You don’t have to be an expert in watches to have heard of Rolex. Perhaps the most recognisable watch brand on the planet, Rolex has been crafting the finest of timepieces ever since its inception back in 1905. Iconic designs such as the Day-Date, the GMT-Master II and the Submariner have all proved immensely popular over the years, with many seen on the wrists of notable figures around the world. But just what makes Rolex so successful and extraordinary as a brand?
Here at Crepslocker we’re huge Rolex fans, and we’ve done our research on the label too. So join us today as we take a deep dive into the legendary Swiss watch brand. Without further ado, let’s jump straight in!
The Early Years
While Rolex prides itself on being Swiss-made, many may find it a surprise that the brand was in fact born in London. German businessman Hans Wildorf founded Rolex during his time in London in 1905. At the time, wrist watches weren’t at all common and were often unreliable, whereas Wildorf believed he could produce a product that wearers could rely on. Rumour has it that he came up with the name Rolex by trying every combination of five letters from the alphabet until he found something that worked. At the ripe age of just 24, Wildorf officially founded Rolex and aimed to create the world’s best wrist watches.
Focusing on the efficiency and precision of movement, Rolex used only Swiss-made parts to improve reliability. By 1910, Rolex had created the first wrist watch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, granted by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne. This marked a significant step in the right direction for the brand. In 1919, the label permanently moved to Geneva, Switzerland, one of the world’s most renowned watchmaking towns. While London was the birthplace of Rolex, the brand was always destined to operate in Switzerland.
There’s a First for Everything
Throughout the years to come, Rolex would continue to cement itself as a legendary brand within the timepiece industry. In 1926, Rolex created the first-ever waterproof watch. Nicknamed the “Oyster”, the watch featured a hermetically sealed case which allowed for total protection from any moisture. In 1927, a young English swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze completed a 10 hour long swim across the English channel, all while wearing a Rolex Oyster watch. This feat was followed by Rolex printing a full front-page advert across the Daily Mail, celebrating the reliability of the watch.
Shortly after, in 1931, Rolex created the first-ever self-winding watch mechanism with a perpetual motor. This technology is still used globally today, and remains within every automatic watch produced to date. 1933 saw Rolex achieve yet another remarkable feat, equipping the first crew to fly over Mt. Everest with Oyster watches. Of course, this led to yet another iconic advertising campaign.
Iconic Timepieces
By the early 1950s, Rolex was ready to take things to the next level. While its previous watches had already embarked on extraordinary missions, the brand set upon the task of creating watches that exceeded just telling the time. 1953 saw the launch of the Submariner, a Rolex watch that still remains popular today. Designed to remain waterproof up to 100 metres below the surface, the watch also featured a rotatable bezel that allowed divers to measure their immersion time, a feature that’s now commonplace across high-end watches.
In 1955, Rolex launched the GMT-Master, a watch designed to aid airline professionals when crossing multiple time zones. The watch was quickly adopted by international airlines, including the famous Pan American World Airways. A year later, the brand debuted the Day-Date, the first-ever watch to display both the date and the day of the week on the watch face. This classic watch is still popular today and remains the timepiece of choice for many influential figures.
Contemporary Rolex
Fast-forward to the present day and Rolex still remains the most iconic watch brand in the world. By combining incredible designs with world-class marketing campaigns, the label has managed to not just stay relevant, but to dominate within its field. Here at Crepslocker we stock a huge range of Rolex watches, so be sure to check out our full selection today, you just might find the next piece to add to your collection! In the meantime, browse the rest of our site for the latest in luxury fashion, sneakers and streetwear.