As an homage to their founder and to ensure that the brand maintains its perpetual quest for excellence, Rolex maintains a state of the art training center in Geneva, Switzerland. This facility is where Rolex apprentices and employees continue their education and work to master the skills needed to push the brand forward into the future. The Rolex Training Center ensures that each individual worker is versed in the company's long history, and makes it clear that it will always strive to enhance personal and corporate development as well as a deep commitment to the welfare of the planet.

In order to help pass on the world's artistic heritage to future generations, the company also supports the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan, and their own Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative (among others). They have over 140 dedicated spokespersons including filmmaker Martin Scorsese, tennis great Roger Federer, and Sylvia Earle. They created the Rolex Awards for Enterprise which supports talented people with innovative projects solving major challenges. The manufacture of superb watches goes hand-in-hand with a social consciousness that keeps its eyes on the betterment of mankind.

In 1903 Hans moved to London to join Leopold Robert, another watchmaking company renowned for their quality. At just 24 years-old in 1905, he left Leopold Robert and started his own business at 83 Hatton Garden with an English builder named Alfred James Davis. They called it Wilsdorf & Davis and set out to sell high-quality timepieces at affordable prices.

Still centered in London, Wilsdorf & Davis prospered immensely and in 1914 - ten years after Wilsdorf came to London and only two weeks before war was declared with Germany, Wilsdorf & Davis formally changed their name to The Rolex Watch Company Ltd. That same year, a small ladies’ wristwatch was awarded a “Class A” certification from the prestigious Kew Observatory in London, making Rolex the first manufacturer other than marine chronometers to receive honors from both Kew and Bienne. The Rolex wristwatch quickly became synonymous with precision and their success and notoriety fueled the company’s growth to more than 40 employees, prompting Hans Wilsdorf to write.

Thanks to the innovation of screw-down components, Rolex was able to introduce the first dustproof and waterproof wristwatch with a hermetically sealed case nicknamed the “Oyster” after its indomitable oceanic namesake. It was a major step forward in watchmaking and paved the way for nearly every water-resistant watch that exists today. Skeptics abounded as to whether a wristwatch could indeed be waterproof, but in 1927, a young English swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze wore a Rolex Oyster in a landmark 10-hour swim across the English Channel. Since 1922, she had attempted the feat 7 times, and on her 8^th (successful) try she was wearing a Rolex Oyster.

In 1931 Hans Wilsdorf and his engineers at Rolex invented and patented a great work of art - the self-winding watch mechanism using what they called a "Perpetual" rotor. This seemingly simple, yet ingenious mechanical system was a technological revolution that remains at the core of every modern automatic watch. When he was 19 and working at the watch firm of Cuno Korten in La Chaux-de-Fonds, young Wilsdorf began his day by winding the stems of a hundred watch movements. This experience gave birth to the idea of a self-winding mechanism, and the belief that by re-ordering a set of tiny gears a much more reliable and simpler solution to constantly turning the fragile winding crown could be achieved.

Lord Clydesdale led the effort with Lt. Colonel Stewart Blacker flying alongside both outfitted with Rolex Perpetual Oysters. The photographs taken by the expedition later aided Sir. Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in their climb to the top of Everest, although Bonnett had hypoxia and lost consciousness after damaging his oxygen mask. For strategic purposes, the photographs were not released to the public until 1951, but the members of the expedition received a hero’s welcome when they returned home to England. Blacker later wrote a letter to Rolex in which he stated “I can hardly imagine that any watches have ever been subjected before to such extremes.”

In 1937, in his hydroplane - of course also named Bluebird - Campbell set the international water-speed record of 129.5 mph. He went on to pilot another Bluebird to 141.74 mph on a lake in Lincolnshire in England and in each of those events, he wore a Rolex Perpetual Oyster on his wrist. Rolex went on to issue a special version of the model in his honor with his name printed on the dial in 1935.

It often took up to 15 months and several attempts to get a watch to a prisoner and Wilsdorf's relentless employees followed the deliveries with personal letters signed by him. Jack Williams was one of 200 prisoners who attempted to tunnel out of their prison camp, an event immortalized in the 1963 film "The Great Escape" starring Steve McQueen. 76 men escaped but were re-captured, and Hitler ordered the execution of 50, violating the Geneva Convention. Jack was executed on April 6, 1944, and his Rolex was returned to his family after the war by a fellow British prisoner. This magnanimous gesture by Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex is a testament to their humanitarian character and philosophy.

Even though Rolex had registered a trademark for "Explorer" months before Hillary and Norgay had summited Everest in 1953, they added the name to the model 6150 and its "precision-rated" relative, the ref. 6350. The 6350 differed in that it had an Official Certified Superlative Chronometer (COSC) rating. Both models had feuille leaf hands, gilt dials, and the same general aesthetic, but it was the 6350 that was the first to be called "Explorer".

