For the LOVE of PEPSI

 

...Rolex Studio Shot of the Day...

For the LOVE of PEPSI

40MM Rolex Day-Date Yellow Gold with Raised Roman Numerals

...Rolex Macro Shot Of The Day...

Rolex Day-Date

Yellow Gold with Raised Roman Numerals

40MM Reference 228235

One of the most elegant and classic Rolex watches is the Day-Date, featuring a white dial adorned with raised yellow gold Roman numerals. Rolex has been crafting this model with a similar dial for decades, but the latest 40MM version is simply remarkable! 

This magnificently designed dial boasts incredibly intricate and highly stylized markers that are distinctly angular and reminiscent of Art Deco design. This level of attention to detail, coupled with timeless design language is what sets Rolex apart from all other brands and frankly, makes Rolex, Rolex...

Rolex President Bracelet On Professional Models?

 

Rolex President Bracelet

On Professional Tool Watches?

On Jake's Rolex World one of the things I specialize in is separating-fact-from-fiction. This story is a little different, in the sense we are taking a look at two famous men who wore Rolex watches and shared a Bizarre habit: 

They customized their Rolex Professional Models by putting a Rolex President bracelet on them. 

Just to be clear, Rolex NEVER offered this option, but somehow both of these famous men figured out a way to achieve this. 

I SPY A PREDIDENTAIL GMT-MASTER

The first image shows Robert Culp, who starred in the tv show, I SPY, and in the photo below discovered by Nick Gould we see him rocking his yellow gold Rolex GMT-Master on a President bracelet.

A MOST UNUSUAL

PAUL NEWMAN DAYTONA

This next photo shows Paul Newman rocking his stainless steel Rolex Daytona on a white gold Rolex President Bracelet, which is definitely an interesting and unusual look...

What do you make of this? Were these Kings of Cool on to something great, like the combination of peanut-butter and jelly, or was it sacrosanct—like putting a Cadillac emblem of the front of a Mercedes-Benz?

Platinum Rolex Yacht-Master Bezel

...Rolex Studio Shot Of The Day...

Platinum Rolex Yacht-Master Bezel

Radical Rolex Design Language

Very Early Rolex Submariner coming to Auction

Serpico Y Laino

A Very Early
Submariner Surfaces

This remarkable story presents one of the earliest known Rolex Submariner serial numbers, specifically #949,197. The case for this beauty was made in the second quarter of 1953, and appears to have been retailed in South America by Serpico Y Laino, which not only has their logo on the dial, but also features the ultra-rare split SUBMARINER | PERPETUAL dial logo designation, and it's up for auction at Christie's Auction house.

The first Submariner dial was distinctive, a quiet testament to Rolex’s pioneering spirit. Initially christened the “SUBMARINER PERPETUAL,” it bore “SUBMARINER” on the upper left beneath “ROLEX,” with “PERPETUAL” poised on the right, almost in a wing-like pattern, which ended up being a fleeting arrangement reserved for the earliest models. 

After I first published this story you are reading, I went digging through my archives looking for a Submariner that was even older than the Serpico Y Laino and came up with this Submariner Reference 6204, also from Q2 of 1953 that features an earlier serial number of 949.143, which is 54 digits earlier, and incorporates an unusually cool and interesting honeycomb dial. This watch appears courtesy top vintage Rolex dealer and expert, Eric Ku.

One of the earliest articles I wrote here on RolexMagazine.com on Early Rolex Submariner models was 15 years ago, back in 2011, and it was named "Early Rolex Submariner Model History: Separating The Fact From The Fiction." 

Just for frame of reference, the photo below shows the next Rolex Submariner Reference 6204 that came after the Reference 6204 pictured above, and as we see, it says "OYSTER PERPETUAL" under the Coronet/Crown Logo and "ROLEX" dial designation, and then we see the "SUBMARINER" dial designation centered on the lower part of the dial, directly above the 6 O'clock marker. This early model still lacked the now iconic Mercedes Logo hour hand, and featured the mini lollipop second sweep hand.

Since we are on the subject of timeless Rolex Submariner evolution design language, let's take a look at the current 41MM Rolex Submariner Reference 124060, which is the great, great grandson of the original Reference 6204, and they were born 73 years apart, yet they looks highly related. The current model features a depth rating below the "SUBMARINER" dial designation and it features the "Mercedes" logo hour hand.

For further frame-of-reference I put together the image below which shows the first Rolex Submariner 37MM Reference 6204 from 1953 next to the current 2026 Submariner which carries a Reference of 124060 and has grown 4MM to 41MM over the past three quarters of a century.

There are a number of additional details on the current Rolex Submariner, like the "ROLEX, ROLEX, ROLEX, ROLEX" etching running around the rehaut, not to mention the 5 minute marker indices are not applied on white told surrounds, as apposed to printed using a galvanic gilt process on the original. The original Submariner bezel featured an aluminum bezel insert, which was prone to scratching, whereas the current Rolex Submariner features a ceramic bezel insert which is much sturdier. Also, the original Submariner came on a riveted bracelet, and the current model is on a solid bracelet with solid end links, coupled with a flip-lock.

Let's get back to examining the Serpico Y Laino Submariner featured at the beginning of this story. The photo below shows the inside engraving on the caseback and we see not only the Reference 6204 number, but also the "2.53" manufacturing date stamp. The first thing I thought of when I saw this watch was the fact that when it was sold in Caracas, Venezuela, is how at the time, André-Jean Heiniger was the head of sales in South America. Serpico Y Laino was a retailer in Caracas with a fascinating history.

The Lot Essay from Christie's Auction House reads:

    "Amongst the rarest and most historically important early Rolex sports watches, this Submariner reference 6204 represents the very beginning of the Submariner lineage, when Rolex was experimenting with their diving watches. Produced in 1953 and retailed by the famed Venezuelan jeweler Serpico y Laino, the present watch features the coveted and exceptionally rare “Split Logo” text, in which the 'Submariner' and 'Perpetual' text is divided on each side of the center pinion.

    The watch further distinguishes itself with its gilt dial, “pencil” and "lollipop" hands, both being hallmarks of the earliest Submariners. Unlike later printed matte dials, gilt dials were produced through a galvanic process that left the text and minute track shimmering warmly, creating remarkable depth and richness. The elegant pencil hands, used before Rolex adopted the Mercedes handset, underscore the experimental and highly collectible nature of these first generation diving watches.

    Furthermore, the dial is signed Serpico y Laino at the lower half and is furthered with 'S&L ACERO' to the caseback. The present reference 6204 stands among the most desirable, rare, and historically significant early Rolex Submariners to survive today."

Lord Mountbatten & Dimitry Rebikoff

As mentioned earlier, this exceptionally rare Submariner boasts the second earliest known serial number. The earliest one belongs to the Submariner owned by Lord Admiral Mountbatten, who is pictured below (in the middle) in 1952 with Pierre Vanlaer (on the left) and Dimitri Rebikoff (on the right), the man who assisted Rolex in designing the Rolex Submariner. 

Mountbatten and Rebikoff were also close to Henri Broussard, the head of the Club Alpin Sous Marin diving club in Cannes, France. Broussard founded the club in 1946, and it was there that many early Rolex Submariner tests took place. Admiral Mountbatten, at the time, was the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces in the Mediterranean and was also an accomplished scuba diver.

Lord Mountbatten was featured in the 1957 Rolex Magazine ad campaign titled "Men who guide the destinies of the world wear Rolex watches."

Lord Mountbatten is pictured below in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C., with President Kennedy and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the American military, Lyman Lemnitzer.

In the subsequent image, we observe Lord Mountbatten accompanied by his nephew, Prince Charles, who has since ascended to the throne as King Charles.

Lord Mountbatten is pictured below with his family on vacation in Scotland, and he is rocking his Submariner.

Dimitri Rebikoff is featured on the cover of one of my upcoming books on the history of the Rolex Submariner and in the photo below we see him rocking his prototype Submariner which he co-developed with Rolex back in the early 1950s.

Below is a letter written by Rolex Marketing Director René-Paul Jeanneret to Admiral Mountbatten, which highlights Dimitri Rebikoff’s pivotal role in the development of the Rolex Submariner. As evident from the letter, Rolex provided Lord Mountbatten with an early Submariner for testing purposes. This explains why it possesses the earliest known serial number of 949,120, which is 77 digits earlier than the one being offered at auction at the beginning of this article.

Regrettably, the current whereabouts of Lord Mountbatten’s Submariner remain unknown to this day. Consequently, the Serpico Y Laino Submariner model featured at the beginning of this story, with a serial number of 949,197, is recognized as one of the earliest known Submariner models, as there are still known models that featured serial numbers in the range of 949,14X.

Below we see a very rare original copy of the Dimitry Rebikoff's Rolex Submariner Trial Report Renè-Paul Jeanneret included with his letter to Lord Mountbatten:

The copy of the Submariner Trial Report was published in the Club Alpin Sous-Marin Number 8 in 1956, and is from the personal collection of Frédéric Dumas, who was the dive leader aboard the RV Calypso and co-authored the book with Jacques-Yves Cousteau, The Silent World in 1953.

The Things That Dreams Are Made Of

In Jules Verne’s epic masterpiece, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, published in 1870, he prophetically unveiled humanity’s profound yearning to conquer the ocean’s mysterious abyss. The Rolex Submariner, born of that same indomitable spirit of exploration, transformed Verne’s visionary science fiction into enduring reality close to a century later—a timeless sentinel of the depths, where human ingenuity defies the deep sea, while touching the eternal unknown. Daring adventurers like Dimitri Rebikoff and Jacques-Yves Cousteau (pictured below wearing his Rolex Submariner tool watch) embodied that same spirit, turning Verne’s vision into reality.

Captain Nemo tells the three men when they board his Nautilus Submarine:

    "You will not regret the time spent on board my vessel. You are going to travel through a wonderland. Astonishment and stupefaction will be your normal state of mind... I am going to embark on a new underwater tour of the world... and you will be my study companion.”

— Jules Verne (1870)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 

Rolex Lume Shot of the Day: DEEAPSEA

...Lume Shot Of The Day...

DEEPSEA SEA-DWELLER

30 Second Exposure 

Robert Redford Rocking His Single Red Sub

...Rolex Super-Coolness...

All White Submariner

Robert Redford

Recently I have been publishing a lot of Rolex Hotness images and stories, so I thought it would be a good time to switch it up to some Rolex Coolness, and Robert Redford rocking his Submariner (Reference 1680) back in the day is pretty cool. At one point he had a Single Red Submariner dial, but in this photo it appears he swapped it out for a full white dial. I still can't believe Redford now belongs to the ages...

1956 Rolex Oyster Ad

1956 Rolex Oyster Ad

30th Anniversary Of the Waterproof Watch

The Most Beautiful Complicated Rolex

...The Most Beautiful Complicated Rolex...

