By Andrew Court
James Bond lights a cigarette. Using the zippo flame he looks down at the black dial of his Rolex. Seconds tick by then—BOOM—the bomb goes off. Unfazed, the white dinner jacket-clad secret agent strolls deeper into the bar as others run.
This Submariner from the opening scene of Goldfinger is possibly the most famous watch of all time. Rolex is the classic Bond watch for good reason; it’s the timepiece for men of action in real life.
The Rolex story begins inconspicuously in London in 1905. Hans Wilsdorf, a German-born entrepreneur, along with his brother-in-law Alfred Davis, established Wilsdorf & Davis Ltd. At first the company specialized in importing Swiss watch movements and assembling them in British cases, but the German orphan had a vision. At the time, pocket watches were common but the wristwatch was ascendant.
In 1908, Wilsdorf registered the name “Rolex” as a trademark. Legend has it the name came to him while riding in a horse-drawn carriage around London. More practically the name was chosen for its ease of pronunciation in any language.
Wilsdorf was already dreaming big and the brand quickly made its mark.
In 1910, a Rolex became the first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision. Four years later, in 1914, a Rolex watch earned a Class “A” Precision Certificate from the Kew Observatory in England, a distinction typically reserved for marine chronometers. After World War One Wilsdorf moved the company to Geneva to avoid taxes on imported movements in the UK.
The two real breakthroughs, and what launched Rolex as you know it, are the Oyster case and the perpetual rotor.
Let start with the Oyster case, still used on modern Rolexes. This was the first waterproof case, functioning just as the oyster name implies. Mercedes Gleitze made an attempt to swim the English Channel in 1927 while wearing one. After more than 10 hours in the water, it was still functioning.
Today the versatility of the Oyster case is demonstrated by Field Ethos’ Waterman Pete Correale as he transitions from spearfishing off Montauk to hitting on soft sevens at Surf Lodge, without changing his timepiece.
The second major innovation is the perpetual rotor. The rotor converts the natural motion of the wearer’s wrist into energy to wind the movement automatically. This is why your Rolex doesn’t need a battery like the Casio your aunt Linda got you from Macy’s.
These two innovations make Rolex the perfect tool watch.
During World War II, when British pilots in POW camps had their watches confiscated, Wilsdorf offered to replace them for free. The Submariner became the favorite time piece of divers, but fans still argue if Jacques Cousteau wore a Rolex or a Blancpain. PanAm pilots, needing a dual time zone feature, spawned the now Iconic Pepsi GMT. The Daytona came into existence to time racing cars.
To say these watches are popular today is an understatement. In the name of research I went to the Rolex Boutique in the Miami Design District to buy one. The salesman almost spit up his Nespresso as he suppressed a chortle. They were sold out but he generously offered to put me on the waitlist. A friend was on the waitlist for four years for a Daytona, despite buying multiple non-Rolex watches with the dealer. His girlfriend’s engagement ring finally put him over the line and he got the call.
Not to say it’s that much easier to buy a used one. During the COVID pandemic craziness a gray market sprung up that almost matched Bitcoin, both in frothiness and ability to attract Lambo-leasing bros.
Beyond technical prowess what makes these watches so coveted? The answer has to be the men who have worn them.
In 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary wore an Explorer on his ascent of Mount Everest. Paul Newman’s Daytona went for $17.8 million at auction in 2017. JFK allegedly received a day-date from Marilyn Monroe. Steve McQueen and Field Ethos’ Jason Vincent are both famous for wearing an Explorer II.
There’s also the incredible build quality and retention of value. A Rolex lasts forever and it’s perfect to pass from father to son. It will also hold its value. This could be why spies love them—whip the Rolex off your wrist and you have a nearly universal bartering chip to get out of the stickiest of situations.
Wilsdorf died on July 6, 1960 at the age of 79, but his legacy lives on through the Rolex Foundation. Leaving his shares to this charitable trust, it’s hard to know how much business Rolex does, but estimates range from nine to thirteen billion dollars annually. They are truly the king of watches, living up to their crown logo.
I have mixed emotions about Rolex. On one hand my mom told me never to get one. She believed them to be too flashy, making the wearer a target for theft. On the other hand, it’s hard to underestimate their iconic appeal.
For now I am anti-Rolex, unless I get the call to pick up my gold GMT…
