Owning a Rolex watch is a status of wealth and good taste. The brand is synonymous with quality and fine craftsmanship, characteristics that have been Rolex hallmarks since its beginnings more than a hundred years ago.

Rolex Watches
In 1905, Wilsdorf and Davis was established in London as a company that imported Swiss movements. The movements were put into cases furnished by another manufacturer then sold to other jewelers as bracelet watches. Take note that before the turn of the 20th century, pocket watches were the accepted norm of portable time pieces for the availability of smaller movements were nil.
Wilsdorf’s foresaw that the very feminine bracelet watch is the future that he immediately required the production of lever escapements. Wilsdorf and Davis’ bracelet watches were the prototype of the modern wristwatches Thus the fate of the wristwatch was sealed. In no time at all, everyone (men and women) were wearing the new mode of portable time pieces.

Rolex was formally established in 1908. In 1912, the company moved to Bienne, Switzerland because of differences with the British government.
Rolex is not an acronym of any group of words. It does not actually mean anything. It was said that Wilsdorf himself coined the word as its pronunciation is global.

From the beginning, Roles thrust and Wilsdorf’s mission was to provide quality watches. Its first of many awards was in 1914 when it was awarded the Kew A Chronometer Certificate, a distinction normally reserved to marine chronometers.

The company had earned many “firsts” in its history of watch making. In 1926, Rolex came out with the first waterproof watch. The line came to be known as Oyster mainly because of Wilsdorf’s difficulty in opening an oyster one dinner time. The Oyster line proved to be so water-tight that jewelers put them in aquariums for display.

In 1936, the Perpetual watch came out of the assembly line.  The watch was the forerunner of automatic watches. In 1945, Rolex developed the first automatic wristwatch with changing date, aptly called Rolex Datejust. Following its wake was the Rolex Day-date (1956) with its novel automatic changing day date in 26 languages.

Wilsdorf’s passion for perfection and his aspiration for Rolex to be current and useful to mankind led him to continuously innovate and perfect his craft.  Other Rolex firsts during the first half of the 20th century were: the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner (1953) and the Rolex GMT Master (1954).

The Submariner was the first dive watch guaranteed to be waterproof at a depth of 100 meters or 330 feet. By 1955 the Submariner can be brought down to a guaranteed depth of 200 meters.  Today’s models like the Submariner Date are water-resistant up to depth of 300 meters. A more recent line is the Rolex Deep-Sea which is water-resistant up to an incredible depth of 3,900 meters or 12,800 feet.
Rolex’s fervor to create high technology, elegant and functional wristwatches led the company to design Professional watches. The Rolex Daytona line is for the racing community. The Explorer was the line of watch that went up the Himalayas as early as 1933.  The GMT-Master is the perfect watch for pilots and seasoned travelers.  The Milgauss is the watch for those who are into science and new discoveries. The Yacht-Master is the watch for professionals who love to sail and for those with a kinship with the new and exciting.

Rolex is not all about sports, science and technology as proven by Cellini, its line of dress watches. A fine example from this line is the Rolex Orchid-with white mother-of-pearl set with diamonds dial and a bracelet set with brilliants.
To date, Rolex continues to pioneer innovations in watch technology.

Remember using our extensive network we can supply ANY new or used Rolex at a significant discount, please browse our Rolex catalogue for a few that we have on offer

Read more about Rolex History here…

The New Rolex submariner 11633, This is a review of the NEW Rolex Submariner Date in Bimetal Gold and Stainless Steel watch. In this review our expert horologist and sales director gives a general overview of this Iconic Rolex watch as well as examining the features that are new with this incarnation. We also include a few tips on how to spot a counterfeit. All these watches are available at www.iconicwatches.co.uk.