Rolex definitely isn’t like any different watch brand. In fact, the privately held, independently run entity isn’t like most different companies. I can say this now with a lot extra readability than most humans due to the fact I was once there. Rolex not often approves all of us into its hallowed halls, however I was once invited to go to their 4 manufacture areas in Switzerland and journey first-hand how Rolex makes their famous watches.
Rolex is a universe of its own: respected; admired; valued; and regarded throughout the globe. Sometimes I take a seat lower back and assume about all that Rolex is and does and locate it challenging to accept as true with that at the quit of the day, they simply make watches. Rolex does simply make watches and their timepieces have taken on a function past that of mere timekeeper. Having stated that, the purpose a “Rolex is a Rolex” is due to the fact they are proper watches and inform noticeably suitable time. It’s taken me over a decade to utterly respect the brand, and it will probable take longer earlier than I study the whole lot I’d like to recognize about them.
The cause of this article isn’t to provide you a definitely internal appear at Rolex. That isn’t viable due to the fact as of now there is a strict “no photography” coverage at Rolex. There is a very actual mystique at the back of the manufacture due to the fact they are fantastically closed and their operations aren’t public. The company takes the thought of Swiss discreetness to a new level, and in a lot of approaches that is properly for them. So in view that we can’t exhibit you what we saw, I’d like to share with you some fascinating information that each Rolex and watch lover ought to know.
1. Rolex Uses An Expensive And Difficult-To-Machine Steel Because It Looks Better
Many watch fans are acquainted with the reality that Rolex makes use of a kind of metal that no one else uses. Stainless metal is now not all the same. Steel comes in a number of kinds and grades… and most metal watches are made from a kind of stainless metal referred to as 316L. Today, all the metal in Rolex watches is made from 904L steel, and as a long way as we know, fantastically an awful lot no one else does. Why?
Rolex used to use the equal metal as all of us else, however in round 2003 they moved their complete metal manufacturing to 904L steel. In 1988 they launched their first 904L metal watch with a few variations of the Sea-Dweller. 904L metal is greater rust and corrosion resistant, and is incredibly more difficult than different steels. Most necessary to Rolex, is that 904L steel, when labored properly, is in a position to take (and hold) polishes especially well. If you’ve ever seen that metal on a Rolex watch appears one-of-a-kind than different watches, it is due to the fact of 904L steel, and how Rolex has discovered to work with it.
A herbal query is why doesn’t all of us else in the watch enterprise use 904L steel? A suitable wager is due to the fact it is greater pricey and a lot extra difficult to machine. Rolex had to substitute most of their metal working machines and equipment to deal with 904L steel. It made experience for them due to the fact of the quantity of watches they produce, and due to the fact they make all their components in-house. Most different manufacturers get their instances made from outdoor suppliers. So even even though 904L metal is higher than 316L metal for watches, it is greater expensive, requires extraordinary equipment and skills, and is average greater hard to work with. This has avoided different manufacturers (so far) from taking benefit of it, and is some thing unique that Rolex has. The gain is apparent as soon as you manage any metal Rolex watch.
2. Rolex Has Its Own Science Lab
Given the whole lot Rolex has executed over the years it shouldn’t come as a shock that they have an interior Research & Development department. However, Rolex takes it nicely past that. Rolex has no longer one, however numerous exclusive kinds of extraordinarily well-equipped expert science labs at their quite a number facilities. The reason of these labs isn’t simply to lookup new watches and matters that may additionally go into watches, however additionally to lookup extra high quality and environment friendly manufacturing techniques. One way of searching at Rolex is that they are an extraordinarily in a position and nearly obsessively geared up manufacturing enterprise – that simply occurs to make timepieces.
Rolex labs are as numerous as they are amazing. Perhaps the most visually fascinating is the chemistry lab. Full of beakers and tubes that elevate beverages and gases, the Rolex chemistry lab is full of pretty skilled scientists. What is it typically used for? Well one aspect that Rolex noted is that the lab is used for creating and learning oils and lubricants that they use in machines all through the manufacturing process.
