...BACK TO THE FUTURE...
ROLEX OYSTERQUARTZ
The Complete History
For years, I’ve intended to write this definitive account of the Rolex OysterQuartz, a timepiece that represents an absolutely fascinating chapter in Rolex’s storied legacy.
The recent introduction of Rolex’s new Land-Dweller sparked a renewed curiosity, prompting me to delve much deeper into the Rolex OysterQuartz’s history. What began as preliminary research has evolved into this comprehensive narrative, drawing on previously untapped sources and overlooked details.
While many have attempted to chronicle the OysterQuartz’s journey, no account has come remotely close to fully captured its complete story—until now.
This article unveils, for the first time, many undocumented elements of Rolex’s history, shedding new light on a watch that defied convention while redefining precision.
Reference 5100 Oyster Quartz
The Dawn of Rolex Electronic Timekeeping?
Rolex’s Reference 5100, the brand’s first publicly available electronic watch, developed in the late 1960s, and first showcased to the public in the early 1970s, marks a pivotal moment in horological history. This groundbreaking timepiece, pictured below, introduced Rolex to the world of electronic movements, challenging the brand’s mechanical heritage.
Beyond its historical roots, this article explores a timeless debate: Which reigns supreme—mechanical or electronic movements? My argument challenges conventional wisdom, proposing a bold and unexpected solution: a hybrid approach that combines the best of both worlds.
For many purists, even raising this question borders on heresy. The prevailing sentiment enshrines Rolex as the pinnacle of mechanical watchmaking, where any nod to quartz or electronic technology is deemed unthinkable, a betrayal of tradition. Yet, Rolex’s legacy is not one of stagnation but of relentless innovation, often defying expectations with groundbreaking advancements.
To illustrate, consider a recent patent granted to Rolex, published on June 5, 2025, titled 'named 'REGULATING SYSTEM FOR A TIMEPIECE', This document offers a fascinating glimpse into Rolex’s forward-thinking vision, detailing a sophisticated system that could redefine the brand’s trajectory and reshape the future of horology.
Later in this article, I will delve deeper into the potentially revolutionary implications of this recent Rolex patent, exploring how it could reshape the future of watchmaking.
By exploring the OysterQuartz’s legacy, this article reveals how Rolex’s foray into electronic and hybrid technologies reflects a forward-thinking ethos that continues to shape its future narrative.
This article profoundly introduces newly uncovered original source material that fundamentally reshapes our understanding of horological history and makes a significant contribution to horological scholarship.
Astonishingly, these documents reveal that Rolex, guided by the visionary leadership of founder, Hans Wilsdorf, may have been the true pioneer of the electronic wristwatch!!!!
This groundbreaking discovery challenges long-standing assumptions about Rolex’s timeline and its role in the evolution of watchmaking, cementing the brand’s status as a trailblazer in a field previously thought to be led by others.
Pictured above: We see legendary tennis player, Rocking Roger Federer, ever the style icon, sporting an early 1970s Rolex Quartz Reference 5100, in 2025 at Paris Fashion Week. Is this a nostalgic nod to the past, or a subtle hint of Rolex’s future direction?
Let Me Take You on a Trip
Around the World and Back
I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Nick Gould for his invaluable insights and contributions to this story. His expertise has been a cornerstone in piecing together this fascinating tale.
In my forthcoming 24-book series, which covers The Complete Rolex History Arc, I explore the full sweep of Rolex’s legacy, including its pioneering role in the evolution of both electronic and quartz watches. This upcoming series is a veritable Encyclopedia of all Rolex history, and is titled, "THE ROLEX CHRONICLES: A FASCINATING JOURNEY THOUGH TIME by JAKE EHRLICH". The preview image below shows the working titles of all 24 of my volumes, which are currently about 85%+ of the way done.
Initially, I planned to keep this unexplored chapter under wraps until the series' full release. However, the recent unveiling of Rolex’s groundbreaking LAND-DWELLER, a testament to their relentless innovation, has created the perfect moment to reveal this captivating slice of horological history.
This article offers a glimpse into the meticulous research and engaging narrative style that define my upcoming 24-volume magnum opus.
The Neutral Edge
Switzerland’s Horological Reign
Let's step into the Rolex Time Machine and journey back a century to uncover the true origins of what set Rolex in motion, igniting its enduring legacy, and let's figure out what really made Rolex tick!
Before World War II, the United States wielded an unexpected advantage in timekeeping and watchmaking, its ingenuity rivaling Europe’s most celebrated artisans. In the 1930s, the U.S. arguably led the world in industrialized watch production and market reach.
Companies like Gruen, Waterbury, Waltham, Elgin, and Hamilton had harnessed the power of assembly-line techniques, rooted in the American System of Manufacturing, to churn out reliable, affordable timepieces at an unmatched scale.