1963 - Rolex unveiled the ref. 1016 Explorer, one of the world's iconic and longest-produced sports watches. Rolex manufactured the ref. 1016 Explorer until 1989, with only minor detail changes over those years. The model initially featured the chronometer-rated caliber 1560 movement, which was upgraded to the caliber 1570 ten years later which added a stop seconds function. The Explorer ref. 1016 had an improved depth rating of 100 meters.

1971 - The ref. 1655 Explorer II was released. Features included a metal bezel engraved with a 24-hour time scale and a bright orange second hour hand designed to be used by cave explorers to monitor daylight.

1989 - A slightly updated version of the Explorer II, the ref. 16570, was introduced. The model was powered by the new caliber 3185 (updated to the cal. 3186 later in the production run) and the hour marker surrounds were updated from the white gold of the 16550 to contrasting black, giving the watch a completely different look and feel.

2001 - The Explorer 114270 was introduced with a 36mm case, second generation 3000 series movement, the caliber 3130, Super-LumiNova filled hands and indices, and solid endlinks. The model remained virtually unchanged until it ended production in 2010.

2021 - With the introduction of the latest ref. 124270 Explorer Rolex returned the model to its traditional 36mm case size and now offers the watch in stainless-steel, and a two-tone steel and 18k “Rolesor” yellow gold version (ref. 124273). The model employs the new Rolex caliber 3230 and uses the classic Explorer aesthetic of applied Arabic numerals at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock and baton hour indices filled with the newest Chromalight lume.

With SCUBA diving quickly becoming the international adventure sport of choice and the recognition of post-war undersea pioneers like Jacques Cousteau, the company debuted the ref. 6204 Submariner. Equipped with a rotating graduated 60-minute bezel, it helped make underwater exploration safer by enabling divers to easily keep track of immersion times and avoid the dangers of decompression sickness.

1954 - Two ref. 6205 Submariner variants were produced in the span of roughly 12 months in 1954:

Produced briefly in early 1954, the ref. 6205 “Clean Dial Sub”, is very similar to the original 6204, but for some unknown reason Rolex chose to remove the “Submariner” signature from the dial. The case was slightly thicker than the 6204 and the crown size was increased from 5.3 to 6mm.

Later in the year, another variant of the ref. 6205 was produced with the “Submariner” signature back on the dial above 6:00 and with the addition of now-iconic Mercedes hands.

Two additional variants of the 6536/1 were produced, the first being extremely similar to the original model except for the addition of a new style bezel with the iconic inverted red triangle at 12 o’clock. The second version features a few additional tweaks to the design including a brass seconds hand and hash marks between the “0” and “15” marks on the bezel.

1958 - Also produced at the same time as a few other earlier references, the ref. 5510 was the last of the “Big Crown” Submariners. Featuring the 8mm Brevet crown, this reference was powered by the new caliber 1530 movement.

1959 – The ref. 5512 is introduced with a case featuring crown guards for the first time, increasing the overall size of the model to 40mm. The 5512 introduced many features that would become hallmarks of the Submariner line for decades including crown guards, beveled lugs, a 7mm crown, 200 meter depth rating, Mercedes hands, and graduated dive bezel. The 5512 was produced until 1980 with numerous variants over the years.

1967 – Dials are changed from gilt to matte across the entire Submariner line.

1969 – The ref. 1680 Submariner Date is introduced. The watch is powered by Rolex’s caliber 1575 movement and features the iconic “Cyclops” date magnifier in the crystal. For the first 4 years of production, the “Submariner” signature was written in red, a variant now famously known as the “Red Sub”. Also making its debut in 1969 was the first all gold Submariner, the ref. 1680/8.

1984 – Gloss dials replace the matte versions, and white gold hour markers are added. The first two-tone gold and stainless steel Submariner, the ref. 16803, also appears.

1988 – Rolex begins using 904L stainless-steel for the Submariner ref. 168000.

2008 - The first white gold Submariner, the ref. 116619, is introduced with a bright blue bezel and dial, quickly earning the “Smurf” nickname.

2020 – The ref. 126610LN is introduced featuring a case that has been increased to 41mm in diameter, a new lug design, the caliber 3235 movement, and a 21mm Oyster bracelet with a "glidelock" clasp.

In 1963, in a world of astronauts and race cars, Rolex introduced the ref. 6239 with three Compax-configured subsidiary dials resembling the instruments on a race car's dashboard. For two years the model was known simply as the "Cosmograph," (text that is still found on Daytona dials to this day). Rolex even toyed with calling the model the “Le Mans” and it wasn't until 1965 that the legendary "Daytona" name actually appeared on the watches.

