As far as luxury watchmaking is concerned, it all started with the advent of state of the art tool watches. These timepieces were extremely functional devices that helped build the future of the industry we know today as luxury watchmaking. Tool watches have played a significant role in the growth of the watchmaking business and there is no denying it. As a matter of fact, the entire fraternity owes a lot to these magnificent watches. But there were a few that were a notch better than the others. These creations spearheaded the movement and made the most contributions too. One such brand was Rolex.
Now, before Rolex was a shining name in the Haute Horlogerie universe, it was a humble and down to earth watch manufacturer that had a visionary founder at its helm. Its sole focus was on creating something that was never seen before, and it was this drive that led to the massive unprecedented success of the brand.
Inventive Streak
Over the years, Rolex watches for women and men have become this flashy name in the business that adheres to a strict code of perfection and quality. But back in the day, the brand was quite flexible. And perhaps it is this flexibility and a knack for experimenting with new things that led to the creation of the numerous patents that it did make.
The Greatest Salesman
A great example of this is the Oyster case. The Oyster, as the name suggests, is a creature of the ocean. When the Oyster case was first unveiled, it was a game changer. The Rolex Submariner prices would agree. However, contrary to popular belief, it was not a Rolex invention. The brand simply presented it in a grand way. The actual invention belonged to another watchmaker that implemented this technology in his pocket watches.
Another example of an invention that Rolex supposedly presented in front of the world was the ‘Perpetual’ movement. Now, this automatic movement added a lot of weight to Rolex’s claim to be the best of its generation. But only a few people know that it was not Rolex’s original idea. It was yet another patent that Rolex simply pitched in a much better way.
So, is Rolex really a good watchmaker or just a good showman? The answer is both. Along with being a master of its own craft, Rolex is an amazing showman and marketer. It could sell literally anything and people will still buy it. That is just how good Rolex is. Nonetheless, the watchmaker’s reputation as a horologist is solid as a rock and nothing short of immortal.