Humble Beginnings
As a matter of fact, the Rolex movement factory in Bienne, Switzerland—known then as Aegler S.A. and now fully owned by Rolex—is pictured below in photos taken almost a century ago, in 1925.
At that time, Aegler S.A. produced movements not only for Rolex but also for Gruen, an American company that ranked among the largest watch manufacturers in the United States.
Gruen was founded in 1894 by the German-born watchmaker Dietrich Grün, who later anglicized his name to "Gruen" since the letter "ü" does not exist in the English alphabet.
Back then, Aegler S.A. manufactured very high-quality, precise movements for Gruen in Switzerland and exported them directly to the United States. There, they were adjusted, fitted with dials, and encased by American craftsmen.
This process highlights the somewhat counterintuitive, interconnected nature of the global watch market at the time—it wasn't a simple rivalry between nations or a zero-sum game, but rather a highly synergistic collaboration that benefited all involved.
If we zoom out on the photo pictured above, we get the images seen below which show the Rolex factory in 1925, one year before Rolex invented and brought their famous Oyster waterproof model to market.
It is interesting to see how much undeveloped land there was around the Rolex factory back in the 1920s, and as we see it appears to be located in a somewhat residential neighborhood. These low altitude photos were either taken from a hot air balloon or an early airplane.
The image below is from Google Maps and shows what the old Rolex movement factory in Bienne, Switzerland looks like today. The original factory, pictured above was built in 1881, and expanded significantly by the 1920s, as we see in the image below.
The image below shows the Aegler SA/Rolex movement production campus back in 1955, and notice the Gruen signs are gone.
Below is another photo of the Rolex factory, taken from a different angle, back in the 1920s.
The building complex still exists and has been repurposed as part of the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) for its Technical and Computing departments. It retains much of its original architecture, including some outdoor ROLEX signage echoing its watchmaking past, though it's no longer used for manufacturing. If you look closely at the building located in the photo below, you will notice in the upper right hand corner, you will notice it has a HUGE ROLEX Logo sign on it as well.
Twelve years ago, back in 2013, Rolex invited me to be part of a group of online journalists/bloggers to be the first to tour all four Rolex manufacturing facilities in Switzerland. This was the one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I remember feeling like I was Charlie and had found a golden ticket to tour the Wonkaworks Factory.
On our way to the modern and current Rolex movement factory in Bienne, Switzerland, on November 19, 2013, I took the photo seen above of the old Rolex movement factory, which can be seen in the image above located in the upper right hand corner of the image. It was a overcast cloudy day in Bienne, but the sun was shining in my mind...
American Horology
American industrial prowess democratized horology, placing watches on the wrists of everyday Americans—a feat Switzerland, with its devotion to artisanal luxury and meticulous craftsmanship, couldn’t replicate in volume.
Yet Switzerland held an unshakable grip on the pinnacle of watchmaking. Brands like Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and the burgeoning Rolex, defined precision, elegance, and technical mastery.
By the 1930s, Swiss watches were the global benchmark for sophistication, their reputation forged through decades of relentless innovation.
For instance, my namesake grandfather, Jake Ehrlich Sr., sported a Patek Philippe pocket watch, while my father, Jake Ehrlich Jr., favored a Patek Philippe wristwatch, both embodying the refined elegance of distinguished American gentlemen. The photograph below captures my grandfather Jake, a renowned San Francisco lawyer, showcasing his gold watch chain fob, subtly hinting at the Patek Philippe pocket watch attached, though it remains just out of view.
The outbreak of World War II in 1939 shattered this delicate balance. As the world descended into chaos, American industry pivoted sharply, redirecting its mechanical genius to wartime demands.
Factories once alive with the rhythmic tick of watch movements were transformed into arsenals, crafting bomb fuses, timing mechanisms, gyroscopes, accelerometers, guidance subsystems, and various other miniature precision items and military gear. Horology took a backseat as the U.S. mobilized for conflict.
Meanwhile, Switzerland’s neutrality became its secret weapon. Largely untouched by the ravages of war, its watchmakers continued to hone their craft, advancing techniques and designs with unbroken focus.
When peace dawned in 1945, Switzerland emerged as the undisputed sovereign of watchmaking. The United States, now a colossus of industrial might and consumer goods, struggled to reclaim its pre-war footing in the world of horology.
American companies like Hamilton fought to hold on, but the tide had turned—by the late 1960s, Hamilton’s efforts culminated in a joint venture with Japan’s Ricoh, a sign of fading dominance. By the late 1940s, Swiss watchmakers commanded over 50% of global wristwatch production, their reign solidified.
While the Allies and Axis powers bled their resources dry through World War II’s grueling summers and frigid winters, locked in a struggle for supremacy, Switzerland stood apart—an oasis of calm amid the storm.