1952 Rolex Moonphase

36MM Yellow Gold: Reference 6062

People ask me all the time which Rolex I think is the most beautiful? I would say the 1950 Rolex Oyster Moonphase triple-date pictured below is definitely one of the most beautiful complicated Rolex watches ever made! This model is ULTRA-RARE for many reasons. First and foremost because it has a black dial with star and pyramid indices. This beauty is also in flawless New Old Stock (NOS) condition. What a magnificent work absolute work of art!!!

The Genesis of The Genius Rolex Oyster

  “The vision recurs; the eastern sun has a second rise; history repeats her tale unconsciously, and goes off into a mystic rhyme; ages are prototypes of other ages, and the winding course of time brings us round to the same spot again.”  

—Mystic Rhyme 1845

In 19 years publishing RolexMagazine.com I've written many profound Rolex stories—but this Genesis piece stands alone as the most significant and insightful, offering true PhD-level mastery. If you read every word, including all seven 1929-1954 Rolex Magazine articles, you will develop a deep knowledge of Rolex's origins, technical innovation trajectory, marketing brilliance, and unparalleled timeless design language legacy. In other words, you will genuinely understand what has made Rolex tick for more than a century.

The First Rolex Hotness: 

Mercedes Gleitze pictured above in 1927

 The Complete History 

The Rolex Oyster

100 Waterproof Years

A Deep Dive into Understanding 

the story of the Oyster & the Mermaid 

It’s not every day we hop into the Rolex Time Machine and travel back over a century to witness the true magic behind Rolex—making this an incredibly thrilling adventure.

Rolex is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the launch of its Rolex “OYSTER” in 1926, which is arguably the greatest innovation and most important achievement in watchmaking history. 

The only other event that comes to mind is the introduction of the Rolex “PERPETUAL” in 1931, just five years later. Rolex Italy incorporated a Rolex Mermaid theme as we see with this Rolex Magazine Oyster Perpetual ad from the 1930s. In the final analysis, the Rolex Oyster is only half the equation—the Oyster Yin to the Perpetual Yang, but that's a different story for a different day...

Where did the Oyster really originate? What is the true genesis story of the Rolex Oyster? Where did the "Oyster" name come from? This story answers these profound questions and sheds significant new light on the true origins and significance of the Rolex Oyster. It also reveals how absolutely brilliant, shrewd, adroit, and savvy Rolex’s founder, Hans Wilsdorf, was, by showcasing the surrounding contextual variables that have never been accurately documented. This was all impressively achieved despite the fact Wilsdorf was an autodidact.

Note: This story has been recounted in various fragments, PR soundbites, and snippets—but never with the precision, depth, and comprehensive historical evidence presented here. Crafted for hardcore Rolex history enthusiasts, it presents a groundbreaking level of scholarship that has never been witnessed before.

I would like to dedicate this article to a number of people who over the past decades inspired and contributed significantly to my understanding of the early years of the Rolex Oyster, including Nick Gould, Jerome Heyworth, John Brozek, David Boettcher, Stan Czubernat, Philip and Gérard Souham, Captain Danny, Amit Handa, Jose Pereztroika, James Dowling, Jeffrey Hess, Wei Koh, and Sheldon Smith, as well as many Rolex employees and watchmakers. 

Last but not least, I would like to dedicate this story to Hans Wilsdorf himself. His remarkable career achievements have been an immense source of inspiration, knowledge, and fascination for me. The same goes for René-Paul Jeanneret, the Rolex executive. If I had the opportunity to sit down and have dinner with any two individuals who have ever existed, both of these extraordinary Rolex Founders would undoubtedly be at the top of my list.

It's worth noting, I first wrote and published a story named "The History of The Rolex Oyster" back in 2008, here on RolexMagazine.com. Obviously I have learned a great deal since then, and thus I created this new significantly updated story titled, "The Complete History of The Rolex Oyster. 100 Waterproof Years: A Deep Dive into Understanding the story of the Oyster & the Mermaid." 

 

In 1905, Hans Wilsdorf established a company in London, England, named Wilsdorf & Davis. This company sold watches under various names, as listed below on the right, which included W&D, Elvira, Elvira, Lusitania, Mauretania, Marconi, Rolex, Thinopera, Encore, and New Era. The advertisement below was published in 1909, and features a special notice delineating how Wilsdorf & Davis' Rolex brand watch was awarded the Swiss Government "A" Observatory CERTIFICATE, which no other small size watch had ever achieved. In retrospect, this harbinger illustrates how Rolex was being positioned as W&D’s premier brand.

Wilsdorf & Davis can be regarded as the precursor to ROLEX, similar to the metaphorical silkworm that undergoes metamorphosis into a beautiful butterfly, only to take flight. Although Wilsdorf & Davis registered the trademark ‘Rolex’ in 1908, the “ROLEX” brand gained substantial significance with the launch of the Oyster in late 1926, effectively establishing Rolex’s presence in the market. 

Le Montre SCAPHANDRE

The magazine ad pictured below was published the same year Wilsdorf & Davis trademarked Rolex, in 1908. The interesting ad below showcased a hermetic/waterproof pocket watch named The Scaphandre Chronometer Watch, which was just one of many different companies trying to figure out how to make watches waterproof.

1926 Octagonal Rolex Oyster 

Rolex's first Oyster was a game-changing innovation that remains the cornerstone of waterproof technology in every modern Rolex Oyster Perpetual. 

The 1926 octagonal (8-sided) Rolex Oyster pictured below features a fluted bezel, which still remains today on the Rolex Datejust and Day-Date, as well as on the Sky-Dweller. At first glance, somebody might mistake the watch below as being an early Cartier, since the dial has such classical black Roman numerals on a white dial, and also notice the skinny lugs are soldered on this beauty, which means if you want to change the strap it must be sewn on in place.

"To my technical assistants, my constant refrain was, from the earliest days: We must succeed in making a watch case so tight that our movements will be permanently guaranteed against damage caused by dust, perspiration, water, heat and cold. Only then will the perfect accuracy of the Rolex watch be secured."

—Hans Wilsdorf (Vade Mecum) 

While Rolex May Not Have

 Invented The Waterproof Watch...

...They Certainly Perfected It

There’s a common misconception that Rolex invented the waterproof or water-resistant watch. However, that’s not entirely accurate. In fact, back in 1926, Rolex’s founder, Hans Wilsdorf, never claimed to have invented the first waterproof watch. The truth is, Rolex was the first to popularize and perfect the reliable hermetically sealed case. So, if Rolex didn’t invent the waterproof watch, who did, and where exactly in Switzerland was it invented?

 

The evolution of the waterproof watch represents an absolutely fascinating journey, and David Boettcher wrote what I would argue is the seminal article on this subject. David was the first to document, the fact that in 1851, London, England based, W. Pettit & Company, partnered with the Swiss company Trappett, and exhibited the first known waterproof pocket watch at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London's Hyde Park, submerged in a water globe.

What about the first waterproof wristwatch? Fasten your seatbelt, as you might be surprised to discover the first waterproof wristwatches were made in the U.S.A., and apparently based upon a patent filed in 1914 in Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland by Auguste Jaques.

THE ROLEX CHRONICLES

By JAKE EHRLICH

Much of the information in this article is from my upcoming book series on the history of Rolex leadership. I had no intention of releasing it before my first books, but since the Rolex Oyster is celebrating its 100th anniversary, I felt compelled to share it with you, as it’s profound, relevant, timely and perfectly on-point. 

I’ve been diligently working on an extraordinary series of books, spanning up to 28 volumes. This makes my book series, aptly titled “THE ROLEX CHRONICLES” by JAKE EHRLICH, a veritable encyclopedia dedicated to the rich history of Rolex. (The cover art for Volume 1 is illustrated below.)

After a lot of consideration, I decided my first Rolex book series will be on the subject of "ROLEX'S FOUNDING FATHERS", and the first four volumes will cover the entire life journey of Rolex's legendary founder, Hans Wilsdorf. 

My in-depth book series covers Wilsdorf's entire lifetime of achievements from cradle to grave, then continues on with books on the other three men who are most responsible for creating one of the most timeless and renowned brands in history.

For the record, this series reveals a great deal of previously undocumented Rolex history, while representing a formidable masterclass in strategic brand architecture and marketing. I believe I have created what will not only be one of the most beautiful and highly immersive sets of coffee table books, but will offer the equivalent of an MBA and advanced strategic marketing degrees by exploring what makes Rolex tick and how they built one of the most enduring, prestigious and successful brands in history. Despite the fact my book series is PhD level in many respects, I present it in such a way that a 10 year old could enjoy and perfectly understand it—which is not easy ;-)

I am still working hard on getting Volume 1 ready for publication, but you can see the cover art pictured above, and the back of the book artwork pictured below.

The Snap-Back Case

1914

"My personal opinion...is that pocket watches will almost completely disappear and that wrist watches will replace them definitively! I am not mistaken in this opinion and you will see that I am right." 

–Hans Wilsdorf, 1914

It is important to understand when Hans Wilsdorf began Rolex in 1908 in London, England he was trying to build the most precise timekeeping watches. Young Hans Wilsdorf (pictured below) became obsessed with achieving what at the time was considered the holy grail of watchmaking—to make a highly precise chronometer wrist watch that was impervious to water, that was 'waterproof'. 

Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf was not trying to create a waterproof watch for swimmers, divers or people who might want to wear them in the bath or shower. The challenge was watches used to fail regularly as perspiration, dust and fine debris would make their way into the watch case and corrode the movement, by gunking-up the oils in the movement. 

Ironically, watchmaking pioneer, Abraham-Louis Breguet (1747-1823) once responded to King Louis XVI's request for him to make a perfect watch by saying: 

"Show me the perfect lubricant and I will show you the perfect watch."

Timing is EVERYTHING

Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf, possessed the rare talent of taking existing ideas and concepts to their logical and definitive conclusions, much like Thomas Edison, Steve Jobs, or Elon Musk. Many attempted to perfect and commercialize the waterproof wristwatch, igniting a space race for the holy grail of waterproofing.

In 1917, nine years before Wilsdorf introduced the Rolex Oyster (1926), American, Jacques Depollier beat him to it—but couldn’t stay afloat financially, likely due to the technical complexity of his "waterproof" winding crown.

  "Nothing is ours, except time." —Seneca

Depollier ended up going bankrupt, and disappeared into the whispers of history, but as we see with the vintage ads above and below they offered a “waterproof” wrist watch in 1917. Depollier made his Waterproof Watch with Waltham's highly accurate American movements, and he made special models for the United States Army during World War I, which we will soon learn much more about in this article in the 1919 article from the Revue International de l'horlogerie.

There is not enough room in this article for full detail, but I cover it extensively in my upcoming Rolex leadership book series: Watchmaking was born in Europe, made its way to the United States—which became the world leader in horology by volume and innovation prior to WWII—before that lead shifted back to Switzerland when U.S. factories converted to munitions production. The image below shows just a very small section of the Elgin Watch company located in Elgin, Illinois in 1917, as we see the American flags hanging in the workshop.

The 1918 image below shows the Depollier & Son WATERPROOF Waltham watch advertised in a fishbowl. Interestingly, Americans called them 'wristwatches' while the British used 'wristlets'—and 'wristwatches' won out.