THE EVOLUTION OF THE DAYTONA

1950 - The first of what are now collectively known as the “Pre-Daytona” models, the ref. 6034, is released. Featuring a 36mm Oyster case with a screw-down crown and pump pushers, the watch was powered by a manually wound Valjoux 72 movement and used a multiscale dial with both tachymeter and telemeter scales.

1961 - The last of the “Pre-Daytona” models, the ref. 6238 was introduced. Initially, the model was very similar to its predecessor with leaf hands, diamond hour indices, a multiscale dial, pump chrono pushers, and a Valjoux 72B movement. The second series, however, shifted the design in a sportier direction with straight hands, faceted baton indices, a single tachymeter scale on the dial, and a cal. 722 movement. The ref. 6238 was produced until 1967 or 1968 overlapping for several years with the first official “Daytona”, the ref. 6239.

1965 - The name “Daytona” first appeared on the dial of the ref. 6239, printed underneath "Cosmograph” at 12:00. By 1967, however, the signature had moved to the top of the 6 o’clock sub-dial where it can still be found today. Frequently printed in red, it is now a Daytona tradition. The much lauded “exotic dial” was also introduced in 1965. This new dial featured three colors with either a white or black main dial, contrasting subdials and outer track, red accents, and a unique Art-Deco-style font. These exotic dial Daytonas (which can be found on several different references) are now commonly known as “Paul Newman Daytonas” due to their long association with the famous actor.

1969 – The ref. 6263 and 6265 Daytonas are introduced. Nearly identical, the only difference between the two models was the bezel - the 6263 had a black plastic bezel with white graduated markings and the 6265 had a solid metal bezel with black graduated markings. Produced concurrently until 1987, there are numerous variants from the nearly two decade run with the ref. 6263 “Big Red” being one of the most well known and desirable.

2000 – The ref. 116520, the first Daytona with a completely in-house Rolex movement, the caliber 4130, was released at the Baselworld exhibition in 2000.

The caliber 4130 was the first completely in-house Daytona movement and was produced with just 290 components (60% less than the El Primero movement of the earlier ref. 16520) and 12 screws (compared to 40). This generated less friction, enhanced efficiency and performance (power reserve increased to 72 hours from 54), and made it much easier to service.

2016 – The ref. 116500LN is introduced featuring a black Cerachrom bezel and either a white or black dial. Still in current production, the model is one of the most desirable sport watches available on the market today.

The second series of the Day-Date (ref. 6611) was introduced in 1957 with a slightly updated movement followed soon after by the third generation in 1960 with the ref. 1803 available in yellow, white, and rose gold and the ref. 1804 in platinum.

By 1978 when the fourth series ref. 18038 was introduced, the Day-Date had become international shorthand for elegance and class. The “day” wheels were produced in 25 different languages ranging from German to Japanese to Farsi and the model now came with a sapphire crystal and the more advanced caliber 3055 movement which featured a quickset adjustment for the date.

The 41mm model had a short run as the 40mm ref. 228238 Day-Date was introduced in 2015. This new model was powered by Rolex’s caliber 3255 movement which featured the Chronergy escapement, blue Parachrom hairspring (produced from a paramagnetic alloy of niobium and zirconium), and a 70-hour power reserve.

The 36mm Day Date was updated in 2019 to include the new caliber 3255 movement. The model was also offered in a number of new configurations and dials including a green or blue “ombre” dial with diamond hour markers, and a “Rainbow” Day Date which featured a pave diamond dial and sapphire hour markers in the color of the rainbow.

Rolex produced a limited number of ref. 6543 Milgauss test watches in 1954 but the model was not officially released until two years later when the ref. 6541 debuted in 1956. The new Milgauss was made of ferromagnetic monometallic alloys that were impervious to magnetism and could withstand magnetic interference of up to 1,000 gauss. It featured a honeycomb patterned dial and a distinctive seconds hand in the shape of a lightning bolt. The model was available with both a Submariner-style rotating bezel and a smooth steel bezel. After its launch, Rolex partnered with CERN to test the anti-magnetic properties of the watch.

Rolex resurrected the line in 2007 with the release of the all-new ref. 116400. Taking design cues from the ref. 6541 and 1019, the new model offered a smooth polished steel bezel, thick hour markers and hands, and the iconic lightning bolt seconds hand, now in bright orange. Initially available with either a black or white dial (both with orange accents), a special anniversary model was also introduced with a black dial and green-tinted crystal known as the Glace Verte (ref. 116400GV).