In the heart of Geneva, as World War II cast its long shadow over Europe, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf felt the weight of conflict profoundly. The war’s disruptions—supply chain fractures, material shortages, and economic uncertainty—threatened to stifle his grand vision for the company he had nurtured since its inception in 1908.
Yet Wilsdorf, no stranger to adversity, refused to falter. Having already navigated the challenges of World War I by relocating Rolex from London to Geneva to escape wartime restrictions, he drew upon that hard-won resilience.
Far from retreating, Wilsdorf quietly fueled Rolex’s ambitions, channeling his frustration into innovation and strategic foresight. While the world grappled with chaos, Wilsdorf focused heavily on research and development, ensuring Rolex not only survived, but emerged stronger.
Hans Wilsdorf's unwavering determination during those trying times laid the foundation for Rolex’s post-war success, cementing his legacy as a visionary who thrived in the face of limitation and adversity.
With steely resolve, Wilsdorf pushed the brand forward—innovating in the shadows, laying the foundation for a postwar legacy that would redefine timekeeping.
Hans Wilsdorf is pictured above in 1942, standing at the helm of his Rolex watchmaking facility in Geneva, intently overseeing the production of superlative Rolex timepieces.
Amid the tumult of World War II, Rolex was quietly crafting a game-changer: the Rolex Datejust. Below we see the original "DATEJUST" trademark registration which was filed on February 12, 1944, which was 17 months prior to World War II ending!
Unveiled at the Basel Swiss Watch Fair in 1945, the DATEJUST model emerged as a visionary archetype, establishing the blueprint for every Rolex watch that followed—a legacy that endures to this day.
Pause for a moment and consider this: when you compare the timeless elegance of the 1945 Rolex classic Datejust to the modern 2025 LAND-DWELLER pictured below on the right, the striking similarities and unmistakable DNA shared across eight decades become undeniable.
Go West Young Man
Hans Wilsdorf, the visionary founder of Rolex, possessed an extraordinary knack for seizing opportunity amid chaos. In 1945, as the world staggered out of World War II’s shadow, he turned his gaze across the Atlantic. Hans Wilsdorf is pictured below on April 30, 1946 in the only photo I am aware of that shows him casually dressed—without a necktie.
With Europe in ruins and the United States poised for a post-war economic surge, Wilsdorf saw untapped potential in America’s rising prosperity. In a calculated and audacious move, he traveled to the U.S. and acquired the American distributorship for Rolex, reimagining it as the formidable Rolex U.S.A.—a cornerstone of the brand’s global empire.
Wilsdorf’s genius extended beyond acquisition; he knew success hinged on exceptional leadership. To spearhead his American venture, he and his right hand man, René-Paul Jeanneret recruited Swiss born, René-Paul Dentan, Patek Philippe’s top U.S.A. based salesman, whose reputation for salesmanship was unrivaled.
Appointing Dentan as head of sales for Rolex U.S.A., Wilsdorf issued a bold challenge: Construct a state-of-the-art sales, marketing, and distribution network capable of dominating the luxury watch market. Dentan rose to the occasion, weaving an intricate web of dealerships, service centers, and marketing channels—a robust framework that not only met Wilsdorf’s lofty expectations, but endures as a testament to their shared vision. Pictured above, we see my upcoming book dedicated to ROLEX U.S.A. PIONEER, RENÉ-PAUL DENTAN.
Remarkably, Dentan’s story has remained untold, overshadowed despite his pivotal role as one of Rolex’s most influential figures. A Google search today yields scant trace of him, as if he vanished from history, and is a ghost in the machine. Yet, my forthcoming book unveils his extraordinary journey—a gripping, mind-boggling narrative that illuminates his indispensable contributions to Rolex’s legacy."
The Men Who Made Rolex
The image below was originally published in April of 1950 in the Jeweler's Circular Keystone publication, and shows René-Paul Jeanneret, head director of sales and advertising in Geneva, sitting next to vice-president and sales manager of the American Rolex Watch Corporation, René-Paul Dentan.
Hans Wilsdorf's gamble paid off spectacularly. Fueled by a booming consumer culture and a wave of post-war affluence, the United States catapulted to become Rolex’s largest market—a dominance it retains to this day.
Wilsdorf’s foresight, paired with Dentan’s execution, didn’t merely secure Rolex a foothold in North America; it elevated the brand into a global luxury titan. This triumph underscored Wilsdorf’s rare alchemy of ambition, intuition, and impeccable timing, cementing his legacy as a titan of industry.
The Rolex Time Machine
Did Rolex Invent The Electronic Watch?
Picture this: we step into a gleaming time machine, twist the dial to 1959, and whisk ourselves to Geneva, Switzerland—the year before Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf’s passing!!!