Many years ago, I interviewed Stan Czubernat of ORF Antique Watches who is an expert on World War I trench watches. Stan Czubernat has published two books on Trench watches and graciously shared a tremendous amount of insight with me on the history of American watching which surprised me on many levels. Below is a superb short documentary Stan Czubernat made on this subject.

Let's begin our highly immersive exploration into the history of waterproof wristwatches by examining this deeply insightful article discovered by Nick Gould, published in 1919 in the Revue Internationale de l'horlogerie, which offers amazing insight into the events that provided impetus for the development of the waterproof watch.

1919 Article Translation from French to English below:

The Impermeable Depollier Watch

For quite some time, specialists have been concerned with creating a type of impermeable watch whose movement would be perfectly protected from humidity and all external agents of wear or deterioration. 

 

Various models were built that imperfectly met the pursued goal, because they did not achieve the absolute watertightness of the case. Research had never been pushed to the end, because there was no absolute necessity; watches were generally not made to be submerged or placed in direct contact with liquids. 

 

The World War gave a new impulse to these researches. Armies consumed watches at a frightening rate. Every officer and every active-duty soldier went through three or four wrist watches per year, and even more.

[NOTE from JAKE: The insight in the sentences above 👆🏼👀 and below are extremely profound! Below is a photo of Marshal Ferdinand Foch who was the Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front During World War I in 1918. Notice the precise piece of timing technology he is wearing on his wrist.] 

 

The conditions of life in the field suffice to explain this rapid wear of watches. Apart from extremely violent shocks, against which there is no remedy, one had to contend with less abrupt but frequently repeated shocks, rain, trench mud, road dust, gas, humidity, sudden temperature variations, etc. 

 

The slightest humidity rusts the mechanism and eventually overcomes even the most robust movement; dust and sand debris pass through the case joints, insinuate themselves into the moving parts, foul the oil, and thus cause delays, awaiting complete and definitive stoppage.

The American government, with the practical sense that characterizes it, became concerned with remedying this great source of waste. It encouraged watch manufacturers to research a perfectly impermeable type of watch. One of the best types appears to have been realized by the house of Jacques Depollier & Son in New York, a well-established firm.

The main merit of this watch is that no paraffin, rubber, or similar substance was used to achieve absolute impermeability, as their resistance to water and external agents is limited. The watertightness of the case is ensured by an ingenious and scientific process that we will detail later.

To achieve the desired result, the following problems had to be solved:

The impermeable crown. — Water easily passes through ordinary winding stems. Many watches show traces of rust upon observation. Vapor and saturated humid air penetrate through the stem. This drawback is eliminated by the Depollier impermeable crown (fig. 1). 

 

This crown provides absolute watertightness thanks to a clamping system that is released to set the time and wind the watch. It also prevents accidental movement of the hands, common in ordinary wristwatches when clothing presses against the crown. A quick glance shows if the crown is in the winding position or tightened for impermeability.

The unbreakable crystal and impermeable bezel. — The bezel, the circular ring holding the crystal of a watch, presents major drawbacks if not cut at an angle by the “double clinched” process. The unbreakable crystal held by the bezel is made of a plastic, elastic, and transparent material very sensitive to temperature variations. When it shrinks, it lets water, humidity, and dust pass. Often it falls out by itself. The “double clinched” bezel eliminates these accidents: with this system, the crystal cannot break and offers absolute impermeability against all external agents.

The case impermeable by itself. — The Depollier impermeable case encloses, in the bottom and around the bezel, a ring saturated with a saturant. This ring repels water when the bottom and bezel are screwed on. Parts of the bottom and bezel exert pressure against the ring and compress the saturant into a reservoir that absorbs excess liquid. Thanks to this reservoir that always contains a certain quantity of liquid, the ring remains constantly saturated. It cannot dry and stays in good condition. In other words, it acts like a lamp wick that absorbs the oil from the container in which it is immersed.

The isolation of the bottom. — Everyone knows that adjusting wristwatches is particularly difficult. Multiple causes can compromise proper functioning. One of the most frequent is contact with the heat of the wrist or direct exposure to sunlight. The wrist has an average temperature of 37 degrees...

This abnormal heat — for the watch, of course — is partially transmitted to the movement and seriously affects the delicate parts due to the conductivity of the metal. It also tends to thicken the oil, causing excessive friction on the jewels and pivots. Finally, it even adversely affects the balance, which was adjusted in a chamber at a normal temperature of 16 to 18 degrees. Soon the watch runs slow or irregularly.

In the Depollier impermeable watch, as seen in fig. 4, an air space is provided in the case, between the wrist and the bottom, which remedies the inconveniences we have just mentioned.

Depollier impermeable watches are subjected to the most rigorous tests. The case is first tested alone to verify its watertightness to water and dust, then the complete watch is immersed in a reservoir where it runs for a certain time without observation.

This type was adopted for the American army. It is undoubtedly destined for great success among aviators, mechanics, drivers, farmers, sportsmen, and in general among all those who have an advantage in possessing a watch capable of resisting all the external agents that generally compromise the running of ordinary watches.

Depollier’s attempt was admirable but likely fell short due to technological complexity. The saturated ring and reservoir system was maintenance-heavy compared to Rolex’s simpler screw-down case, requiring precise assembly and ongoing care—likely contributing to its limited success and his eventual bankruptcy.

...In The Time Before Rolex Oyster Time...

The First Rolex SubmarineR

1922 Hermetically Sealed Pre-Oyster

Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf, was obviously well aware of Depollier's efforts and attempts to create the world's first commercially viable waterproof watch, but it was clear to Wilsdorf that while Depollier's noble attempt was considerable, it was too complex and technically challenging, and as inventor Thomas Edison profoundly once quipped, "There is a way to do it better. Find it!", and that is EXACTLY what Wilsdorf and Rolex did... 

Basically Depollier's waterproof watch was like a Palm Pilot, and the Oyster was like the iPhone in the sense Palm Pilot and the Palm Treo phone have largely been forgotten, while the Apple iPhone is the industry gold standard for smartphones. Same thing with the Depollier v. the Rolex Oyster.

THE Touchstone Diving Watch

The Rolex Submariner is the most iconic diving watch ever made, and its origins are absolutely fascinating. 

The Rolex Submariner is a universe in-and-of-itself and represents the ultimate definitive criterion by which ALL diving and aquatic watches are judged and measured. So much so, the Submariner is so pure, classic and iconic it can almost be seen as a separate brand itself.

The sporty Submariner is a tool watch that has transcended time and obsolescence with its timeless art deco looks, precise and sober aesthetics, teutonic rough-hewn build-quality, and highly dependable timekeeping, all in a highly protective, masculine waterproof case.

Some would argue the Submariner is the Porsche 911 of the watch world...One things is for sure, the Rolex Submariner remains THE tool watch of all tool watches...but decades before the Rolex Submariner was born, and even years before the Rolex Oyster Waterproof watch was born, there was the Rolex "Aqua" which quickly metamorphosed into the Rolex "SUBMARINE"...

Rolex Aqua

The Life Aquatic 

1922 

7 days before filing a trademark registration for ROLEX SUBMARINE, Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf filed the trademark registration for the ROLEX "AQUA" as seen below on March 22, 1922.

The image below was published on November 9, 1922 by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry  Publication and it shows a Rolex Aqua model floating in a fishtank.

It may not be immediately apparent, but upon closer inspection, the dial of this particular model displays the words “AQUA & ROLEX.” This revelation holds significant importance, as it essentially rewrites history by shedding light on Wilsdorf’s aquatic intentions. 

Hans Wilsdorf was such a brilliant strategic marketing master!!!! Unfortunately, I am not aware of any of these models, which perhaps never made it to market as Rolex filed the trademark for ROLEX SUBMARINE just 7 days later. 

Rolex Submarine

1922 

The photo below is of a rare 1922 Rolex Submarine, which was a hermetically sealed Pre-Oyster, waterproof watch, and Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf specifically mentioned its trademarked name of "SUBMARINE", along with "Aqua", and "Oyster" in the 1927 notice seen later in this article. Rolex did not invent the hermetic technology in this watch, and it appears Hans Wilsdorf may have purchased the rights to this design based upon a design by Jean Finger.

Pictured below we see a very rare Rolex SUBMARINE example in pristine condition, from Rolex's private museum collection. You can learn much, much more about the history of the Rolex Submariner in my 19 part series named "The Complete History Of The Rolex Submariner & SEA-DWELLER. Rolex's Conquest Of The Ocean."

Although Rolex perfected the Rolex Oyster waterproof watch case in late 1926, it had been working on perfecting a waterproof case for many years prior, and the Rolex Submarine which was made between 1922-1924 (seen above and below) was waterproof/water resistant, but it did not have a very high depth rating, and in order to access the watch to wind or change the time, you had to screw-off the top fluted bezel, which over time would wear, and was not so easy, despite the fact it was effective. 

The Hermetically-Sealed Case

Below we see a few more photos which appear courtesy of James Dowling, and they show the Rolex Hermetic Submarine watch which was made in 1924. This new style of watch completely protected the entire movement and notice that when it is sealed the watch winding crown is hidden inside the watch. 

Think of a Hermetically sealed watch as being like a jar lid screwed on a jar. Once the lid is screwed into place, it forms an impervious barrier. No liquid can get in our out of the jar when the lid is securely screwed into place. Same with a literal Submarine hatch, which is perhaps where the name came from.

This was revolutionary at the time because it consited of two pieces. Basically you would spin the threaded cap off the front of the watch (think jar lid). The challenge was that in order to change the time—or wind the watch—the user had to twist/spin off the top counterclockwise every time, and then twist it clockwise back on afterward. Even though it worked, this design was short lived as it was a bit like having the on-off switch for the windshield wipers in the glove compartment of your car.

Notice also the face of the cap has a machined or fluted edge to make it easy to grip. Another challenge was that over time the fluted bezel would wear down, particularly on gold models as gold is relatively soft, so if you used it for a long time, eventually you would no longer be able to grip the face to twist it off. 

This machined edge or fluted bezel is the genesis for the fluted bezels on modern Rolex watches including the Day-Date and Datejust.

Note the wire lugs are soldered to the case, so the only way to replace the leather strap was to cut off the old one and sew on the new one, which was laborious and far from ideal. Below is a photo of a Rolex Hermetic face and bezel that appears courtesy of David Boettcher and this photo shows the watch with the top fluted bezel that has been removed, as well as the watch crystal that protects the watch face itself.

Below we see the actual trademark registration certificate that shows Hans Wilsdorf filed it on March 31, of 1922, which was 104 years ago...

We also see the public registration notification that was published in a trademark journal in 1922, which features Rolex's "THE SUBMARINE".

The Rolex Submarine was likely made by Rolex's manufacturing partner, Aegler S.A. in Bienne, Switzerland at the time which also made Gruen watch movements. The photos below of the Rolex/Aegler/Gruen factory were taken just around the time Rolex was making the Submarine model in the mid 1920s.