Rolex has a room with more than one electron microscopes and some gasoline spectrometers. They are capable to take an extraordinarily shut seem to be at metals and different substances to look at the results of machining and manufacturing techniques. These giant areas are extraordinarily awesome and are used severely on a ordinary groundwork to treatment or forestall viable problems.
Of path Rolex additionally makes use of its science labs on the watches themselves. An fascinating room is the stress check room. Here watch movements, bracelets, and instances bear simulated put on and abuse on customized machines and robots. Let’s simply say that it would now not be unreasonable to anticipate your standard Rolex is designed to remaining a lifetime (or two).
3. Rolex Movements Are All Hand-Assembled And Tested
One of largest misconceptions about Rolex is that machines construct their watches. The rumor is so pervasive that even humans at a Blog to Watch believed it to be generally true. This is due to the fact historically Rolex didn’t talk a great deal on this topic. Well the fact is that Rolex watches are given all the hands-on human interest that you’d like to anticipate from a pleasant Swiss made watch.
Rolex makes use of machines in the method for sure. In fact, Rolex without difficulty has the most state-of-the-art watch making equipment in the world. The robots and different computerized duties are definitely used for duties that human beings aren’t as desirable at. These encompass sorting, filing, cataloging, and very subtle methods that contain the kind of care you favor a computer to handle. Most of these machines are nevertheless human-operated though. And the whole lot from Rolex actions to bracelets are assembled by way of hand. A laptop on the other hand helps with doing matters such as making use of the proper stress when attaching pins, aligning parts, and urgent down hands. Having stated that, all Rolex watch arms are nonetheless set with the aid of hand through a skilled technician.
It would be an understatement to advocate that Rolex is obsessive about great control. A predominant theme in the manufacture is that matters are checked, re-checked, and then checked again. It feels as even though their purpose is to make certain that if a Rolex watch fails, it does so earlier than it leaves the factory. Large groups of watchmakers and meeting humans work on each single motion that Rolex produces. This is earlier than and after their actions are despatched to COSC for chronometer certification. And on pinnacle of that, Rolex re-tests their moves for accuracy after they are cased for numerous days whilst simulating put on earlier than they are despatch out to retailers.
4. An In-House Foundry Makes All The Gold For Rolex Watches
Rolex makes their personal gold. While they have a small handful of suppliers that ship them metal (Rolex nevertheless works the metal in-house to make all the parts), all the gold and platinum is made in-house. 24k gold comes into Rolex and it is grew to become into 18k yellow, white, or Rolex’s Everose gold (their non-fading model of 18k rose gold).
Large kilns below warm flames are used to soften and combine the metals which are then grew to become into instances and bracelets. Because Rolex controls the manufacturing and machining of their gold, they are capable to strictly make sure no longer solely quality, however the nice searching parts. To our know-how Rolex is the solely watch manufacture that makes their personal gold or even has a actual foundry in-house.
5. Technology Is A Watchmaker’s Best Friend
The philosophy at Rolex appears to be very pragmatic, if a human does it better, then let a human do it, if a desktop does it better, then let a desktop do it. In reality the purpose extra watchmakers don’t use machines is two-fold. First of all machines are massive investments and in many cases preserving humans round to do it is much less expensive. Second, they don’t have the manufacturing needs that Rolex does. In fact, Rolex is lucky to have the capacity to equip its amenities with robotic assist the place needed.
The epicenter of Rolex’s automation prowess is the grasp furnish room. Massive columns of components are attended to through robotic servants that save and retrieve trays with components or whole watches. A watchmaker wanting components need to definitely location an order with the system, and it is delivered on a sequence of conveyer structures to them in about 6-8 minutes.