Our mission? To sit across from the visionary himself, in the flesh, for a once-in-a-lifetime chat. For this thought experiment, let’s cast aside skepticism, embrace the impossible, and leap back to 1959 for an imagined conversation with Wilsdorf.
After introducing ourselves as time travelers hailing from 2025, we’d begin by bridging the decades, recounting the extraordinary saga of Rolex’s evolution since his death in 1960—a legacy he could scarcely have dreamed of in its full scope.
I’m certain Hans Wilsdorf would glow with pride at the towering legacy his company built after his time.
Then, I’d lean in with the question that’s been simmering in my thoughts for decades: “Hans, less than a decade after your death, a seismic shift hit the watch world—electronic quartz movements. The ‘Quartz Crisis’ upended the Swiss watchmaking industry, wiping out two-thirds of its watchmakers. Yet Rolex didn’t just weather the storm; it emerged more formidable than ever. What do you make of that, and how would you have tackled electronic quartz technology if you lived another decade?”
I can almost hear Wilsdorf’s response, delivered with the quiet confidence of a man who spent his life mastering the art of timekeeping:
“My entire career was consumed with perfecting the craft of precisely measuring time, so I’m hardly surprised by how things unfolded...
In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret:
Back in the late 1940s and early 1950s, we at Rolex were passionately experimenting with electric watches. These were remarkable creations, powered by battery technology we developed in-house as part of our confidetial R&D efforts. While the world knows Rolex for innovations like our Oyster case, or our Perpetual movement, we explored countless ideas behind closed doors—many of which never saw the light of day...”
Now, you might be wondering if I’ve lost my grip on reality, or if this is pure science fiction!?!! Rest assured—it’s neither. There’s REAL evidence to back this up.
Take a look at Rolex Patent Application CH298956A, filed by Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex in Switzerland on May 13, 1952, which is pictured below. It reveals a design for an electric Rolex watch—a tangible testament to the brand’s forward-thinking experimentation long before the quartz era dawned.
Rolex didn’t stop at their electric watch experiments—they pushed the boundaries even further. On June 3, 1952, Wilsdorf and Rolex filed patent CH298261A in Switzerland for a groundbreaking dry electric battery design. A close reading of the patent reveals something astonishing: its intricate details on electrolytes and electrodes feel eerily prescient, almost like a blueprint for a modern-day Tesla battery. This wasn’t just a power source for a watch—it was a leap into the future of energy storage, dreamed up decades ahead of its time by Rolex in Geneva!:
At this point, you might be wondering "What became of the electric watches Rolex developed in the early 1950s?" A fascinating glimpse into their progress comes from a July 1955 issue of the American Horologist and Jeweler, shedding light on Rolex’s pioneering efforts, with COSC Certification as well as with an Electronic Rolex Wristwatch as seen below:
Rolex may have held back from bringing their electric watches to market due to formidable technical challenges, most notably the corrosion issue spotlighted in the 1955 American Horologist and Jeweler as showcased above. The article points to galvanic corrosion as the primary hurdle—a problem stemming from the electrochemical reactions in early batteries, which were often zinc-carbon or mercury-based and prone to leaking.
In the presence of moisture, an electrolyte, these batteries caused dissimilar metals within the watch to corrode, risking damage to critical components like the movement and case. Rolex, having secured patents around 1952, was further along than competitors, but the technology of the time simply may not have been mature enough to meet the brand’s exacting standards for reliability and durability. As a result, Rolex did not release an electric watch in the 1950s. Or, perhaps more interestingly, Rolex had perfected the battery technology, but chose not to release it at that time?
It’s worth noting Rolex mirrors Apple in its approach to innovation: rather than being the first to pioneer new technologies, both brands excel at refining existing ideas, elevating them to their pinnacle of performance and design. This strategy may explain why Rolex waited nearly two decades before launching their first electrically powered watch, ensuring the technology aligned with their uncompromising standards for quality and precision.
The Dawn of Electronic Timekeeping
A Horological Revolution
Electric wristwatches sprang into motion in the 1950s—a decade of bold innovation in horology. Early in the decade, a transatlantic collaboration between the U.S.-based Elgin Watch Company and the French firm, LIP, yielded a groundbreaking electromechanical wristwatch—one powered by a small battery rather than the traditional unwinding spring.
Though the LIP-Elgin partnership only managed to produce prototypes, their efforts paved the way for a milestone. In 1957, the American company Hamilton stole the spotlight with the Hamilton 500, the world’s first serially produced electric watch.
Its iconic design, the Hamilton Ventura, became a cultural touchstone. Pictured below, we see the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, rocking his Hamilton Ventura in 1957—a fitting emblem of the era’s electrifying spirit and the dawn of a new age in timekeeping.
