, Stop, Reset," an auction devoted to important stainless steel chronograph watches, including some highly coveted vintage models from Rolex. Here are the top five Rolex watch highlights from the upcoming auction.

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Apr 26, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Mastering the Rolex Sky Dweller

Read Watchtime's feature on how the Rolex Sky-Dweller, equipped with a second time zone, an annual calendar and containing the Rolex in-house caliber 9001, works.

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Apr 22, 2016 by Norma Buchanan

New Rolex Explorer Features Enhanced Luminescence

The first Rolex Explorer watch made its debut in 1953, in the wake of Sir Edmund Hillary's historic ascent of Mount Everest, and has been a favorite of adventure-minded watch aficionados ever since. At Baselworld 2016, Rolex unveiled the latest Rolex Explorer, now boasting a dial with enhanced luminescence and the brand's "Superlative Chronometer" movement.

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Apr 11, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Rolex Cosmograph Daytona

The Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is a dynamic series of watches steeped equally in historical legend and modern fame. From the 1955 release of the first Oyster Chronograph, to the "Paul Newman" models, to the new version introduced at Baselworld 2016, the Rolex Daytona holds a rare place in horology.

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Apr 3, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

From Watch-Insider.com

The Rolex Air-King Gets a Makeover at Baselworld 2016 (With Live Photos)

The new Rolex Air-King combines a more audacious design with the most advanced technology available at Rolex.

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Mar 27, 2016 by Alexander Linz

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: Tudor Heritage Black Bay 36

Tudor has released three new variations to its very popular Heritage Black Bay series at Baselworld 2016, including the Black Bay “36” a personal favorite and a watch with some interesting heritage.

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Mar 27, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

BASELWORLD 2016

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Now Offered with Cerachrom Bezel

Rolex's iconic, racing-inspired chronograph watch, the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona, is now available in an all-new version with a bezel made of cerachrom, the Swiss brand's proprietary high-tech material.

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Mar 20, 2016 by Mark Bernardo
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