A great watch can last you a lifetime. Quite a number of watch firms make this very bold claim, and magazines such as this one (but not only this one) back them up. How can we be so sure? To investigate, we looked into the promise of one firm in particular: Rolex. As the makers of the world’s most popular and best known fine timepieces, Rolex does indeed come right out and say that “there is no limit on how long a Rolex watch can keep working, being handed down from one generation to the next, and living several lives.” Helpfully, the brand explains how this is possible, but the short answer is excellent servicing. If you ensure that your watches are regularly serviced by qualified specialists, you have every reason to expect them to outlive you. Ok that is all you need to know, so you can quit reading now.
If you are sticking with this tale, then you must want to know exactly how the brand plans to keep its promises. We shall do our best to explain the work of the Rolex World Service, which is an essential effort in the business of watches. We shall say at the outset that every Rolex watch sent in for full servicing gets completely overhauled, meaning the movement is disassembled and each component is carefully examined. And that is just to begin with - the proverbial tip of the iceberg if you will. We will get into that properly in a bit, but the story has skipped ahead a fair bit in the interest of teasing you about what lies ahead here. There is quite a lot to understand before we get to the full service experience.
EMBRACING THE DETAILS
This story is from the Spring 2021 edition of World of Watches.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Spring 2021 edition of World of Watches.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.