The journey of electronic wristwatches took a dramatic turn in 1954 when Swiss engineer Max Hetzel unveiled a revolutionary timekeeping concept: an electronic wristwatch driven by an electrically charged tuning fork, powered by a 1.35-volt battery. Hetzel’s tuning fork vibrated at a precise 360 Hz, driving the watch hands through an electromechanical gear train.
This innovation materialized as the Bulova Accutron, launched in 1960. Its tuning fork emitted a faint, otherworldly hum—a sound that reverberated through the Swiss watchmaking elite, shaking their faith in traditional mechanical movements.
The Accutron’s remarkable precision raised a chilling question: could mechanical watches, like the pocket watches of a bygone era, fade into obscurity, much as digital photography supplanted film cameras?
Rolex, as we’ve seen, had already explored battery-powered technology by 1952, though their early electric watches were never offered to the public. By 1962, with the winds of change sweeping through the industry, Rolex joined the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH), a consortium of Switzerland’s leading watchmakers, in a united effort to counter the rising tide of electronic timekeeping.
In a surprising twist, this alliance included brands often seen as Rolex’s rivals—Patek Philippe, Omega, and others—underscoring the Swiss watch industry’s deep unease in relation to the potentially disruptive impact of electronic watch technology.
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe's foray into electronic timekeeping began in 1948 when Henri Stern, the company's president at the time, established the Electronic Timekeeping Division (also referred to as the electronics department) in Geneva. This move was inspired by Stern's exposure to advanced technologies during his extended stay in the United States from 1937 onward, where he witnessed rapid progress in electronics and precision timing. To support this new venture, Patek Philippe also set up a dedicated timekeeping laboratory capable of receiving precise time signals from the Neuchâtel Observatory in Switzerland, allowing for accurate synchronization and testing of their innovations.
Georges Delessert, Stern's half-brother, was appointed as the first director of the division, bringing technical expertise to lead the team. The primary goals were ambitious: to blend Patek Philippe's renowned mechanical craftsmanship with cutting-edge electronic science, ultimately creating the world's most accurate clocks and watches. This wasn't about abandoning tradition but enhancing it, positioning the company at the forefront of the impending "Quartz Revolution" that would reshape the horology industry in the decades to come.
The division quickly yielded groundbreaking results. In 1952, they produced the world's first electronic clock without contacts or moving parts, marking a significant leap in reliability and precision. This was followed by the first fully electronic timekeeper in 1956 and, in 1958, the world's first miniaturized quartz chronometer, which earned Patek Philippe the U.S. Government's Miniaturization Award for its compact design and exceptional accuracy.
By 1959, they had developed the first quartz-powered marine chronometer, and in 1960, the Chronotome—a miniature quartz clock that became iconic when a transistorized version was gifted to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in 1963, which can be see below in the image that appears courtesy of QuillAndPad.com, who wrote an amazing article chronicling this special clock.
This state of the art Patek Philippe Quartz desk clock kept time in Moscow, Washington and Berlin, and was gifted to JFK when he visited Berlin, during his trip where he uttered his famous "Ice bin bin Berliner" speech.
Further innovations included the Chronoquartz systems in 1962, the first series-produced quartz chronometers with observatory-certified accuracy, and advanced master clock systems like the T2 and T3 in the mid-1960s. The T3, introduced around 1971 and famously installed in the Swiss Parliament (earning it the nickname "Swiss Parliament Clock"), was a towering dual-system marvel standing 1.48 meters tall, featuring three high-precision quartz reference clocks, 64 subordinate dials, and the capacity to drive up to 6,000 secondary clocks. It incorporated a patented radio-controlled synchronization system from 1967, using long-wave signals from the Prangins Swiss Time Observatory for automatic adjustments.
These electronic masterpieces powered critical infrastructure worldwide, from airports, railways, hospitals, and nuclear power plants to high-profile clients like NASA (for space shuttle launches), the United Nations, the Vatican, and even the World's Fair. By the 1980s and 1990s, the division evolved to produce compact systems like the Telequartz—a microprocessor-controlled radio clock about 8 centimeters tall, 60 times smaller than earlier tower models—representing the pinnacle and eventual culmination of Patek Philippe's electronic clock era.
Overall, the 1948 establishment of this division not only cemented Patek Philippe's role as a pioneer in atomic and quartz timekeeping but also influenced modern horology by achieving accuracies down to the thousandth of a second, far surpassing mechanical standards of the time. Today, these rare electronic pieces are highly collectible, with the largest known collection valued at over $2 million and comprising more than 40 items amassed since the 1970s.
It's worth noting that in the late 1950s, Patek Philippe's research institute stood at the forefront of horological innovation, pioneering deep investigations into alternative power sources for clocks and watches, including solar (photoelectric), nuclear (atomic-based), and quartz technologies. This forward-thinking work is highlighted on the first page of an article in the June 1959 issue of Discovery magazine, a British popular science publication of the era. The full article, starting on page 238, offers a fascinating glimpse into the cutting-edge developments reshaping timekeeping.