Robotic palms populate the Rolex manufacture areas when it in most cases comes to repetitive or fairly precise duties that require consistency. Many Rolex components are given an preliminary computer polish by way of a robot, however amazingly they are hand-finishing and polished as well. The reality is that whilst cutting-edge science is a big phase of the “Rolex manufacturing machine,” robotic gear is there to help what is a very real, human watch making operation
6. Fort Knox Has Nothing On Rolex
It isn’t shocking that Rolex is eager on security. At their foundry for example, I was once given a bar to lift round that weighed in at simply over $1,000,000 really worth of Everose gold. There is a lot extra of that, as properly as valuable carried out watches that want safekeeping. Rolex employs a collection of extraordinarily meticulous protection exams and they had a James Bond-style secure that is positioned a few flooring underground.
I observed that rank and file watch meeting personnel have an fascinating machine on their desks that required their ID badge be docked at all instances after being recognized with a fingerprint scan. Everything is scanned and cataloged. In fact, every Rolex watch motion has a special serial quantity that is photographed and matched with a case that additionally has a distinct special serial number. In the future when the watch is serviced, a watchmaker can examine the whole thing there is to be aware of about it.
Accessing the Rolex secure requires coming into a financial institution vault door and passing an iris scanner that identifies you by using your eyes. When Rolex components cross from vicinity to location, they are transported in tremendously discreet unmarked (and possibly closely armored) trucks. Rolex is very serious about their safety, and for a actually desirable cause considering that it is frequently stated (in truth) that Rolex watches are simply as desirable as money.
7. Rolex Dive Watches Are Individually Tested In Pressurized Tanks With Water
All Rolex Oyster case watches are completely examined for water resistance. The way that this is regularly finished at watch manufactures is with an air-pressure tank. A watch is positioned in a small chamber that is stuffed with air, and if the stress modifications at all, it capacity that air leaked into the case. Each Rolex Oyster, as nicely as Oyster dive watches starts with this air strain treatment. In fact, every case is examined each earlier than and after a motion and dial are positioned inner of it.
Dive watches get hold of a separate therapy all together. After being air strain tested, Rolex proceeds to check the water resistance of every and each and every Rolex Submariner and Deep Sea watch in genuine water. This kind of check is lots much less common. Submariner watches are positioned in massive tubes that are crammed with water to make certain that they are water resistant to 300 meters. The check is extraordinarily complicated due to the fact Rolex employs a complicated device for checking out if water entered the case.
After the watches exit the tank, they are heated up and a drop of bloodless water is positioned on the crystal to see if condensation forms. An optical sensor then scans them for hint quantities of water. Less than one in a thousand watches fail the test. The story is plenty extra excessive for Deep-Sea watches. Rolex co-developed a exceptional high-pressure water tank with COMEX to depth take a look at every Deep-Sea watch. The strain tank appears like some thing from a science fiction movie. Imagine some thing that appears like a countless ton Gatling gun. This desktop takes properly over an hour and measures every watch to a strain equal to 12,000 meters deep.
8. An Army Of Gemologists Work At Rolex
It has been stated that Rolex has preposterous requirements for the substances it buys from its suppliers. This consists of matters like metals as properly as valuable stones such as diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. Rolex has a big gemological branch whose intention it is to buy, test, arrange, and set diamonds and different valuable stones in a vary of Rolex models. One of the matters they do is take a look at incoming stones to make sure that they are real. Using x-rays for example, they can take a look at diamonds to make sure they aren’t fake.
Rolex reviews that in the years they have been checking out diamonds, solely two in 20 million have been fake. That may appear like such a small quantity it isn’t even well worth their time to function the test. Nevertheless, to make certain absolute quality, Rolex exams every batch of diamonds. This ought to additionally have an illustrative impact on the diamonds they use, which take place to solely be IF in clarity, and D-G in colour (the 4 grades closest to white).
Each and each diamond or treasured stone (no be counted how massive or small) on a Rolex watch is hand-selected and hand-set. Rolex employs common jewelers to create customized settings for stones in their most unique watches, performed the usage of the identical methods employed in developing the world’s best jewelry. It was once excellent to see this stage of artisanship and refined care interior what many human beings agree with to be a mass producer.
