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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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    FEATURE

    Double Time: Eight GMT Watches For Travelers at Work and Play

    A second time zone can be shown in many ways, offering a wide range of options for watch designers. As the summer travel season winds down, we showcase some notable timepieces with second-time-zone (GMT) displays in this article from our 2019 Special Design Issue.

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    Jan 19, 2021 by Jens Koch

    Sponsored: The ANOMALY-T4— the New Watch That’s 100% in CODE41’s DNA

    CODE41’s pioneering, iconoclastic business model has very rapidly succeeded in ranking this project among the most promising in Swiss watchmaking. Other than their watchmaking expertise, the real added value is, above all, each individual who’s part of it. Each member of the CODE41 community – more than 400,000 members strong! – represents an exclusive stakeholder...

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    Jul 1, 2022 by WatchTime

    2020, The Watch Year in Review: 10 Dynamic Dive Watches

    It goes without saying: 2020 was far from an ideal year for most of us. Looking back, however, it was also a year that brought many noteworthy watch launches despite the huge obstacles posed by the pandemic and its effects on the world economy. As we look ahead hopefully to 2021, it’s time for our...

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    Dec 26, 2020 by Mark Bernardo

    List vs. Ask: Comparing Steel Rolex Prices at Retail to Prices on the Secondary Market

    It is no secret that many watches within Rolex’s steel range can be difficult to come by at retail prices. With wait lists stretching for weeks to months to even years, depending on the dealer and the model reference, many collectors are now turning to watch resellers and the grey market to cut their wait...

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    Dec 18, 2020 by Caleb Anderson

    Sponsored: Unlike Any Other, Artem Introduces NATO Style Straps

    Since the brand’s launch in mid-2021, Australian-based Artem has been consistently impressing the market with its appealing line of strap offerings. At first, this was in its signature, next-generation of sailcloth straps, but not long after the brand— upon excited and positive feedback from its growing list of fans— expanded its offerings in both appealing...

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    Jun 28, 2022 by WatchTime

    WATCH TEST

    Diving with the Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days Acciaio

    In this watch test feature from the WatchTime archives, a frogman re-creates a dive from the 1950s to test the historically inspired Panerai Luminor Marina 1950 3 Days Acciaio.

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    Nov 24, 2020 by Jens Koch

    BANG FOR THE BUCK

    Ticking Admission Tickets: 10 Entry-Level Mechanical Watches

    Every watch collection has to start somewhere, and often that initial watch purchase is on a somewhat restricted budget. Here's an introduction to entry-level mechanical watches from 10 brands. To narrow the field down, we only considered men’s watches with a case diameter of 37 mm or greater.

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    Nov 20, 2020 by Alexander Krupp

    Highlights from WatchTime’s November-December 2020 Issue, On Sale Now

    The November-December issue of WatchTime is available at retailers today (and in our online shop). Among the highlights of the issue are an introduction to Rolex’s revamped Submariner series; tests and reviews of new watches from IWC, Zenith, Montblanc, Wempe, and others; an in-depth exploration of Grand Seiko’s latest forays into haute horlogerie; a comprehensive...

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    Nov 10, 2020 by WatchTime

    Downsizing: Six Watches Under 40-mm from Top Brands

    Over the past several years, we’ve seen an influx of modestly-sized timepieces from the dominant industry players. Even the leaders of the “wrist-saucer” trend, Panerai and Breitling, have changed their strategy and started developing a more approachable range. It turns out after years of wristwatches growing exponentially to the point where they dwarf anyone that...

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    Oct 1, 2020 by WatchTime

    Colorful Pearls: Rolex Offers New Size, New Caliber, and Vibrant Dials in 2020 Oyster Perpetual Collection

    Rolex has extended its Oyster Perpetual series introducing a new model in a larger case diameter, as well as refreshing its 36 mm model displaying dials in vivid colorways, housed in cases made from Oystersteel. The new references are direct descendants of Rolex’s first waterproof wristwatch, the 1926 Oyster.

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    Sep 7, 2020 by Corey Vlahos

    Sub-Revision: Rolex Dives Into 2020 with Revamped Submariner and Submariner Date

    When the pandemic hit, and the year’s international watch trade fairs, already in a state of upheaval, were cancelled, industry giant Rolex was cagey about when, or even if, it would release new models to the market in turbulent 2020. Well, it turns out that today is that day, with the lion’s share of buzz...

