The challenge of precision In 1910, a Rolex watch was awarded a certificate of chronometric precision from the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne, Switzerland. This wristwatch was therefore proven to be as precise as a pocket watch, the benchmark at the time. A few years later, in 1914, the watchmaking world was astounded once more when another Rolex wristwatch received a Class A certificate from Great Britain’s Kew Observatory. This distinction had hitherto been generally reserved for hefty marine chronometers. Through these achievements, Rolex made a major contribution to the credibility of the wristwatch, which had previously been regarded as mere jewellery and highly unreliable in terms of accuracy. Having overcome the challenge of precision, Rolex turned its attention to designing flawless armour to protect its movements. From Oyster to Oyster Perpetual The invention of the Oyster in 1926 was a major breakthrough in watchmaking. The case, which was to lend its name to a wristwatch, was entirely waterproof and dustproof thanks to its system of screwing down the bezel, case back, and winding crown against the middle case. This watchmaking revolution would be put to the test in 1927 when Englishwoman Mercedes Gleitze swam the Channel between France and England, spending over 10 hours in freezing seas. The watch that she wore — a gold Oyster — remained in perfect working order. The development in 1931 of a groundbreaking self-winding system, the Perpetual rotor, further enhanced the performance of Rolex watches. Precise, waterproof and now autonomous, the Oyster had become ‘Perpetual’.
A living laboratory “Performance under pressure” — such was the philosophy of Hans Wilsdorf, who, in the wake of Mercedes Gleitze’s achievement, entrusted Oyster watches to various explorers, scientists, athletes, pilots, seafarers, mountaineers, and divers. These men and women were to test the reliability of Rolex watches from the highest peaks to the deepest oceans, turning our planet into a living laboratory. Their feedback allowed the manufacture’s engineers to perfect Oyster watches and constantly improve them.
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