9. It Takes About A Year To Make One Rolex Watch
An commercial for Rolex lengthy in the past claimed that it takes about a yr to make a single Rolex watch. As suspicious as that sounds, it is authentic even today. Rolex produces nearly a million watches a year, however surprisingly, no shortcuts are taken in the manufacturing system from what I may want to take a look at (and I’ve been to a lot of watch manufactures). Rolex is then again fascinated in first-rate and efficiency. Basically, the whole corporation appears targeted on producing the first-class watches, and constantly seeing how they can make them better.
If you appear at Rolex watches over time, they are greater about evolution as an alternative than revolution. This concept of usually enhancing versus altering goes proper into their manufacturing manner as well. They are continuously gaining knowledge of how to enhance first-rate via higher tactics and techniques. The pass from aluminum to ceramic bezel inserts is a ideal example. Nevertheless, from beginning to structure the parts of the case to trying out a performed watch for accuracy, the manner takes round one year.
Of path Rolex should pace this up for sure fashions if necessary, however every watch requires so many components and simply the whole thing is made from base substances in-house. Once all the components for a Rolex watch are completed, they are then frequently hand-assembled and in my opinion tested. The trying out and exceptional assurance system is as an alternative intense.
A right instance is how Rolex makes every of their watch dials. All of the dials are made in-house, and one of the most astonishing records is that all of the utilized hour markers are set in my opinion by way of hand. Often instances at different brands, machines function this process, however Rolex discovered that a human eye is higher educated to spot problems. So character hour markers are utilized and riveted with the aid of hand. Dials are dropped from 20cm up in the air to make certain that none of the hour markers fall out. This is a cautious and time-consuming process, and it is amongst the many factors of making watches at Rolex that is finished by means of a professional human being. Taken together, due to the fact of Rolex’s as a substitute fanatical dedication to first-rate throughout their large production, watches take, on average, about a yr to produce.
10. Rolex Makes Virtually Everything In-House
After having stated all of the above, it in all likelihood doesn’t come as a large shock that Rolex makes in reality the whole lot in-house as a completely vertically built-in manufacturer. As of proper now, the solely primary components that Rolex doesn’t make for all of their watches are the artificial sapphire crystals and many of the dial fingers (though I have a feeling the latter will trade in the subsequent countless years). Rolex produces their very own gold, cases, bracelets, dials, bezels, and actions in-house with fantastic effectivity and quality.
It isn’t simply that Rolex can manage to pay for all the most beneficial machines, however additionally that Rolex invests into techniques and methods that are tightly-held change secrets. The actual cost internal the Rolex manufacturing unit are their equipment and know-how, which no one should replicate even if they had a replica of their facilities.
Making the entirety in-house lets in Rolex to be sincerely independent. Watch collectors regularly agree that there is the watch enterprise and then there is Rolex – the two simply show up to make comparable products. It is challenging to love watches and now not recognize what Rolex is and what they produce. Traveling there I can totally apprehend why they aren’t only the most profitable high-end watch manufacture, however why they are additionally one of the most profitable luxurious manufacturers in the world.
If I had to say one ultimate issue about Rolex, it is that even if you individually don’t like how their merchandise seem to be on your wrist (which places you in a minority or human beings if, after a few years, you don’t respect at least some models), you clearly can’t deny the absolute experience of confidence, reliability, and dignity the manufacturer title communicates. I can individually attest to that.
Want to check this Rolex Watches having are all rolex watches automatic, are rolex watches cheaper in switzerland, are rolex watches waterproof, are there quartz rolex watches, best insurance for rolex watches, best place to buy used rolex watches, old rolex watches prices, do rolex watches hold their value, do rolex watches increase in value, do rolex watches lose value, female celebrities wearing rolex watches, how expensive are rolex watches, how much are new rolex watches, how much do rolex watches cost. Check at Amazon.com
