![]() They are not, however, the same thing.Ĭalling a watch waterproof suggests that it can never allow water to seep inside under any circumstances. If you research enough into the finer workings of mechanical watches, and particularly if you are interested in dive models, you will come across the terms ‘waterproof’ and ‘water resistant’ used interchangeably. It is to demonstrate the prowess behind the manufacturing and give the wearer the peace of mind that they are unlikely to encounter anything that will seriously test the integrity of their watch. Will any of these models ever be taken to 100m underwater? No, but a high water resistance factor isn’t just an indication of how deep a watch can be submerged, but is a testament to the robustness of the engineering as a whole. It all perfectly encapsulates the company’s original adage of building watches which are at once exceptionally handsome and stylish yet still resilient enough to be worn everyday. The basic formula has been built upon and updated over the subsequent generations, until we reach today’s situation where all but the Cellini range of dress models in Rolex’s catalog benefit from at least 100m of water resistance. After 10-hours of being submerged in the icy waters, the watch came up still ticking. The most famous remains persuading a young British swimmer, Mercedes Gleitze to wear one of his Oyster models on a lanyard around her neck as she attempted to be the first person to swim across the English Channel in 1927. Not one to shy away from promotion and advertising, Wilsdorf capitalized on this aspect of his timepieces in a series of marketing stunts. Not only did the system of screwing the bezel, case back and crown against the middle case form an impenetrable barrier against the usual debris, it was so effective that it also provided a level of waterproofing never seen before. With the arrival of the Oyster, the brainchild of Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf, all of that was to change. They were far more exposed to the elements than pocket watches and the earliest pieces allowed too much everyday detritus to enter the case and damage the caliber. ![]() However, the usefulness of a model that could be worn on the arm was established during wartime, but the first examples proved relatively fragile. ![]() Dirt, dust and moisture have always been among the biggest enemies of watch movements, and so keeping a pocket watch tucked away inside the wearer’s clothing when not in use helped safeguard its delicate internal components. Not so much for their practicality, but for the level of protection they afforded. Beyond even that though, it has also formed the backbone for almost everything Rolex has created since – and solved one of the main problems facing any mechanical watchmaker: water resistance.īefore the Oyster case’s introduction, pocket watches were very much the only timepiece men used. This relatively simple innovation, one which has gone largely unchanged for the last 90+ years, did more than anything before or since to popularize the wristwatch. The brand’s products have truly been to the highest, lowest, hottest, and coldest places on Earth, handling with ease the most hostile environments the planet can offer. And key to much of their success can be attributed to an invention dreamt up all the way back in 1926: the Oyster case. Perhaps more than anything else, the unassailable reputation of Rolex watches rests on their ability to withstand the extremes. Rather than having to delicately handle and only occasionally wear a Rolex watch, Rolex has designed their product to be strong and durable, while maintaining that level of luxury that has come to be expected. ![]() Rolex watches have come to represent a coupling of luxury and technological innovation. ![]()
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