There are those brands that are so deeply rooted in the global culture that they can no longer be ignored. Rolex is without a doubt part of that. The Swiss watch brand symbolizes wealth, success, style, quality and is for some more a statement than an accessory that shows the time. Now that the Swiss brand has been around for over 116 years, it is possible to identify the visionary strategies that have lifted the company to the watchmaking throne.
THE EARLY YEARS OF ROLEX In 1905, German-born Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis founded the brand. He initially gave it the name Wilsdorf & Davis, but was registered as Rolex by Wilsdorf in 1908. The London-based company imported Swiss timepieces and resold them to jewelers who put their own names on the dials. In 1926 they released a 100% waterproof, dirt-resistant and shock-resistant watch case. This one got the name Oyster, for the simple reason that it resembled a closed oyster. After a number of tactical publicity stunts, the demand for the Swiss watches grew rapidly and the British taxes on the Swiss timepieces used by Rolex prompted Wilsdorf to move the company to Geneva, Switzerland in 1919. In 1931 rolex first copy watches introduced the first automatic winding wristwatch, the birth of the legendary Oyster Perpetual. The automatic winding timepiece was an engineering marvel that attracted attention for its ease and minimal wear and tear on the manual winding mechanism and crown wires. Once again, they got their hands on a scoop and made headlines. WWII Despite Switzerland's neutrality, World War II was a challenge for the Swiss watch industry and few technological innovations aimed at the civilian market. Only Rolex did not adhere to this and in 1945 they came up with the Rolex Datejust. The Datejust was the first watch to immediately change the date at midnight. After the war, Rolex was the only one ready to supply an increasingly prosperous civilian market that wanted futuristic products, and the brand found innovations. To this day, no watch is as instantly recognizable as a Cyclops timepiece with a fluted bezel, giving rise to the watch icons Datejust, Day-Date and Sky-Dweller. THE ROLEX AIR-KING, EXPOLORER, SUBARINER, GMT-MASTER AND DAY-DATE The 1950s were turning points for Rolex, with the launch of the Air-King (1958), the Explorer (1953), the Submariner (1953), the GMT Master (1955), the Day-Date (1956), the Milgauss ( 1956), the Lady-Datejust (1957) and the first Deep Sea model (1960). With the exception of the Day-Date and the GMT Master, the first of its kind, Rolex's post-war offerings were very convincing configurations of pre-existing technologies. And today they are as relevant as ever before and the value of most models has increased significantly in price. There is not one answer to the question of why Rolex is Rolex, but several factors that can explain this fact. Like the wearers, because there have been many influential Rolex enthusiasts over the years. Actually a kind of precursor of inclination. From Winston Churcull to Martin Luther King and from Barack Obama to Paul Newman. The price also fits in with a boy's dream that is just barely attainable and gives the brand something to aspire to. It is a status symbol, a message that appeals to many. Like having a house with a thatched roof, or having a Porsche, but always have it with you. What 911 is to Porsche, Oyster is to Rolex. ROLEX IS FOREVER IN FASHION Rolex has developed over the years into one of the most prominent and recognizable watchmakers of all time. Despite all the marketing stunts, the brand has never been tempted to lose focus and there is something mysterious about the brand. Rolex's dedication to its original designs has ensured that watches will never go out of style, even as new materials and technologies slowly make their way into new models. Eternally in fashion, more than anything else, has ensured that Rolex will remain king for the foreseeable future.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
August 2021
Categories |