The photo above and below were likely taken from an airplane or a hot air balloon flying over Bienne, Switzerland.

Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex ended up discontinuing their Rolex SUBMARINE once the Rolex Oyster came to market in 1926-1927. You can learn, much, much more about how Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex revolutionized the wrist-watch in the early 20th century by checking out my story named, "The Complete History Of Rolex Leadership. Part 1: The Hans Wilsdorf Years: Founder Of Rolex."

Rolex's international headquarters where final assembly took place was located in Geneva, Switzerland and is pictured below in 1928, just after the Rolex Oyster was launched. Notice the ROLEX logo at the time used a very modern san serif typeface, unlike the current modern Rolex logo which incorporates a serif typeface.

1926 Rolex OYSTER 

David Boettcher discovered and published the original Rolex Oyster Registration which is seen below that shows Hans Wilsdorf filed the 'OYSTER' name designation on July 29, 1926:

The original 1926 Rolex Oyster, appears courtesy of Rolex in the images above and below and as we see it remains an absolute timeless minimalist work of art.

The side profile of this beauty is breathtakingly timeless and stands as a remarkable piece of art deco design language that has radically transcended obsolescence. It's fascinating how many readers of Jake's Rolex World write in asking me how they can find one of these old beauties, which are very rare and hard to find today. Rolex, if you are listening, you might want to reissue a modern version of this watch, which would likely be very popular.

The architectural, multi-faceted geometry of these earliest 1926 Oyster cases—most famously the octagonal and cushion profiles—was not merely an aesthetic nod to Art Deco design trends; it was dictated by the harsh limitations of mid-1920s metallurgy. 

To achieve a reliable waterproof seal, the male and female threads on the caseback, bezel, and middle case had to be cut with an absolute precision that could not be achieved on the hardened stainless steels of the era.

The machining dies and cutting taps of the period would strip or shatter when attempting to cut such microscopic, repetitive threads into steel. Consequently, Rolex was structurally confined to working with softer precious metals like sterling silver (.925) and 9k, 15k, or 18k gold. These malleable metals accepted the fine thread pitch perfectly, meaning the iconic early Oyster owes its precious-metal-only debut to a manufacturing necessity rather than a pure luxury positioning.

"Like it's namesake (Oyster) it could remain underwater for an unlimited time without detriment."

—Hans Wilsdorf

The Rolex Oyster case was a minimalist work-of-art masterpiece in many ways as it was made from a solid block of gold, silver or steel. This case was made by C.R. Spillman, and despite the fact Wilsdorf patented the case construction, manufacturing this complex, tightly tolerance octagonal case was highly specialized, thus contributing significantly to making the Rolex Oyster Magical.

How Does an Oyster Stay Dry Underwater?

Pictured above is an original 1926 Rolex Oyster case in exploded view. The Oyster is a hermetically sealed, screw-down case design with no modern depth rating.

The middle case (the main body with soldiered lugs) holds the movement. 

A separate threaded case ring sits inside it. The top bezel screws down onto the top of this ring, and the caseback screws onto the bottom. This clamps the middle case between them, compressing the gaskets for a watertight seal.

The crown screws down onto the tube with an O-ring sealing the stem. All parts use precise tolerances and gaskets (originally made from soft lead metal). Assembly requires specialized tools for proper torque.

Rolex still uses this basic structure today—middle case machined from solid metal—with improved rubber gaskets replacing early lead ones.

Scuba had not yet been invented in nineteen twenty-six. Jacques Cousteau’s Aqua-Lung arrived seventeen years later, in nineteen forty-three, so no modern diving existed at the time. Original Oysters were marketed as waterproof for swimming, showers, and daily use, but carried no depth rating. At sufficient pressure, water could eventually ingress via capillary action. This is why the nineteen fifty-three Submariner introduced rubber gaskets for true 200 Meter diving capability.

"Waterproof” is a relative term, as there is arguably no such thing per se, as water, under enough pressure can force its way into or through just about anything. For example, when the Bathyscaphe Trieste reached the bottom of the Challenger Deep off Guam in nineteen sixty, it endured over seven tons of pressure per square inch—enough to crush a car flat like an aluminum can. If you think about the power of water, and what it can do, think about how it formed the Grand Canyon.

"I have the answer to the mystery of moisture getting inside of waterproof wrist watches."

In January of 1950 an extremely profound article was published in The American Horologist and Jeweler magazine that not only addressed the issue of moisture getting into waterproof watches, but offered the ultimate solution, which all Rolex Oyster Perpetual models incorporate to this day. It begins with the second question on this first page where it says CTM:

As mentioned, maintaining a proper hermetic seal in the wild presented a severe chemical challenge that standard watchmaking had never encountered. Long before the advent of modern synthetic rubbers like Neoprene, the 1926 Oyster relied on ultra-thin, soft lead washers inside the bezel and caseback joints, coupled with a compressed oiled-leather or cork disc inside the cap of the crown. The lead gaskets functioned via sheer compression—they deformed plastically to plug every microscopic gap when torqued down by the fluted tools. The fatal flaw was that lead possesses "cold flow" properties; once unscrewed for a routine regulation or service, the washer was permanently deformed and could never achieve a waterproof seal a second time. 

If a watchmaker didn't completely scrape out and replace the lead washer during a service, the watch would leak instantly. This high-maintenance reality is why Wilsdorf was forced to rapidly establish highly regulated, proprietary tool-and-part distribution channels to global watchmakers, ensuring that the "waterproof" promise wasn't instantly ruined by local, untrained service shops.

Where did the "Oyster" Name Come From?

How Hans Wilsdorf Came Up with The OYSTER Name

Where did the name "Oyster" come from? A fascinating Rolex Jubilee advertisement published in January of 1946 in the Journal Suisse d'Horologerie (pictured below) tells the complete story of how Hans Wilsdorf found inspiration.

According to the narrative above, Wilsdorf—who was very fond of oysters—had ordered a fresh batch from Whitstable to be flown in for his birthday celebration. Before his guests arrived, he decided to inspect them and try his hand at prying one open. To his surprise, the two shells were so tightly clamped together that they were seemingly impossible to open, securely protecting the "little inmate" inside from outside elements. Undeterred, Wilsdorf persisted until his knife actually broke in the attempt. In that exact moment of struggle, an inspiration struck him: What if the principle of the oyster shell were applied to a watch case?

As detailed above on page 2 from the Rolex Magazine ad, Hans Wilsdorf's birthday epiphany sparked years of secret, patient research by Rolex's top technicians to create a hermetically sealed case. When the breakthrough final design was successfully tested in 1926, the revolutionary timepiece was christened the "ROLEX-OYSTER" as a permanent memento of that unforgettable birthday incident.

The Perpetual Oyster & The Mermaid

In a span of 5 years from 1926 to 1931, Rolex and Hans Wilsdorf would create and successfully patent, back-to-back, two major horological milestones, which would forever enhance timekeeping and set Rolex apart; the Rolex Oyster waterproof watch-case known as 'The Oyster', and the Rolex Perpetual automatic mechanical Movement. In 1925, Rolex would also create and register their famous trademark logo of the Rolex five-point logo crown.

The 1920s Art-Deco era was a time of tremendous growth for Rolex, so much so, there are many art-deco DNA elements which remain today as part of their current design language—many of which remain in the Rolex Submariner.

The Rolex Oyster is perhaps the most revolutionary and profound development in watch history. The following patent application was filed by Hans Wilsdorf on behalf of Rolex in 1926, and notice it calls back to the original patent filed in Switzerland on October 30, 1925:

The follow-up patent application from Hans Wilsdorf (US 1,727,531) is pictured below and features the Oyster case construction. The original patent pictured above (US 1,661,232) introduced the clutch mechanism, which lets the user screw down the crown tightly against the case without turning the winding stem—even if fully wound. A dog clutch disengages the crown from the stem while screwing/unscrewing, then engages when pulled out to wind or set hands. Without it, tightening would over-wind the mainspring and risk damage. Wilsdorf acquired rights to the crown patent then filed the case patent to complete the waterproof Oyster design.

How Does A Rolex Oyster Case Work?

The next photo perfectly illustrates how the original Rolex Oyster case was designed, constructed and assembled. Notice the fluted bezel, just like with the one on the previously examined 'hermetic' case, screws down onto the middle inner-case as does the case-back. The actual Oyster case itself was milled from a solid piece of gold, as all Rolex Oyster watch cases are to this day.

1926 Rolex Oyster Case 

For comparison sake, we see the image below that shows a 2010 Rolex Submariner and the notice the Oyster case construction is remarkably similar.

2010 Rolex Submariner Case 

The Evolution Of The Revolution

So what makes a Rolex Oyster an Oyster? The Rolex Oyster winding crown acts like a screw-on cap, or micro jar-lid, and has watertight gaskets in it. The best way to think of it is to imagine a submarine hatch that is threaded and has to be twisted or spun open or closed. The ROLEX OYSTER pictured below can be considered to be the grandfather of the Rolex Submariner.

"Like an Oyster, it can remain an unlimited time underwater without detriment to its parts." 

–Hans Wilsdorf

Lately Rolex has begun making watches with exhibition casebacks like the Le Mans 100th Anniversary Daytona model, which is quite a welcome feature if you ask me. Despite the fact that Rolex only recently started making models with exhibition casebacks, it appears they may have originally inadvertently invented the first watches with them.

The Engine Inside

The images below show a Rolex Oyster sales sample from the late 1920s which featured an exhibition caseback so people could see exactly how the Rolex Oyster case protected the Rolex Extra Prima movement from water, while seeing how the Rolex movement functioned. These magnificent movements were made by Aegler, which was Rolex's elusive supplier of movements at the time, and it's important to take into consideration the fact that a waterproof case is only valuable if the movement inside is reliable. This marriage of the precisely machined C.R. Spillman case with the superlative Aegler movement inside bridges the gap between the exterior patent design and the internal mechanics.

These images of an early Rolex Oyster with and exhibition caseback, as well as lacking a traditional dial, is really fascinating, as Rolex applied the baton indices to the back of the crystal itself, which is super interesting looking.

I first wrote about this watch back in October of 2024 in a an article named "A Fascinating New Rolex Mystery...Is This The First & Only Transparent Dial Rolex? ROLEX EXTRA PRIMA."

I think if Rolex made this exact watch today it would be a huge hit.

David Boettcher

British Horological Institute Fellow 

David Boettcher, is arguably the most significant early Rolex Oyster history expert, and he is also a Fellow at the British Horological Institute. I have learned a great deal about the early history of the Rolex Oyster from him over the years, and he has been extremely gracious in sharing his invaluable insight and time with me.

David is a professional engineer with a background in nuclear power station construction, and as a polymath he is fascinated with old mechanical watches, which he has been publishing magnificently detailed stories about on his VintageWatchStraps.com since 2004. 

Over the past two decades I have tried to engage David on later vintage Rolex model history, like the Submariner which came to life in 1953, and David said, "That's way too modern for me. I am only really interested in much earlier watch models".

