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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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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

Sponsored: Gerald Charles Introduces Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon

Introducing a new age of technical aestheticism, Gerald Charles debuts its Maestro 9.0 Tourbillon. With a unique design created with the expert oversight of the brand’s creative director, Octavio Garcia, the timepiece is a return to the original Maestro flying tourbillon released in 2005. Taking hints from the brand’s rich history, the new release is...

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Mar 21, 2023 by WatchTime

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

On Sale Now: WatchTime March-April 2016 Issue

The March-April 2016 issue of WatchTime is on newsstands now, featuring our test of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39, a timeline of all James Bond's movie watches, and an inside look at how Japanese giant Citizen is redefining itself.

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Mar 15, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

GIFT GUIDE

Baselworld Travel Essentials

The watch world’s biggest international event, Baselworld, begins next week in Basel, Switzerland. If you are one of the thousands of eager watch aficonados, media representatives, and watch-and-jewelry professionals attending the show this year, we’ve compiled some of our favorite stylish and useful items that will make both the trip itself, and your travel experience,...

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Mar 7, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

THE WATCHTIME Q&A

Jean Rousseau’s Jacques Bordier Talks Customized Watch Straps

At last fall’s WatchTime New York event, one of the busiest exhibitor booths was that of Jean Rousseau — a producer not of watches but of the luxurious leather straps that secure them to wrists. Recently, we sat down with Jean Rousseau’s brand president, Jacques Bordier, at the Jean Rousseau boutique and atelier in midtown...

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Feb 26, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy: IWC Ingenieur Automatic

The modern (post-1976) IWC Ingenieur was a watch meant to rival the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Patek Philippe Nautilus in style. The modern IWC Ingenieur collection includes a flagship timepiece (Ref. 3239) still recognizable to aficionados of the ‘70s-era Ingenieurs.

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Feb 14, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Close-Up: 5 Rolex Day-Date Watches in 5 Colors (With Video)

We present five recently launched models of the Rolex Day-Date (36-mm) watch that come with dials and straps in a veritable rainbow of colors; all feature 18K gold cases.

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Feb 3, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy, Part 24: Omega Globemaster

In recent times, consecutive years have meant more and more brands releasing vintage re-interpretations and recreations; 2015 was no different, being one of the biggest years for historical watch releases to date. Omega, a brand holding a relatively large segment of market power in the luxury-watch realm, was one of the main contributors to this...

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Jan 31, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy, Part 23: Rolex Submariner

Since we covered the Tudor Heritage Black Bay, a watch heavily influenced by historical Tudor dive watches, last week, I thought it would be appropriate this week to take a look at Rolex’s modern diver: the Submariner. This incredibly iconic watch — championed by Sean Connery’s James Bond and boardroom executives alike — was launched...

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Jan 24, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy, Part 22: Tudor Heritage Black Bay

The watch we’re covering this week was one of the most popular releases of 2012, and its recently released black-bezel variant was one of the most covered timepieces of 2015. Yes, this week we’re training our "Vintage Eye" on none other than the Tudor Heritage Black Bay.

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Jan 16, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

On Sale Now: WatchTime January-February 2016 Issue

The January-February 2016 issue of WatchTime is on newsstands now (and also in the WatchTime online shop), featuring our test of the new IWC Portugieser Automatic, a historical retrospective on the classic Rolex Daytona, a comprehensive look at Jaeger-LeCoultre's new Geophysic collection, and more.

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Jan 12, 2016 by Mark Bernardo

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy, Part 21: Jaeger-LeCoultre Geophysic

There is a commonly used phrase within the watch community with regards to the watches produced by Jaeger-LeCoultre: “watchmaker’s watches,” the implication being that the market segment JLC fulfills is exclusively a niche for people who know exactly what they want, and know why “what they want” matters. Now, I would not fully argue for...

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Jan 10, 2016 by Caleb Anderson

From Watch-Insider.com

Watch Insider’s Top 10 Watches (+1 Very Special One) Introduced in 2015

Watch Insider Alexander Linz names his top 10 watches released in 2015, including new luxury watches from Rolex, Omega, Breitling, and Patek Philippe.

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Jan 9, 2016 by Alexander Linz

Flying Since 1948: The IWC Mark

WatchTime looks back on three iconic watches that demonstrates how a classic timepiece changes over time. Earlier this week we took a look at the Rolex Submariner; today, we examine the IWC Mark series of pilots' watches.

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Dec 30, 2015 by Alexander Krupp

Diving Since 1953: The Rolex Submariner

WatchTime looks back on the first of three iconic watches that demonstrates how a classic timepiece changes over time. First up: the Rolex Submariner.

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Dec 28, 2015 by Alexander Krupp

Vintage Eye for the Modern Guy, Part 20: Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust

The “bread and butter” of the vintage watch category, the Rolex Datejust, is a series of watches spanning decades, from its first year of mass manufacture in 1945 to the 2012 production of the Rolex Datejust II and even newer models today. We look at the classic Datejust 36 and more recent Datejust II.

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Dec 27, 2015 by Caleb Anderson

Hands-On Review: Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi Bezel”

The Rolex GMT-Master II with red/blue "Pepsi" bezel in white gold elicited some mixed emotions from our reviewer's headquarters - read his full report here.

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Dec 21, 2015 by Frank Geelen

Watch Insider’s Christmas List: 24 Gift Ideas for Watch Lovers

It’s the holiday season, and many of you are probably seeking out a watch as a gift for a loved one, or even as a year-end reward for yourself. In response to the many readers of my blog, Watch-Insider.com, asking me for recommendations, here are my personal selections of this year’s most gift-worthy watches.

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Dec 14, 2015 by Alexander Linz

Watch-Insider Asks: Which of These 5 Watches Would You Take to a Desert Island?

Stranded on a desert island? We offer 5 luxury watches to choose from as your "desert island" watch, with models from Panerai, Rolex, Blancpain, Cartier and Omega.

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Nov 30, 2015 by Alexander Linz
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