On page 242, the magazine describes an intriguing American innovation: "An interesting American development is the miniature tuning-fork watch, prototypes of which are at present undergoing reliability testing. It consists of an oscillator stabilised by a tuning-fork with a transistor, probably working at some tens of cycles per second (the exact figure is not yet known). The frequency division and the counting are mechanical, and the accuracy appears to be greater than that of an ordinary watch. However, it is perhaps better to reserve judgment until the official results are made known."
This reference likely alludes to the Bulova Accutron, whose Caliber 214 movement was developed in 1959 by engineer William O. Bennett and commercially launched in 1960 as the world's first fully electronic watch, vibrating at 360 Hz for unprecedented accuracy. In the same article, the head of Patek Philippe—likely Henri Stern, who led the company during this period—discussed quartz technology, noting that while it showed immense promise, it wasn't yet feasible to miniaturize for wristwatches. He predicted, however, that such advancements would arrive soon. Indeed, Patek Philippe had already achieved milestones like the first quartz clock in 1956, paving the way for the quartz revolution that would transform the industry in the 1960s and 1970s. This era underscores Patek Philippe's pivotal role in bridging traditional mechanical mastery with electronic horizons, a legacy that continues to influence modern watchmaking.
In an ironic twist of fate, it's fascinating to point out that the Strontium-90 (Sr-90) that Patek Philippe was experimenting with at the time to try to power clocks was the exact same energy source that Rolex used on the first GMT-Master models in 1955 to luminate the bezel insert and dial markers and hands, that got Rolex in trouble with the U.S. Government's Atomic Energy Commission.
1961 Electric Rolex
ROLEX ELECTROTIME
On April 21, 1961, just a year before joining the Centre Électronique Horloger (CEH), Rolex filed a trademark application for “ROLEX ELECTROTIME,” as documented in the registration below. This pivotal move raises a captivating question: Was Rolex poised to debut its first electronic watch, a project rooted in their early 1950s innovations, or did this trademark hint at an entirely different venture?
Seven months later, on November 8, 1961, Rolex took a bold step forward by filing a patent application for an electronic Rolex watch, with the distinguished watchmaker Emile Borer (pictured below) named as the inventor, as detailed in the application below. As Rolex’s Technical Chief Director, Borer had already left an indelible mark on horology, having spearheaded the development and refinement of the groundbreaking Rolex Perpetual movement in the early 1930s—a pioneering automatic winding mechanism that proved both commercially viable and enduringly successful.
The fact this Rolex engineer was responsible for both the Perpetual and Electronic Rolex watches is deeply profound when you think about it!!!!
This recently uncovered patent filing carries profound implications, shedding new light on Rolex’s early ambitions in electronic timekeeping and its potential impact on horological history.
CEH MISSION
The CEH’s mission was clear and urgent: develop cutting-edge electronic wristwatch technology to keep Switzerland at the forefront of a rapidly evolving industry.
Electronic Watch Centre (Centre Électronique Horloger SA, or CEH) was founded in 1962 in Neuchâtel, Switzerland by René Le Coultre. It was a joint venture between 20 of the top Swiss brands, with the objective to develop a reliable and manufacturable analog quartz watch movement. As we will see later in this story, René Le Coultre would go to later play a significant role in the development of the Rolex OysterQuarz.
CEH's first innovation, the "Alpha" movement, emerged under the guidance of Heinz Waldburger. It featured a figure-eight-shaped resonator—a clever design that hinted at the potential of electronic timekeeping.
Soon after, Max Forrer led the development of the more ambitious "Beta" movement, which paired a tuning fork with frequency dividers to drive a stepped motor in a complex interplay of mechanics and electronics. Despite their promise, neither the Alpha nor Beta movements progressed to production.
Meanwhile, a clandestine faction within CEH, spearheaded by visionaries, Rolf Lochinger, and Armin Frei, began exploring a radical new frontier: quartz technology. This "underground" team forged ahead, even as Max Forrer—head of the circuits division—dismissed quartz as a futile endeavor, clinging to his skepticism.
THE BIRTH OF QUARTZ
Lochinger and Armin's quiet defiance would soon prove pivotal. In November 1965, CEH director Roger Wellinger made a bold declaration: a "montre-bracelet à quartz" (quartz wristwatch) would be their ultimate goal. Forrer, however, remained unmoved.
By May 1967, Lochinger and Frei proposed a quartz oscillator paired with a frequency divider—echoing Forrer’s Beta project—but with a crucial innovation: an integrated circuit to slash power consumption.
This became the foundational architecture of the Beta Quartz movement. Just two months later, in July 1967, CEH unveiled the Beta 1 prototype, dubbed CEJ 1012, meticulously engineered by François Niklès and Jean Hermann.