The following is from David Boettcher's article on the early history of The Rolex Oyster, and is part of an amazing in-depth article he wrote named "Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex":

"In late 1926 Rolex launched on to the market a new watch with a waterproof screw-down crown and waterproof case. It was named the "Oyster" by Hans Wilsdorf, he said "because, like its namesake it could remain under water for an unlimited time without detriment."

To what extent was the Rolex Oyster an original Wilsdorf or Rolex design? There had been many previous waterproof watches reaching back as far as the mid nineteenth century, as described on my page on Waterproof watches, but none of these had gone on to great commercial success. The Oyster was not the first waterproof watch, or even the first waterproof wristwatch (as was incorrectly claimed in Rolex adverts).

Wilsdorf appears to have been stimulated to create the Oyster by patent CH 114948 for a screw down crown granted to Perregaux and Perret in 1925. 

 

Pictured above we see the La Fédération Horologère Suisse Transfer 

Record Original Perregaux & Perret Patent Transfer to Hans Wilsdorf 

Filed on July 28, 1926 in La Chaux de Fonds, Switzerland. 

Image Appears Courtesy of David Boettcher 

It would soon have been realised that the Perregaux and Perret screw crown design was essentially useless, because of the problems with the left-hand thread, and it would have been Wilsdorf who cracked the whip to get the technicians at Aegler to come up with a workable design incorporating a clutch, reinventing an idea that had been patented in America in 1881.

NOTE from Jake on the Mechanical Realities of the Clutch Mechanism: I just want add more context and detail on the clutch mechanism: While acquiring the Perregaux & Perret patent (CH 114,948) gave Wilsdorf a monopoly on a crown that screwed down onto a threaded case tube, the unrefined system possessed a glaring engineering flaw: as the crown was threaded home, it remained rigidly locked to the winding stem. This meant that tightening the case meant forcefully turning the winding mechanism and mainspring against the threads, causing catastrophic component wear and stripped gear teeth. 

The true industrial stroke of genius that saved the Oyster from becoming a fragile mechanical novelty was the integration of a spring-loaded clutch mechanism, codified in subsequent patent filings like US 1,661,232. This internal spring allowed the crown to fully disengage from the movement wheels the precise moment it was depressed, allowing the user to screw the crown tightly against the case without putting a shred of torsional stress on the movement's train. 

Hans Wilsdorf was not just a marketing man who bought a patent, but a driving operational force who recognized a fatal engineering gap and pushed Aegler's technicians to overcome the challenge before launching the Oyster to the global market in late 1926.

The Oyster case was almost certainly inspired by the 1903 Borgel 3 piece screw case, the similarities are obvious and Rolex watches had been made using these Borgel cases, as well as the original Borgel patent screw case.

Although neither the crown or the case were original designs, it was probably Wilsdorf who had the idea of pulling these two ideas together and creating a waterproof watch. Why did the Rolex Oyster achieve commercial success when many earlier waterproof watches, even the 1915 Tavannes Submarine wristwatch, had not?

Wilsdorf was not a watchmaker, but he was a marketing genius who was prepared to invest so much on advertising the Rolex name that by the 1920s he had created a known brand from a name that didn't even exist before 1908. The previous designs of waterproof watches were created by watchmakers but they were not advertised and promoted in the same way. Hans Wilsdorf was a restless marketing genius who really propelled Rolex and the Rolex Oyster, his flagship product, towards the heights it eventually reached. He did this by spending huge amounts of money on advertising direct to the public, which is something that watchmakers had not done before."

Mercedes Gleitze 

& The Vindication Swim

The Oyster & The Mermaid 

In 1926, at age 45, Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf had successfully designed, manufactured and patented the waterproof Rolex Oyster. The challenge he faced was, how to communicate the value-proposition of such a product? Now that he had his Rolex Oyster, he only needed a beautiful mermaid to achieve a perfect pairing.

Hans Wilsdorf was an extremely shrewd, adroit, strategic marketing genius and businessman. In my upcoming book series, I argue Hans Wilsdorf was the archetype for the Madison Avenue "MAD MEN", who were pioneering advertising agents.

Hans Wilsdorf was not a watchmaker, nor was he Swiss. He was born in Bavaria, which is part of Germany today. Hans really was, more than anything, a superb brand architect. Rolex had created an amazing new innovation, but it needed a way to communicate this innovation to the watch buying public.

Prior to the advent of the Rolex Oyster, the vast majority of watches sold on earth were not branded, yet Wilsdorf took the early opportunity to not only bring to market the first commercially viable waterproof watch, and he was smart to brand it as "Rolex", but perhaps his greatest achievement was his marketing prowess. Wilsdorf understood the power of great marketing and storytelling, and wanted to make a huge splash when he launched the original Rolex Oyster in 1926.

Mercedes Gleitze 

On October 7, 1927 a British woman named Mercedes Gleitze who had been working as a bilingual secretary in Westminster became the first Englishwoman to swim the English channel from France to England as well as the twelfth swimmer to achieve the feat. Her story was published the next day on the cover of the Boston Daily Globe as seen below. 

Mercedes Gleizte, a stunning woman, epitomized a new era of female athleticism. In the image below, captured in 1928, she exudes an aura of elegance with her piercing blue eyes and her distinctive hairstyle reminiscent of Princess Leia’s iconic buns.

Mercedes was the third woman to cross the channel after two American women had successfully swam the channel, but the fact that an Englishwoman swam the channel was a very big deal. 

Mercedes had trained to be a long distance swimmer in the River Thames. In 1923 she set the British women's record for Thames, swimming across it in 10 hours and 45 minutes. Swimming the English Channel was not an easy feat for Mercedes. Mercedes tried unsuccessfully seven times prior and finally on her eighth attempt she finally made it across in 15 hours and 15 minutes. 

At 2:55 a.m. on October 7, 1927, Mercedes Glietze left Gris Nez, France and swam out into the English channel which was shrouded in thick fog. Mercedes experienced many challenges on her swim including almost being run over by ships, not to mention the cold water that never rose above 60 degrees.

At 6:10 p.m. Mercedes arrived on the English coast between South Foreland and St. Magret's Bay. As she came out of the water she murmured the words, "Thank God, I am conscious!" and then she collapsed into the arms of her trainer, Mr. G. H. Allan.

Mercedes remained unconscious for two hours. After she regained consciousness, Mercedes was interviewed by the London Times and she mentioned that for two hours she had been enduring terrific pain in her limbs from the severely cold water.

High Drama

Four short days after Mercedes Glietze became the first Englishwoman to successfully swim the English channel, a strange thing occurred. Another British woman named Dr. Dorothy Cochran Logan, who went by the name of Miss Mona McLennan (for swimming purposes), claimed to have swam the channel in a record breaking time of 13 hours and 10 minutes.

Apparently, the British people were skeptical about Dr. Dorothy Cochran's new record, and it turned out she admitted she lied and did not swim the entire channel. Then people turned to Mercedes Gleitze and accused her of doing the same thing. 

Mercedes was very upset by the false allegations and announced she would prove that she had crossed the channel by doing it again only 14 days later. This of course, caused a big media stir and Mercedes was in the limelight.

Hans Wilsdorf got wind of this interesting news and made Mercedes an offer she couldn't refuse. This offer included a Rolex Oyster watch to wear on her "Vindication Swim."

The Vindication Swim

According to an article from the London Times dated October 21, 1927, Mercedes Gleitze wore her Rolex Oyster around her neck on a band. In the Photo below we see Mercedes entering the chilly water. 

As you can also see there were a number of onlookers as Mercedes entered the water at 4:21 a.m. If you look closely you can see the watch dangling on a necklace from her neck. Mercedes was upbeat and seemed to get off to a good start.

The water was ice cold and on average 6 degrees colder than on her last swim just two weeks prior. Mercedes swam breaststroke and sidestroke only.

At 1 p.m. Mercedes was very cold and tired. She was so exhausted, she was having a hard time staying alert.  As her trainer was trying to encourage her, Mercedes responded by saying, "Why don't you let me sleep?"

At 2 p.m. her trainer tried to rouse her sharply and she responded by saying "Let me sleep, please!" Her trainer asked if she wanted to give up and she said "no."

Mercedes started falling asleep while she was swimming. She would wake up every few seconds and then seem to fall back asleep. She was now about 7 miles from the English coast, but she was making very little progress.

At 2:25 p.m., a ladder was placed at the stern of the small boat that was following her. When she saw the ladder, she deliberately swam away from it. At 2:45 she was completely out of energy and allowed herself to be hoisted into the boat by her trainer.

The image above with the caption was published on October 29, 1927, in the Illustrated London News, and it was taken at the moment after her trainer got her back into the rowboat.

According to the London Times, "She had swum with remarkable endurance under very difficult conditions. The temperature of the water varied from 53 to 58 degrees, as compared to 60 degrees on October 7, when she made her successful swim."

If you really think about it, Mercedes Gleitze's vindication swim was not only a catastrophic failure, but also not really relevant or significant as she was the twelfth swimmer to cross the English Channel from France to England, not to mention two American women had already successfully swam the channel before Mercedes. 

Mercedes Gleitze may not have swam all the way across the English channel the second time and she may have been forgotten in history, but Hans Wilsdorf had better plans for her. Essentially, Hans Wilsdorf helped turn Mercedes into a sports celebrity that is well known to this day in the world of Rolex. Mercedes Gleitze is pictured below in the advertorial that appeared on the cover of the Daily Mail on Thursday, November 24, 1927. This ad was arguably the most important marketing event in Rolex history. Talk about turning a lemon into lemonade!!!

This was essentially the genius of Hans Wilsdorf's marketing strategy. You see, the world was a much, much larger place back in 1927, as there were no iPhones, nor internet, nor TV. Just newspapers and magazines. The British Broadcasting Company (BBC) only began broadcasting in the UK in 1922, so even radio as a communication medium was in its infancy in 1927.

Mystery Solved

After almost 100 years since its publication, Nick Gould and I finally solved a long standing Rolex History mystery having to do with the ROLEX OYSTER advertorial that was published on the cover of the British Daily Mail on Thursday, November 24th, 1927.

Rolex has long showcased the advertorial below that features Mercedes Gleitze on the cover of the Daily Mail, which has long been a confusion point for hardcore Rolex historians.  

Years ago I discovered and published the actual cover of the Daily Mail from November 24, 1927 (pictured above), which caused confusion as we see a very similar ROLEX OYSTER section (pictured below) featuring Mercedes Gleitze, but notice the four Rolex watches are stacked vertically, as apposed to the add above, which featured them horizontally!?!!

November 24, 1927 

Rolex is proudly celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the advent of the Rolex Oyster today in 2026, and as a result inadvertently published some superb clues with images below taken in 1942 that show Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf in his office in Geneva. If you look closely on the wall behind Hans Wilsdorf you will see the Rolex ad in controversy which is identical to the one pictured above as a reprint from November 24, 1927. 