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    Sep 1, 2020 by Mark Bernardo

    Rolex Launches Four New Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 Models

    Rolex has introduced four new Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 references in a white Rolesor version, that combine Oystersteel with 18k white gold, and feature dials in a range of vibrant colorways...

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    Sep 1, 2020 by Corey Vlahos

    PORTFOLIO

    Splash! A Plunge Into the Colorful World of Watersports Watches

    Take the plunge with us into the colorful world of water sports. Here you can find professional instruments with appealing technologies, styles, and prices. In this article, we present divers’ watches without complex additional functions (e.g., chronographs) because the watches listed here are designed to focus your undivided attention on the time of day and the...

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    Aug 19, 2020 by Alexander Krupp

    WATCH TEST

    A Watch for All Seasons: Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39

    If you want just one, all-purpose watch, our watch tester says Rolex’s recently introduced entry-level model, the Oyster Perpetual, might be it. Find out more about in this in-depth review of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39.

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    Jul 9, 2020 by Jens Koch

    FEATURE:

    Hello, Newman! 10 Panda-Dial Chronographs That Aren’t the Rolex Paul Newman Daytona

    Actual pandas are a rare and vulnerable species, only recently removed from the endangered list, but "panda dial" watches — loosely described as chronographs with black subdials on a predominantly white main dial — are more ubiquitous than ever, especially in the wake of the record-breaking auction sale of the world's most famous panda-dial watch, Paul Newman's Rolex Daytona. Here we round up 10 currently available panda-dial watches.

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    Jul 8, 2020 by Mark Bernardo

    WATCH TEST

    A Full-Grown Classic: Reviewing the Revamped Rolex Sea-Dweller

    Rolex premiered its first divers’ watch, the Submariner, in 1953. The Sea-Dweller, which followed in 1967, had a nearly identical design. But since it was made for professional divers, it had an even more pressure-resistant case and a helium valve developed by Rolex. Rolex released a new model in 2017 to celebrate the Sea-Dweller’s 50th...

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    Apr 30, 2020 by Jens Koch

    Fair Games: A Look at the Future of Swiss Watch Trade Shows

    Two weeks ago, on April 14, Baselworld’s parent company MCH Group took note “with great surprise […] of the cancellation of major exhibitors at Baselworld,” namely Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chanel, Tudor, and Chopard. Two years before that, on July 30, 2018, the company’s former CEO René Kamm was already caught off guard by Swatch Group’s...

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    Apr 23, 2020 by Roger Ruegger

    A Mass Exodus and a New Beginning: Rolex, Patek Philippe, LVMH Leave Baselworld, Unite for Geneva Show; MCH Responds

    The most chaotic and disruptive year in the watch industry in recent memory just got a little more so this morning, with the announcement that power players Rolex, Patek Philippe, Tudor, Chanel, and Chopard are exiting the Baselworld trade fair, re-scheduled to January 2021 after the 2020 exhibition was cancelled due to the worldwide pandemic....

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    Apr 17, 2020 by Mark Bernardo

    PORTFOLIO

    Bring On the Water! 11 Watches Built for Water Sports

    In addition to diving, water sports include sailing, surfing and even fishing. The appropriate watch can be a topic of conversation during breaks but also provides valuable time-related information. As Spring begins to usher in Summer, here are 11 water-sports watches worth checking out.

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    Apr 1, 2020 by WatchTime

    FEATURE

    Tracking the Rolex Daytona: A 55-Year History

    In this feature-length article from WatchTime's January-February 2016 issue, we take a look at the 55-year history of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, the brand's iconic chronograph watch.

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    Mar 24, 2020 by WatchTime

    FEATURE

    Design King: Updating the Rolex Datejust

    The new Datejust that Rolex unveiled at Baselworld 2016 scarcely differs from the Rolex Datejust II. The similar design characteristics set Rolex watches apart from other brands. Learn more details in this feature article from WatchTime's Special Design Issue 2017.

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    Mar 13, 2020 by Jens Koch

    WATCH TEST

    A Hands-On Review of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 41

    When it premiered in 1945, the Rolex Datejust was the first automatic, watertight wristwatch with chronometer-worthy rate quality. It embodied all of the innovations Rolex had developed for wristwatches up to that time, including a date display in a window at 3 o’clock, where the date switched automatically at midnight. To achieve this feat, intermediate...

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    Mar 11, 2020 by Martina Richter
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