Widely regarded as the world’s first functional quartz wristwatch, it was submitted to the International Chronometric Competition in Neuchâtel, Switzerland—despite being a proof-of-concept prototype rather than a production model.
The Beta 1 featured a "dead-beat" ticking motion, oscillating at 0.5 Hz (one full oscillation every two seconds). Its 60-position stepper motor advanced the second hand once per second—a mechanism that remains the standard for quartz watches today.
In August 1967, the Neuchâtel Observatory awarded the Beta 1 a chronometer classification of 0.189—an unprecedented score that surpassed every watch previously tested, including the Bulova Accutron.
In July 1967, the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) advanced the quartz wristwatch race by submitting ten Beta 1 models for testing at the International Chronometric Competition in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, where they outperformed Seiko’s competing quartz entries.
That same month, CEH introduced the Beta 2 prototype, developed by Max Forrer’s team, and confidently declared their intent to be the first to produce a viable quartz wristwatch movement, a plan they solidified by February 1968.
However, competitors moved faster: on August 10, 1969, Longines unveiled functional prototypes of the Ultra-Quartz at a press conference at The Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva, followed by Seiko’s debut of the Astron on December 25, 1969—four months later. The Seiko Astron was a 35SQ Model that was 30MM, and was designed by Kazunari Sasaki of Suwa Seikosha. It operated at 8192 Hz, ad was made from 18kt yellow gold (diameter 36 mm, thickness 11 mm). The price was 450,000 yen.
Seiko filed their trademark in Japan on September 9, 1969, then on October 9, 1969 filed their "SEIKO QUARTZ-ASTRON" trademark in Switzerland, as pictured below. Seiko later filed a trademark for their Astron Quartz model in the U.S.A. in 1970.
Despite the later unveiling, our research suggests the Seiko Astron reached consumers first. CEH’s Beta 21 movement finally hit the market on April 10, 1970, nine months after Longines’ announcement and four months after Seiko’s launch, marking a significant but delayed milestone in quartz watch history.
THE QUARTZ
CRISIS REVOLUTION
and The Seiko Christmas Surprise
In the world of horology, the rise of quartz watch technology is a tale of two perspectives: some call it the Quartz Crisis, a cataclysm that upended traditional watchmaking, while others hail it as the Quartz Revolution, a bold leap into the future. The label you choose depends on which side of the divide you stand.
Rolex, celebrated for its exquisitely over-engineered cases, bracelets, and mechanical mastery, was once a trailblazer in the realm of quartz timekeeping. Their early experiments with electric watches (as detailed above in this story) in the 1950s laid the groundwork for what was to come.
Meanwhile, across the globe, the Japanese Seiko Corporation was also racing toward innovation, developing both electric watches and quartz technology throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Seiko made its first major mark in 1964 at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, deploying its pioneering Seiko Crystal Chronometer QC-51—a portable quartz clock—as a backup timer for Olympic events, showcasing quartz’s potential for precision.
THE ROLEX REVOLUTION
Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex’s visionary founder, together with his trusted executive René-Paul Jeanneret, carefully selected André-Jean Heiniger to assume leadership of the company following Wilsdorf’s death in 1960.
Entrusting Heiniger and Jeanneret with near-unlimited financial resources, Wilsdorf effectively handed them a blank checkbook, which they used to embark on a strategic investing initiative. Far from frivolous, their investments were astute and forward-thinking, positioning Rolex for long-term success on multiple fronts.
Under their leadership, Rolex transformed from a manufacturer of high-quality reliable watches, into a premier luxury watch brand, a shift epitomized by the construction of a cutting-edge world headquarters in Geneva, completed in January 1965. This state-of-the-art facility, which remains Rolex’s global headquarters to this day, symbolized their elevated ambitions.
To mark this milestone, Rolex published two striking Rolex Magazine advertisements showcasing their redefined identity and commitment to excellence.
"First we shape our dwellings, then our dwellings shape us."
—Sir Winston Churchill
There are several lines that I find to be really interesting:
"The Rolex watches of today have reached such heights of precision, accuracy, and ruggedness that it is difficult to predict what the watches of tomorrow will be like."
In particular, I find this next line to be fascinating:
"Whether they will be in cases of titanium or solid synthetic diamond. Whether they will be powered by atomic energy or by sun. But one thing is certain. The finest watches of tomorrow will be built by the men at Rolex."
So basically, back in 1965, which was 60 years ago, Rolex was experimenting with titanium cases, which means it only took Rolex six decades to finally come out with a titanium case Rolex. The next line that they might be powered by atomic energy or by the sun, is the most interesting!
In 1965, after Rolex moved into their plush new international headquarters that rose above Geneva, Switzerland, they focused on the next round of innovation, which involved coming up with a strategy for creating a quartz Rolex watch platform.