In the image below, also taken in 1942, we see Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf pointing at the ad in controversy. What is the significance of this? My best explanation is that somewhere between 1927, and 1942 Rolex wanted to make a new ad that focused on showcasing the original Mercedes Gleitze ad, while ignoring the rest of the ad, but the challenge is that it had a square aspect ratio, and they wanted to reprint it in a magazine that featured a portrait aspect ratio, so they moved the watches from the right side to the bottom to better lay it out.

I had long assumed Rolex had updated the layout much more recently, but these photos prove the exact opposite. In other words, it was likely the work of Rolex marketing director at the time, René-Paul Jeanneret who updated the layout.

One of the most captivating chapters in Rolex history—in my opinion—is the birth of the Rolex Oyster. I have another intriguing new discovery to share with you. Our remarkable Horological Historian and Researcher, Nick Gould, recently unearthed a warning from Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf. 

This warning was originally published on December 7, 1927 in the French Horological Journal, just after Rolex officially launched the Rolex Oyster wristwatch. While the Rolex Oyster was not the first attempt at successfully creating a waterproof wristwatch, it's arguably the most successful attempt, and the one that has endured the most.

Below is the translation from French to English:

WARNING

Hans Wilsdorf, General Director of Rolex Watch Co. Ltd., Geneva, informs watch case manufacturers and watchmakers that he is the owner of patents Nos. 114.948, 120.848, 120.851 relating to a screw crown device and hermetically sealed screw cases.

He is also the owner of models of cases of this shape, registered under No. 41.351.

The undersigned warns watch manufacturers, case manufacturers, and the public in general against any imitation or counterfeit of the said patents and registered models.

The undersigned informs the watchmaking public that he is the owner of the trademarks “Oyster”, “Aqua” and “Submarine” as well as their translations in all languages.

He has the exclusive right to use the said trademarks for all articles of horology and jewelry.

The undersigned will take legal action against any counterfeiter and imitator for cancellation of any deposit or patent for similar articles, without prejudice to all damages, interest, and any action for unfair competition.

Geneva, December 7, 1927.

 

—Hans Wilsdorf.

The Mother of Rolex Endorsement

Mercedes Gleitze was was probably the first celebrity female athlete in the U.K., or certainly one of them. It is also profound to realize she was probably the first celebrity in history to endorse the Rolex brand.

If you stop and think about it for a moment, it's interesting the first celebrity to endorse Rolex was a woman, and not a man. Mercedes Gleitze belongs to the ages as does Hans Wilsdorf, but I imagine their story will continue to inspire people for generations to come. 

For some reason, I find the photo below of Mercedes Gleitze and all the other people at the train station to be mesmerizing. It almost seems like the people in the photo are watching you watch them from way back in history–neat.

Mercedes got married on August 9, 1930 at Saint Paul's Church in Dover, and her bridesmaids were American swimmers, the Zitenfeld Twins, Bernice and Phyllis. She and her husband went on to have 3 children and after having children she shied away from the limelight and chose to live a quiet life, centered around taking care of her beloved family. Mercedes passed away in 1979 at age 79. 

In the wedding photo above we see Mercedes was wearing her hexagonal Rolex Oyster prototype on her wrist, and to the best of my knowledge this is the only photo that shows her wearing a Rolex on her wrist.

Rolex continued featuring Mercedes Gleitze as a brand ambassador through the 1930s as seen in the magazine ad below.

After her vindication swim, eight months after having here first child, Mercedes continued swimming and in the video below we see she attempted to be the first person to swim the English Channel from England to France, and notice she is rocking her Rolex Oyster on her wrist:

Speaking of Mercedes Gleitze being a real mermaid, this is a fascinating photo of her taken in 1931 in Sydney, Australia while she was attending the Manly Swimming Marathon, and it shows her chilling in a swimming pool reading a newspaper. 

Yet Another Rolex Mystery

Where is Mercedes' Rolex Oyster Today?

The challenge with Mercedes Gleitze's "vindication" swim was that after 10 hours, she only made it about 4/5 of the way across the English channel and had to be pulled-out since she almost froze to death. The vindication swim was not a complete success, but the Rolex Oyster, strapped around her neck, came out of the water in perfect working order. So where is the Rolex Oyster Mercedes Gleitze reportedly wore around her neck during her vindication swim? 

This is a point of confusion as the watch below has been auctioned a twice, including recently On November 9, 2025 by Sotheby's for $1.3 million dollars.

I heard from one source that Rolex may have traded Mercedes the watch pictured below for the one she wore during her swim. This story seems perhaps to be apocryphal, as Rolex to date has never shown photos of such a watch, so it's quite possible this is the actual watch Mercedes wore.

The image above and three images below were taken around 1976, 50 years after the Vindication Swim and they appear courtesy of Philip and Gérard Souham and are from their S3Collection Archives, with the photos coming originally from Rolex. Gérard Souham was the CEO of J. Walter Thompson (JWT) handling the Rolex advertising account, and he was one of Rolex CEO, André-Jean Heiniger's closest and most trusted associates. 

Gérard Souham is pictured below back in 1975 with then Rolex CEO, André-Jean Heiniger, and John Nelson, who was the Director of Rolex in the United Kingdom, and they are chatting with then young Prince Charles, who is now King Charles. In the past I conducted a deep dive interview with Gérard Souham, and in my upcoming book series I go into detail on his significant contributions to Rolex, and I also plan to publish a story about him here on RolexMagazine.com. 

There are a few anomalies beginning with the fact the Oyster pictured above lacks a Rolex dial designation as well as a Rolex crown/coronet logo, and it's on a different bracelet than it's on today. This is really confusing but the Rolex document that came with these photos says, "Photographed 50 years after the event, here is the historical Rolex Oyster which accompanied the then young London stenographer when she swam the English Channel." 

The images below show a different style bracelet, that clearly shows damage on both sides., and it appears to perhaps be some kind of stretch/flexomatic expandable bracelet.

The image below was taken in London, England in September of 1976, at a special Rolex event held at the Trafalgar Tavern to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Mercedes Gleitze's Vindication Channel Swim, and we see two of her daughters, sisters, Mrs. Doloranda Pember, and Mrs. Elisabeth Atchinson admiring their mothers Rolex Oyster which is pictured above. Doloranda once referred to her pioneering mother as being "Britain's empowering swimming heroine."

Ironically, the engravings appear to be identical on the watch pictured above and below, but the dial and hands, as well as the bracelet are completely different, which suggest it's either a different watch, or the dial, hands and bracelet were swapped out at some point between 1976 and 2000.

In June of 2000, the watch was auctioned by Christie's of London for £17,037. The photos below appeared showing Mercedes Gleitze's Vindication Swim Rolex, but notice the dial is different from the one pictured above. I first published these images on RolexMagazine.com in 2008, which was 18 years ago, and I believe they were taken the last time her watch was auctioned a quarter century ago.

The images below are from the most recent Sotheby's auction where this watch sold for $1.3 Million dollars, and there were only 4 parties who were involved in the bidding. Another bizarre detail is the watch somehow went from being silver to gold. My best guess is that the watch was re-plated with yellow gold, as the original was 9k gold and was likely plated gold, which had worn off from so many years of hard use?

1927

Earliest Rolex Oyster Ads

The Rolex Oyster ad pictured below (discovered by Nick Gould) was published in November of 1927 and is the earliest known Rolex Magazine advertisement for the "ROLEX OYSTER". 

The 1927 Rolex Oyster advertisement pictured below appears in Volume 2 of my upcoming Rolex history book series and represents one of the earliest Rolex Magazine advertisements for Rolex's then new Rolex 'OYSTER' models, and offers fascinating insight into the brilliant marketing mind of Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf. This Rolex Magazine ad really sums up the essence of the Rolex Oyster, despite the fact it was published 99 years ago.

1928

Rolex Oyster Ad

The vintage Rolex Magazine ad below is from 1928 and offers brilliant insight into the genesis of the Rolex Oyster being used as an aquatic watch.

1929

Rolex Magazine Story

Over the past 19 years I have been publishing RolexMagazine.com, I found that some of the best ways to learn about the Rolex zeitgeist and historically accurate facts are through well written Rolex Magazine articles, so next let's examine several absolutely fascinating written pieces that shed tremendous light and insight on many aspects of the Rolex Oyster including how it was originally advertised.

Below we begin a superb article from the Sales Management Magazine that was published on August 31, 1929, which was an American publication, that discussed the subject topic of "How Rolex Watches Won National Distribution in England" with superb advertising. 

This article begins by making out a profound observation that "When Rolex stopped talking about punctuality and began to print pictures of watches, sales showed an immediate and steady gain." Essentially, Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf took a show-and-tell approach to selling watches...

Rolex Magazine article from Sales Management Magazine was published on August 31, 1929, which was an American publication

At the bottom of the first column (above) the author makes an excellent point when he says "Until a few years ago there was, with one exception, no branded wrist watch on the British market. Watches mostly of Swiss origin, the Swiss watches then and now enjoying a very high reputation for precision quality. Among them was the Rolex. This watch made in Geneva, sold at prices ranging from $25 to $1,000., a price that put it in the luxury field."

This is profound in the sense he points out that Rolex was one of the first brands to place their logo on their dials, and in doing so were pioneers in the luxury watch category. It is also worth pointing out this is the earliest known mention I am aware of with Rolex being referred to as a "Luxury watch brand".

The author also points out Rolex watches for the first 18 years of their existence were sold without any advertising, and were not known to general public.

He points out Rolex appropriated $5,000 for its first year of advertising in 1926. In its second year of advertising (1927) Rolex allocated $25,000. The "MAKE IT A ROLEXMAS" ad proof below from Rolex's archives suggests Wilsdorf paid 40,000 Swiss Francs, which at the time was approximately $7,705, as at the time the exchange rate was 5.1916 Swiss Francs per 1 U.S. Dollar. We get this financial pricing from the handwriting on the top of the page, which also strangely says "No 2".

Note the 'MAKE IT A ROLEXMAS' image above was NOT part of the 1929 Rolex Magazine article, that began above it and continues below. The articles continues and points out since Rolex was experiencing such a sales increase from advertising it kept increasing its advertising budget. Since this article was published in 1929, I assume when the author refers to the fourth year, that the $5,000 Rolex advertising budget began in 1926.

1928 Rolex Oyster Ad

Miss Evelyn Laye

The Second Rolex Hotness

The article mentioned, "Miss Evelyn Laye wearing her Rolex with her wrist immersed in water", which is pictured below, and it points out how well the marketplace responded to the advent of the Rolex Oyster, which was a complete game-changer.

Mercedes Gleitze was a secretary and athlete and she served as the first Rolex brand ambassador and testimonee. In 1928 Hans Wilsdorf decided to also work with a top British actress from London named Evelyn Laye who is pictured below wearing a Rolex Oyster with her hand in a fish-tank. Evelyn Laye was considered at the time to be a beautiful woman, and she became the first gorgeous female Rolex model.

The ROLEX "OYSTER" ad below was published in Australia on December 15, 1928 and features Evelyn Laye.

1927 Rolex Oyster Introduction Brochure

The next two illustrations are from an early Rolex Oyster brochure, and the first image depicts Hans Wilsdorf observing the Rolex advertorial (pictured above) which he placed in the London Daily Mail on November 24th, 1927.

