COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

Since the beginning, the story of Rolex has been characterised by the quest for

perfection and the ambition to push back the boundaries.

"THE OPPOSITION I ENCOUNTERED

SEEMED INSUPERABLE."

At the turn of the 20th century, a visionary entrepreneur based in London was

on the verge of success. His aim? To introduce the watchmaking world of the

day to an as-yet-unknown dial signature: Rolex. A new name, invented in

1908, it would become one of the world’s most respected brands in the space

of a few decades. As Hans Wilsdorf recounted in his memoirs of the early days

of his company, the opposition he faced seemed insurmountable at first.

The entrepreneur started out with very little, but he did possess invaluable

qualities: vision, perseverance and an extraordinary ability to work. An orphan

at the age of 12, with nothing other than his determination to help him

overcome challenges, Hans Wilsdorf went on to invent the world’s first

waterproof self-winding wristwatch with a Perpetual rotor – a watch that has

become a benchmark in terms of quality and prestige.

 “Too complicated, too fragile, ill-adapted” – the wristwatch was met with

scepticism. Yet, relying on his firmly-held beliefs, Hans Wilsdorf managed to

achieve his bold objective of establishing the Rolex watch – the Oyster

Perpetual – as the archetype of the waterproof timepiece: precise, robust and

able to withstand all conditions.

But he was not simply a visionary who endowed Rolex watches with their

fundamental technical and aesthetic characteristics. His constant quest for

perfection was accompanied by a profound generosity and unshakeable faith

in human potential.

UNITING EXPERTISE

An integrated and independent company, Rolex has manufacturing resources

that encompass a wide range of skills and knowledge. Watchmakers,

engineers, designers and other specialists work closely together from the

design to the manufacturing of the watches. 

Rolex’s company culture is based above all on human values, which place

both expertise and soft skills at the heart of the brand’s different activities.

Rolex is host to a variety of professions, brought to life by employees who are

experts in their fields. The company has complete control over its essential

components, from the casting of gold alloys to machining, finishing and

assembly of the movement, case, dial and bracelet elements, as well as

gem-setting. Its know-how is also made available right across the world thanks

to an exceptional after-sales service network.

To ensure the brand’s expertise exists into the future, Rolex has its own unique

Training Centre. Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and the development of

its employees, the centre, located in Geneva, provides training to employees

and instructs apprentices. The company aims to pass on to younger

generations its pride in its skills and mastery of its knowledge. 

A WATCH UNLIKE THE REST

The Oyster Perpetual collection was built on the success of the original Oyster

model, patented by Rolex and launched in 1926. 

As the world’s first waterproof wristwatch, it played a pioneering role in the

development of the modern timepiece.

Over the years, the Oyster became the proud bearer of many other innovations

– such as self-winding by means of the Perpetual rotor (1931) – that defined

the identity of the models in the collection and forged Rolex’s reputation for

excellence, of which chronometric precision and reliability are among the

cornerstones.

The Oyster gradually evolved into a collection of watches that integrated new

functions and innovative technologies. All the models share fundamental

features and a strong visual identity. Today the collection consists of 12

ranges, split into two categories: Classic watches such as the Datejust and the

Day Date, and Professional watches, including the Explorer and the

GMT-Master II.

As the pioneer of the wristwatch, the company is at the origin of numerous

major innovations in the watchmaking industry and has filed over 500 patents

in the course of its history.