By 1966, Seiko revealed prototypes of the world’s first quartz-powered pocket watches, presenting them alongside Longines at the Neuchâtel Observatory competition in Switzerland.
The following year, in 1967, both the Centre Electronique Horloger (CEH) and Seiko unveiled quartz wristwatch prototypes at the same competition, signaling a fierce race to market.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1969, Seiko electrified the horological world with the launch of the Astron—the first commercially available quartz wristwatch. Its arrival reverberated like a thunderbolt across the watchmaking industry, ushering in a transformative era of precision timekeeping and foreshadowing profound changes to come.
Some likened it to a second Pearl Harbor, an ironic strike against Switzerland’s watchmaking stronghold. Yet, Rolex remained unfazed, having quietly and diligently advanced their own quartz technology in anticipation of this very moment.
"In 1968, André-Heiniger attended our Rolex sales meeting, staged at Gurney's Inn in Montauk, Long Island, to audit the proceedings.When a salesman asked Rolex USA President, René-Paul Dentan if the growing popularity of quartz based watches (Bulova Accutron, et al) might inspire Rolex in Geneva to add quartz watches to tap into opportunities of a growing market, Heiniger (pictured below), bolted to the podium and with his first raised, and red-faced, growled, 'We are Rolex of Geneva...as long as I draw breath, there will be no quartz Rolex!'"
"André Heiniger abhorred quartz technology. He was extremely slow and highly reluctant to embrace it, or release any quartz Rolex models. I remember how, for years, he delayed the OysterQuartz before finally allowing it into production. The primary reason Heiniger eventually greenlit the Reference 5100—and later the OysterQuartz line—was persistent pressure from our jewelers and authorized resellers. They kept asking their Rolex sales representatives whether the brand would ever introduce a quartz model?"Even after Rolex discontinued the Reference 5100, the inquiries didn't stop. People continued to ask if Rolex would ever revive quartz watches, which, of course, surged in popularity during the 1970s. Jewelers often relayed customer comments like, 'Bulova and other leading brands offer quartz watches—why doesn't Rolex, especially as the industry leader?' Heiniger resisted for a long time, which accounts for Rolex's notable delays in entering and addressing the market. Not long after Japanese manufacturers flooded the market with quartz watches, it devolved into a race to the bottom on price points, often at the expense of quality. That's another key reason I believe Heiniger frowned upon quartz models for Rolex: he felt they risked cheapening the brand's prestigious image."
"The 5100 Quartz was a very big and bold masculine watch which had a great deal of presence on the wrist due to how much gold was used to make it. At the time, it was by far the biggest, boldest, goldest Rolex we had ever made. Of course, gold at the time was only $33 an ounce, and today it's $3,300 an ounce, but the gold really made it stand out when it came to market. There was a lot of confusion after it was discontinued after only 1000 pieces as it was very popular and was a major next-level statement piece. Particularly since it came out just after President Johnson really popularized the Rolex 'President' model, that was advertised in the Rolex Magazine ad with the President wearing his Day-Date, while holding a red phone in his hand. It took another 6 years for Rolex to finally come out with another Quartz model, which really frustrated jewelers who wanted to be able to offer a Quartz Rolex."
As perviously mentioned, Rolex seems to claim the Rolex Quartz Reference 5100 was introduced in 1969. The following Trademark registration might offer a clue as its dated July 5, 1968, which was 549 days prior to the date that Seiko announced the Astron on Christmas Day in 1969, and it includes ROLEX CHRONOCRYSTAL and ROLEX CHRONOQUARTZ.
“At our central headquarters in Geneva there is a Golden Register, a Who’s Who of our clients who proudly count a Rolex Quartz among their most precious possessions. They form the Rolex Quartz Club, one of the most exclusive clubs imaginable… Members of the Club are always welcome at Rolex Geneva. On their first visit, they are invited to sign the Golden Register and can enjoy a personal tour of the Geneva world Headquarters.”
A QUARTZ WATCH CAN HAVE A SOULI started this article by saying I was told that quartz watches have no soul, but I’ve learned that this is not true. To me, at least, it doesn’t apply. As long as I have a personal connection to it, in my opinion, any watch can have a soul. There’s more to a watch than the movement anyway, but in this case, the Rolex quartz movement is quite something. It is not the replaceable cheap plastic quartz movement used in low-cost watches...In the first years of production, the Oysterquartz watches were only water-resistant to 50 meters. Later on, this was changed to 100 meters of water resistance.
...BACK TO THE FUTURE...
JAKE'S TAKE
ON THE FUTURE OF ROLEX DESIGN
- Nominal Frequency: The Standard operating mode for everyday timekeeping.
- Higher Frequency: Used to correct delays who the watch is running slow.
- Lower Frequency: Used to correct advances when the watch is running fast.