This next image depicts a Rolex Oyster being shown in a store window being submerged in a fishbowl, with passers by in awe.

1929 Rolex Oyster Ad

This is a fascinating Rolex magazine ad from 1929, which means Rolex had obviously already introduced their revolutionary "Oyster" waterproof case, but had not yet introduced their "Perpetual" automatic movement, which came along in 1931. 

I also wrote extensively in my article titled "The Rolex Woman" about Merceds Gleitze. The image below is also an early Rolex Oyster ad for women.

1932

Rolex Oyster Fishbowl

The image below was published in 1932 and showcases a Rolex Oyster in a fishbowl, which shows why Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf was "THE ORIGINAL MAD MAN OF WATCHMAKING".

1932

Rolex Magazine

Fishbowl Ad

The Rolex Magazine ad for the Rolex Oyster below was published in 1936.

1933

Rolex Magazine Story

Hans Wilsdorf OYSTER Presentation

This next Rolex Magazine article from 1933 is AMAZING as it's based upon a presentation Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf gave in Paris, France on the subject of the Rolex Oyster, which was published in LA FRANCE HORLOGÈRE, and was titled A WATERPROOF WATCH.

Translated from French to English

A Waterproof Wristwatch

Among the communications made to the Horological Society during its last meeting, we must mention the report relating to a waterproof wristwatch from S.A.F. des Montres Rolex.

The Société anonyme des Montres Rolex (15, rue Monsigny, Paris, a subsidiary of the Swiss company of the same name, central headquarters in Geneva) presented, through its general manager, Mr. H. Wilsdorf, the waterproof wristwatch called "Oyster" with the help of projections.

Mr. Wilsdorf gave the following explanations regarding his invention:

"The subject that I have the honor of presenting to you does not concern watchmaking itself, but rather a waterproof watch case meant to protect it.

As manufacturers of chronometers of all small sizes, from the 4 1/4 lignes baguette format—meaning movements used for wristwatches for which we have obtained 1st class certificates at the Observatories of Kew (England), Geneva, Neuchâtel, and recently also at Besançon with a rectangular 6 3/4 lignes piece—we had to realize, several years ago, that the further we advanced in the technical perfection of constructing small chronometer movements, the more difficult we made our task. This is because the precision results were quite simply nullified by the imperfections of the cases in which, like other manufacturers, we were accustomed to housing our movements.

The manufacturing of watch cases has developed extensively from an aesthetic standpoint, but from the perspective of precision, there has been no great progress.

I therefore present to you our waterproof watch, to which I have given the English name "Oyster" (French translation: l'huître), because, like an oyster, our Oyster watch rigorously excludes all impurities.

The problem of a watch that is waterproof against water and air, and therefore waterproof against everything, breaks down into 4 parts:

• a) The case itself;

• b) The crown;

• c) The crystal;

• d) The method of recognizing if a watch in its finished state is indeed completely waterproof.

 

a) The Case

The construction is entirely new, and it is patented in France, Switzerland, Germany, the United States of America, etc.

The Oyster case consists of 4 pieces:

1. The middle case (la carrure);

2. The bezel (la lunette);

3. The case back (le fond);

4. The ring inside which the movement is housed.

   

The back and the bezel are provided with a high-precision screw thread, as is the ring surrounding the movement. To screw them together, the flat edges must meet with a scientifically perfect parallelism. The problem of assembling the 4 parts of the case so as to form only a single rigid and waterproof piece was only resolved after several years of effort and study, because the methods used in case factories up to that day were completely insufficient.

The difficulties were great, and often seemed insurmountable, even to our technical organization, which has nevertheless succeeded in creating 27 world records in microscopic watchmaking. It had to be learned that the manufacturing of such a case required exactly the same care and the same precision as the escapement or the gearing of a chronometer.

Waterproofing is obtained mechanically, therefore by the precision of construction, and no perishable material such as rubber, leather, cork, plastic or sticky materials, etc., is used. Waterproofing is permanent, and in this, the Oyster stands out from all the imitations that have appeared on the market. The 4 parts of the Oyster case are screwed together with the help of a patented tool, which is supplied exclusively to Rolex watchmakers, and thus the private owner of an Oysterwatch cannot open it himself.

b) The Crown

The second problem to be solved was the winding crown, and all watchmakers know that it is through the stem hole that death becomes gradually inevitable for all wristwatches. 

A represents the winding crown, which has no screw thread on the inside. In this threadless path, a piece C is screwed, into which piece O has previously been placed with the winding stem G, as well as the spring B.

The piece C is screwed in very tightly. On the other hand, the piece O has an flat shoulder beneath M.

The piece O is screwed into the case F by means of a small screw thread at the end E. This piece O is screwed in very tightly and has a very flat part beneath L.

The thread of this screw corresponds exactly to the thread of screw A of the crown.

The construction of the crown is such that one can screw it onto the tube O, whereby the surface M will come to abut against the surface L, at which point the crown ensures waterproofing, a) by a screw thread and b) by the 2 surfaces Mand L touching.

While the watch is worn, the crown being screwed tight, waterproofing is achieved. When one wants to wind the watch or set the hands, one simply unscrews the crown to perform the operations mentioned above.

Dust and moisture enter relentlessly, and adjustments are destroyed without mercy. What is the use of manufacturing chronometers, or even quality watches, if they cannot be protected against these hereditary enemies that are grains of dust and moisture?

The crown of the Oyster is ingenious in its entire conception, and yet even so, it is simple.

The principle is the declutching of the crown, exactly like in a car engine, and thus freed, it screws onto a tube of chromed steel, which is screwed with force into the middle of the case. The clutching and declutching of the crown allow for winding and setting the time normally, as well as the rigid and absolute closure of the winding crown.

Once again, I point out that the waterproofing is absolute and permanent, since we achieve it mechanically, and not by means of perishable or unstable materials.

The various internal mechanisms of the Oyster crown are made of chromed steel, and we guarantee them to be nearly indestructible. We have 6 years of experience behind us, and although our losses, due to the evolution during which development led us, are numbered in the hundreds of thousands of francs, we are happy to have had the courage to persevere.

c) The Crystal

The third problem was the crystal, because what good is a waterproof case and a waterproof crown if dust and moisture can penetrate through the crystal?

For more than 5 years, we had to content ourselves with crystal glass panes, because all plastic materials manufactured in France, Germany, the United States, and England were unstable and shrank slightly—very slightly, but enough to no longer be waterproof. Yet, breakable glass is worthless for a good watch worn on the wrist, even if waterproofing could be achieved through highly precise manufacturing.

After very long research, we obtained a plastic material of absolute stability, which maintains its size and shape even after more than 1,000 hours of submersion in water. During these long-duration tests, we constantly changed the temperature of the water from cold to hot, and finally, we alternately exposed the crystals to intense sun and ice. Success is assured, and having undertaken the manufacturing of our crystals with our alternative material in our factory, using precision tools harmonizing with the edges of the bezels, we can guarantee the waterproofing of the crystals of our Oyster watches by their mechanical construction, and not by glue.

d) Testing the Finished Watch

The fourth problem was: How to prove the waterproofing of a finished watch?

The watch responds like a human being, and it is to this phenomenon that we realized a few years ago that all our pains were worth it.

For the watch to live, it must be prevented from breathing. The differences in temperature of a watch worn on the arm are large, and the expansion of the volume of air inside the watch produces such a pressure that even the smallest orifice will look for an exit. With a drop in temperature, the air will try to return, and with the air naturally enter grains of dust and impurities that mix with the oil.

This back-and-forth of air due to different temperatures allows us to know with certainty if our watches are waterproof, by dipping them in hot water at 60°C [140°F] approximately. Air bubbles immediately become visible if the box is defective.

The possibility of being able to protect high-precision movements, even when they are worn on the arm, against all impurities, water, moisture, etc., is surely of enormous importance, and I dare believe that through my invention and its practical application in an extensive manufacturing process, I have succeeded in protecting the chronometer against its most dangerous enemies."

Reception & Official Testing

The speaker, Mr. Wilsdorf, was warmly applauded by the whole room, and during the discussion that followed, he was thanked for his work, recognized among others by Mr. Baillaud, director of the Besançon Observatory, and by Mr. Paul Ditisheim as a valuable contribution, the problem having been of long standing.

Professor Guillaume spoke with Mr. Wilsdorf qui, very honored by this attention, remarked that for several years Rolex watches have been manufactured exclusively with Elinvar hairsprings, of which, as everyone knows, Professor Guillaume was the inventor.

Mr. Wilsdorf having indicated that the Kew Observatory (England) had recently examined 12 Rolex Oyster wristwatches submerged in water for 21 full days, made it known that he would shortly send 12 pieces to the Besançon Observatory for a scientific and thorough examination.

Rolex Oyster watches are supplied not only with an official rating certificate (bulletin officiel de marche), but also a certificate of waterproofing, and Mr. Baillaud, director of the Besançon Observatory, declared himself in agreement to subject these watches to a 10-day test in water and to provide a certificate to all those that pass the exam. For aviation and the navy, watches supplied with such a certificate will be welcome, because as indicated by the delegate of the technical service of Aeronautics, the humidity of thick fog ended up ruining all the watches of aviators.

Engineers working where there is a lot of humidity and dust, etc... and all those who live in hot countries will be satisfied to be able to obtain a wristwatch recognized as waterproof by the Observatory. Since air and dust are rigorously excluded, the oil will maintain itself for several years, and this ensures stable regulation.

1936

Rolex Magazine Story

The fascinatingly insightful article below was originally published in the Journal Suisse d'Horlogerie in January of 1936, and actually shows the original Mercedes Glietze Rolex Oyster Advertorial, which was published six years prior to the photos taken above, which in my mind further supports the fact it was Jeanneret who optimized the original ad. This article, written in French sheds a tremendous amount of insight on Rolex history:

English Translation (Page 1)

Our Interviews

One Hour with Mr. H. Wilsdorf

Director of Rolex Watch Co.

Introduction

The reader will easily understand why we interviewed Mr. H. Wilsdorf about the special publicity for Rolex Watch Co. on the occasion of this issue. Rolex is one of the brands that has created the most advertising for watches in recent years.

 

We believe the watchmaker, often admired superficially, will be greatly interested in learning about the beautiful ads of this brand, the purpose of this publicity, and how every quality watch ad benefits all sellers, regardless of the brand.

 

The Father of the Waterproof Watch

 

On November 24, 1927, Londoners saw the front page of the Daily Mail featuring a Rolex ad. It was the first full-page Swiss watch ad in a major daily. Mr. H. Wilsdorf introduced the Rolex Oyster in England. 

 

In the watch industry, no one had dared spend 40,000 francs on a single ad before. It required absolute confidence in the product. Today, after 10 years, we see waterproof watches in full vogue.

This confirms a key principle of good advertising: one must not hesitate for a quality product. Mr. H.

Wilsdorf was the father and creator of the waterproof watch, and he presented it to the public without hesitation.

