They say you’re not fully dressed until you put on your watch, hat, or shoes. Or perhaps pants? We’ll start with the watch because this is a brief history of Rolex. Until you put on your Rolex, you are not fully dressed.
Look around any boardroom in the world, and you will find several business persons wearing Rolex Cellini Watches. This is one of the top of the line watches that shows others you have class and sophistication. You know the value of the finer things and are confident in whatever you set out to do.
This is especially important for women in the corporate world. Not too long ago, women were not welcome in the boardroom unless they took notes or served coffee. What was once known as the “glass ceiling” has been broken, and women are not only accepted into the inner circle of the corporate world, they are running things, including their own Fortune 500 businesses.
Misconception
At the beginning of mass-produced designer watches, the world believed that such a luxury item belonged on a man’s wrist. However, the first-ever documented wristwatch was designed for a woman to wear, not a man. Abraham-Louis Breguet created a beautiful and delicate timepiece for Caroline Murat, the Queen of Naples. This was in 1810.
The Founders
In 1905, a young German-British businessman named Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis created a partnership with a watch company. The pair decided to develop wristwatches as an alternative to the timepieces of the era, pocket watches.
Their watches were stamped with a “W&D” to represent each partner, but in 1908, Wilsdorf changed the watch’s name to Rolex. He thought the name was similar to the sound a watch made when it was being wound. Additionally, it was easy to pronounce in almost any language, although it was a made-up word. It wasn’t until 1915 that the pair changed the company’s name to Rolex.
Geographical Changes
The partners began their watch business in London, England, but due to the high taxes on luxury items during the war, they moved the production to Geneva, Switzerland, in 1919. This move is credited with helping Switzerland become the luxury watch capital of the world.
Although Rolex is synonymous with elegance and status, the company prides itself on giving back to people and organizations less fortunate than they are. Not only does Rolex help the people of Switzerland, but countless charities around the world.
Innovations
Rolex has stood out among the crowd of luxury watches with several innovations considered groundbreaking at the time. And the company and its watches continue to be on the cutting edge of technology today.
Rolex was the first watch company to create a quartz movement and battery-powered wristwatch. With the invention of the quartz movement, the company was on the front lines of developing automatic, self-winding watches. These were also the first watches that stored power from the wrist of the person wearing the watch.
Women’s World
The Datejust, which premiered in 1945 as a man’s watch, became the first self-winding wristwatch for women. Part of the Rolex Oyster Collection, the Datejust is one of the most popular styles of Rolex watches ever created. Rolex unveiled the Lady-Datejust in 1957, one of the first date chronometer ladies watches.
With all the same structures as the man’s version, this particular style has more minor features. There are several different styles of the Lady-Datejust, including the Lady-Datejust Chocolate Everose, the Lady-Datejust 28 in platinum, or the Lady-Datejust 31 in gold.
The Logo
Rolex was simply the name in bold black font in the very beginning. Some of the advertisements featured a famous sportsman who had taken the watch above and beyond what anyone thought capable. For example, one advertisement highlighted Sir Malcolm Campbell, who wore the Oyster Rolex while breaking the land and water speed records.
His endorsement was a significant boost to the brand at the time. The Oyster watch was waterproof and dust-proof and, therefore, perfect for anyone who participated in sports.
It wasn’t until 1925 that the crown was trademarked and became the logo for the rest of the time. Little is known about the crown with five points. Some say it represents the five fingers on a hand, while others speculate the five points in the crown represent the letters in the name Rolex.
The colors of the Rolex crown logo are easier to decode. The gold crown signifies a gold standard in watches and the company that builds the magnificent timepieces. It is also the symbol of the precious metals used to create luxurious watches.
Only the best or the gold standard in materials is used in making such a valuable watch. The green lettering of the word Rolex means money, although green is usually a sign of the Earth. Together, the gold and green represent wealth and status.
The logo has changed very little over the past several years and will undoubtedly stay the same as it is widely recognized.
The Crown
The Rolex logo or the crown feature is one of the main characteristics of each watch that leaves the production line. In large part, it is the reason most people purchase a Rolex. The crown can be found on both the face of the watch and the band.
It features intricate details to deter counterfeit watchmakers. The experts charged with authenticating Rolex watches will look closely at the crown logo for telltale signs of a fake.
The crown is also a part of the marketing slogan for Rolex: “a crown for every achievement” is part of the marketing campaign. A Rolex watch is often purchased as a gift for someone retiring or moving up in the corporate world. Because of this, Rolex has tied its name to the commemoration of achievements.
One of Mr. Wilsdorf’s well-known statements about his company is, “Only great marketing is needed to make a company successful.” However, the marketing was only a tiny portion of the popularity and success of Rolex.
Product Placement
You may have noticed the Rolex crown or the actual watch in many television shows and several high-profile movies. James Bond, 007 himself, always sported a Rolex. You can find the iconic timepiece in other films like The Color of Money, Apollo 13, American Psycho, Speed, and Titanic, to name a few.
Some of the many television shows featuring characters with Rolex watches include Mad Men, The Sopranos, Blacklist, Lost, and 24.
Status & Prestige
There are several watchmakers in Sweden and worldwide, each producing watches and timepieces of equal value and larger price tags. But only Rolex has the crown that is immediately recognized and known for its superior quality.
A Rolex watch is the perfect graduation, anniversary, retirement, promotion, or “just because” gift anyone can ever hope for. It is a thing of beauty and value from an investment standpoint. A Rolex watch can be handed down from parent to child.
Because of the crown and the care that goes into each Rolex watch, it has remained at the top of everyone’s list as a must-have fashion accessory.
