primarily decorative. Yet Wilsdorf saw their great potential for the demands
disrupt the Oyster’s precision and function, and the company celebrat-
of modern life. To advance his case and ensure reliability, he outfitted his
ed the watch’s success on the front page of London’s Daily Mail.
timepieces with highly precise movements manufactured by a Swiss com-
Then, in 1931, Rolex created the Perpetual Rotor, an invention that
pany in Bienne. His creation would be called “Rolex,” he decided—a name
paved the way for the modern automatic watch. Rather than relying on
pronounceable in all European languages and concise enough to fit on a
attentive winding by its owner, the watch could wind itself with every
watch dial. Soon, the new product garnered its first awards for precision,
flick of the wearer’s wrist. Low maintenance and reliable, Rolex quickly
and the wristwatch and Rolex were on their way to global acclaim.
became the watch of choice for professional adventurers. Whether the
The coming years saw Rolex introduce innovations that would
agenda included mountain climbing or deep-sea diving, racing or avia-
cement its status as a forerunner and a legendary brand. One such
tion, Rolex stood up to test after test of the most extreme conditions.
breakthrough came in 1926, when Rolex unveiled the first waterproof
Soon, the company began offering capabilities beyond basic time
and dustproof watch. Called the “Oyster,” the timepiece featured a
function to aid explorers in their quests. The Submariner, a diver’s watch
hermetically sealed case that worked like a safe to protect the watch’s
guaranteed to a depth of 100 meters (330 feet), had a rotatable bezel
delicate mechanisms. The technology was soon put to the test by a
(the ring surrounding the face of the watch) to calculate time under
young swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze, who wore it as she swam
water. The GMT-Master presented two different time zones, while the
across the English Channel. Ten hours of chilly water did nothing to
Milgauss boasted resistance to strong magnetic fields. While scientists and explorers favored Rolex for its remarkable utility, collectors marveled
Clockwise from top left: Hans Wilsdorf, visionary creator of Rolex watches, as a young man; a Rolex factory outside of Geneva; an original model of the celebrated Rolex Oyster watch, which debuted in 1926 with a fully waterproof case.
38
/
SPRING
POC.rolex.indd 38
•
over the horologic advances and the brand rapidly gained prestige. Today, Rolex’s commitment to adventure carries on through the Enterprise Awards, which honor achievement in the sciences and
SUMMER 2010
5/6/10 1:27:04 PM