 

Advertising Stimulates the Manufacturer

 

It goes without saying that the manufacturer who gives his name to a product and invests funds to ensure impeccable and regular quality must take full responsibility. 

The owner of an unmarked watch may blame the watchmaker, but for a branded watch, the manufacturer is directly responsible to the public.

The page also reproduces the famous 1927 Daily Mail Rolex Oyster ad (Fig. 1), which cost about 40,000 francs. It includes a statement from swimmer Mercedes Gleitze confirming she wore the Rolex Oyster across the English Channel.

English Translation (Page 2)

This First Rolex is the best-known watch brand in England and its colonies. It took years for English retailers to accept selling a watch under another name. At the start, Mr. Wilsdorf also sold his watches with the Rolex name gradually replacing the old one, first two, then three, then four pieces per box.

Fig. 2.

The famous subject created for the introduction of the Rolex Oyster is known worldwide. It required no less than three weeks of work and supervision at the Draeger house in Paris.

There is no room on a man's wrist for anything but one watch.

A statistic of advertising expenditures for various products shows that watches occupy a very modest place. Other industries (cigarettes, beauty products, automobiles, radios, photography, entertainment) occupy the top ranks. It is clear that the public spends more easily and above all its money on products constantly recalled, so it thinks last of the watch.

Every watch manufacturer spends part of its profit on advertising to benefit the entire horology industry, because it draws public attention to watches. The merit is even greater when this effort is for a quality and expensive watch like Rolex. One can never insist enough on the value of such publicity.

The great danger is that cheap mass-produced watches today are of a quality that satisfies the general public. This is a serious threat to the very existence of detailed horology, as anyone can sell a good cheap watch: it requires no years of apprenticeship. The watchmaker who wants to work in his interest and that of his profession is in grave danger if Mr. Wilsdorf is right: "There is no place on a man's arm for more than one watch." Is this place occupied by a cheap watch? The quality watch is obviously better. It is the benefit the retailer makes on higher-priced watches that allows him to pay his operating costs.

It is therefore necessary for the watchmaker to push the quality watch. He must not miss any opportunity, and for that, know in depth the products he sells, in order to highlight the points of superiority of the fine watch and justify its price.

It can be said without exaggeration that the three million francs spent on advertising by Rolex in recent years have benefited not only itself but equally all watchmakers concerned with maintaining their profession's level. 

And one understands that Rolex could proudly tell an agent that it had succeeded in maintaining the average selling price of men's bracelets at 78 francs, thanks to the clientele that Rolex advertising brought in. At a time when such an affirmation is certainly the finest testimony one can render to a manufacturer's clairvoyance.

In 1940 we get another super interesting article published in the Swiss Horological Journal:

1940

Rolex Magazine Story

Notice the Mercedes Gleitze section that appeared below in 1940 is identical to the section from the original "Make it a ROLEXMAS" ad published on November 24, 1927. What, if anything does this mean or signify? It means the updated version had first been documented in the photos of Hans Wilsdorf in his office at Rolex headquarters in Geneva in 1942.

English Translation (Page 1)

 

How Rolex Verifies the Water Resistance of Its Watches

Rolex introduces for the first time the greatest Triumph in Watch-making

ROLEX 'OYSTER'

The Wonder Watch that Defies the Elements.

The first advertisement published in the world for waterproof watches. Announcement appeared in the "Daily Mail" of December 24, 1927, illustrating the first models of Rolex Oyster watches: swimmer Mercedes Gleitze wearing one of the first ROLEX OYSTER watches during her crossing of the English Channel.

In 1927, when the first Rolex Oyster watch appeared on the market, accompanied by cleverly designed advertising, it met with much skepticism from the public. "These watches are not made to go in the water," they said.

This did not prevent Rolex from persevering in its efforts; the development of the waterproof watch, which the whole world knows, was eventually rewarded. Today, hundreds of thousands of ROLEX OYSTER watches, which can be qualified as prototypes of the waterproof watch, have been tested worldwide. Rolex is certainly the company with the greatest experience in the field of waterproof watches. It therefore seemed interesting to us to highlight how the water resistance of Rolex watches is verified.

Let us first recall that the water resistance of the Rolex Oyster watch is obtained, on the one hand, by the patented screw-down crown, and on the other hand, by very high precision in the manufacture of the case. Thanks to the absence of plastic materials (cork, rubber) in the crown, in the stem as in the case, the precision obtained is permanent.

During a visit to the Geneva workshops, we were able to see a certain number of Rolex watches which, for three weeks, had been immersed in water under a pressure of fourteen atmospheres, which corresponds to an immersion of 140 m. and this without the water having penetrated any of the cases.

We took into account the enormous pressure exerted as much on the bottom as on the crown and the crystal of these watches. Resistance to this pressure is eloquent proof of the quality of these cases and of the patented crown which contains no plastic material. But this quality was not obtained in one day. Indeed, for 14 years, Rolex has been working perfectly on the waterproof case. It can be said that the introduction of the waterproof case was a revolution, in a way, in the manufacture of watch cases.

It first forced the manufacturer to work in this field with a precision unknown until now. It goes without saying that the greatest precision is sought in all stages of Rolex case manufacturing. However, this precision alone is not enough; continuous and repeated checks are necessary. Indeed, the water resistance of the Rolex case, as soon as it is in the rough state, is controlled a dozen times, namely: first in the rough state, then after polishing; then after fitting the crystal, after assembling the movement, before and after casing, before, during and after adjustment, and finally before shipping.

For 15 days, each Rolex piece is thus subjected to...

English Translation (Page 2)

ROLEX OYSTER

For waterproofness control, Rolex uses the Vacuum-meter A (illustrations Nos. 1, 2, 3) which works as follows:

The case, or complete watch, is immersed (2) in a cylindrical container filled with water. By means of a lever, a vacuum is then created in the upper part of the cylinder, causing the water to descend into this latter (3). At this moment, the air that was trapped in the watch is forced out of the case and can escape into the vacuum above. If the case is not waterproof, small air bubbles will be seen rising from the case surface. This air pressure escape is noticeable when the watch is waterproof, even if the crystal, however slightly loose in its bezel, has been driven out of the bezel. This extremely simple control system has one advantage: water never enters the watch, as is the case in pressure tests.

The apparatus that controls a non-waterproof watch under pressure forces water into the case and thereby damages the movement when a complete watch is tested. This serious drawback is avoided thanks to the Rolex Vacuum-meter, patented in all countries; it alone allows air to escape, and thereby guarantees the case's waterproofness, but does not allow water to enter the case, at the risk of damaging the movement.

The quest for perfect waterproofness has raised numerous problems that Rolex has successfully solved. Our readers will not fail to note with interest that the Rolex case back is now made from a single piece. Indeed, it has been found that using several metals for the back and screw thread, such as soldering, created in relation to the acidity of perspiration, which over time penetrates to the screw thread, creating a risk of corrosion that eventually corrodes the case. The strength of these case backs lies in their being made from a single piece. These backs are executed with such precision that the watches are already waterproof after a simple hand-tightening.

But Rolex has provided special tools for closing its cases after servicing, in an absolutely perfect manner. These tools consist first of a universal clamp A that allows all case sizes to be fixed, a set of K keys for gripping the watch back and securely screwing it on. To replace the tubes and the patented crown, several tools have been created (figs. L, M, N). Finally, we have noticed the need to flatten the back and the case middle. 

In effect, it is necessary to insert, between the back and the case middle, a metal washer. Contrary to what one might suppose, this washer does not affect waterproofness; it serves solely to link the two mathematically plane surfaces of the back and case middle. Effectively, by firmly screwing the back onto the case middle, not only do the two steel surfaces adhere to each other, but they literally grip. It is an intimate fusion that occurs between these two elements. If the case were later unscrewed, there would be a risk of tearing off steel particles, which would be a serious inconvenience for ultimate waterproofness. This is avoided by placing a metal washer between the two parts. As it is extremely thin and delicate, Rolex has created the "planoir" in question which serves precisely to flatten it before placing it.

It will be agreed that Rolex has neglected nothing, neither in its manufacture nor in its service to watchmakers, to ensure its ROLEX OYSTER watch has perfect and durable waterproofness.

Rolex Full Documentary

 Celebrating 

100 Years of Oyster

"The World is Your Oyster" 

Rolex recently introduced it's novelties @ Watches and Wonders in Geneva, Switzerland recently, and to continue the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Rolex Oyster they launched this brilliant new documentary:

At Watches and Wonders 2026, Rolex released a special edition 100 Years model which is pictured below.

Since 2026 represents Rolex celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Rolex Oyster I thought it would be a great time to take a look how an original 1926 Rolex Oyster looks on Tom Selleck as we see in the 1990 photo below that was published in a Architectural Digest article on Selleck.

Tom is rocking a yellow gold hexagonal Rolex Oyster in the photo above, similar to the one pictured below that was made in 1926. 

Hans Wilsdorf’s dream team—pairing his rugged Oyster with a beautiful Mermaid—became reality. Though the Oyster revolutionized horology, its true potential emerged in the early 1930s with Rolex’s leap: the “OYSTER PERPETUAL.” It completed the Oyster and propelled it to new heights of innovation and success. In the final analysis, the Rolex Oyster is only half the equation—the Yin to the Perpetual Yang.

Hans Wilsdorf had many successes with the evolution of the Rolex Oyster and he continued the iterative and constant improvement process, which I cover in my upcoming book series. The 1950s in particular were a time a great success for Hans Wilsdorf and his team at Rolex. As a matter of fact the 1950s were really like the golden era for Rolex.

The profound article titled “A WATCH ON THE SEA BED,” published in the Europa Star Asia in 1954, delves into the remarkable journey of a special Rolex Oyster prototype named The Deep Sea Special. This prototype embarked on the deepest dive in history at that time, reaching a staggering depth of 2.5 miles, or 10,335 feet, in the Mediterranean Sea. 

The location of this historic dive was near Ponza Island on the West Coast of Italy. Notably, The Deep Sea Special was attached to the outside of the Bathyscaphe Trieste Submersible during this extraordinary expedition. This Rolex sustained and held up perfectly at a pressure of over 300 atmospheres, which is almost 4000 pounds per square inch!?!!

Over the span of just 27 years, the Rolex Oyster underwent a remarkable transformation. Initially designed for water resistance, it gradually increased its depth capability from approximately 100 feet to an astonishing over 10,000 feet. 

 

On January 23, 1960, the Bathyscaphe Trieste achieved another extraordinary feat by making a record dive to the deepest known point in the ocean, reaching a depth of 7 miles. Remarkably, the Bathyscaphe Trieste was equipped with a Rolex Deep Sea Special attached to its exterior, which, as they say, “Took a lickin’ and kept on ticking.” 

Hans Wilsdorf, the visionary behind the Rolex Oyster, had the privilege of witnessing this incredible achievement. On July 6, 1960, in Geneva, Switzerland, he peacefully stepped back into eternity, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy and a company that continues to be the most respected, reputable, and enduring brand on the planet.