THE SEA DWELLER'S NOTEWORTHY EVOLUTION

1967 - After 7 years of engineering and research inspired by the Rolex Deep Sea Special that accompanied the Trieste into the Mariana Trench, Rolex introduced the ref. 1665 Oyster Perpetual Sea-Dweller. Water resistant to 610 meters/2001.31 feet and designed for professional divers, the watch was equipped with a helium escape valve on the left caseband. This first generation (specifically examples produced between 1967 and 1977) featured a date with no cyclops magnifier, a thick domed plexiglass crystal, and the words “Sea-Dweller” and “Submariner 2000” printed in red above a depth rating and COSC designation. These have come to be known as the “Double Red Sea-Dweller” and are some of the most desirable variants available today.

There were around 100 early Sea-Dwellers (including four with a "Single Red" signature) that were only rated for 500 meters of depth but the vast majority of 1665’s produced between 1967 and 1977 were rated for 2000 feet/610 meters. These watches featured a 40mm diameter, matte black dials with the iconic two lines of red “Sea-Dweller, Submariner 2000” text, acrylic crystals, Oyster link bracelets with diver's extensions, and printed hour markers. They lacked the cyclops magnification lens over the date window of the Submariner, and the case was slightly thicker. These Sea-Dwellers were powered by the Rolex caliber 1575 automatic movement. This initial model also included the words "patent pending" on the case backs while Rolex waited for approval of their Helium escape valve patent.

1988 - Rolex introduced the reference 16600 with an upgraded caliber 3135 movement. It included solid end links on the bracelet and a glossy dial. Over the course of its exceptionally long run (the model was not discontinued until 2008) the lume went from tritium to LumiNova and, finally, Super-LumiNova.

2014 - After being discontinued in 2009, Rolex reintroduced the Sea Dweller model with the ref. 116600. The new model returned to the 40mm case size and traditional 4000-foot depth rating. The model had a black ceramic bezel with elapsed time scale, black dial with applied hour indices, "Mercedes" style hour hand, and an Oyster bracelet with the Glide-lock clasp. It was only produced until 2017 making the model one of the shortest lived of any Rolex sports watch.

2017 - To celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Sea-Dweller, Rolex introduced the "SD43" reference 126600 at the Baselworld exhibition. The model features a 43mm diameter case, Helium Escape Valve, a glossy black dial with the “Sea-Dweller” name printed once again in red letters, wider lugs for a redesigned Oysterlink bracelet, the new Rolex caliber 3235 automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve, and (for the first time ever on a Sea Dweller) a cyclops magnifier over the date aperture.

With the rise of international air travel after WWII, reaching the far-flung corners of the globe was suddenly easier than ever before. The iconic carrier of the jet set era, Pan Am, reopened its Atlantic and Pacific routes giving American travelers access to Asia, Europe, and Africa using iconic planes such as the Boeing 377 Stratocruiser, the Douglas DC-7C Seven Seas, and the Lockheed Constellation. These airliners moved passengers effortlessly across time zones and borders and keeping track of the time in multiple locations became a real necessity. Pan Am reached out to Rolex and asked them to come up with a watch that would solve this challenge for their pilots. In response, the ref. 6542 GMT Master was introduced in 1954 and quickly became standard issue for pilots industry-wide.

Released in 1959, the second series ref. 1675 GMT Master remained in production for more than 20 years. It was constructed using the new caliber 1565 movement and was housed in a slightly larger 40mm case. Available in both stainless-steel and 18K yellow gold (as the ref. 1675/8), all versions of the updated reference now sported crown guards to protect the screw-down winding crown. A much more durable aluminum bezel insert replaced the delicate bakelite of the original model with the red and blue “Pepsi” colorway remaining standard. Over it’s long lifespan, two specific iterations of the crown guards were produced - pointed crown guards (commonly know as “PCG” or "cornino" which means horns in Italian) were used from the model’s release until the mid-1960’s, after which rounded crown guards (similar to those used on the Submariners of the era) were used.

Throughout the late 1970’s and early 1980's many Rolex models went through a transitional period where the components used in earlier references were replaced with newer, more modern ones. The ref. 16750 was introduced in 1979 and is now considered to be the “transitional” GMT model. The new reference featured an updated caliber 3075 movement that beat at 28,800 bph as opposed to the 19,800 bph of earlier calibers. A quickset date function and hacking seconds made their first appearance in the model line and the water resistance was upgraded from 50 to 100 meters. The 16750 had two dial variants over its 9 year run: the first was matte black with simple tritium hour markers followed by a glossy black dial with luminous indices and white gold surrounds. You could also buy the watch with the traditional red and blue “Pepsi” bezel or with an under-the-radar, all-black version instead.

In 1983, the ref. 16760 GMT Master II was introduced. Utilizing a new caliber 3085 movement, the 16760 had an independently adjustable hour hand that could be set without stopping the movement or disturbing the minute or 24-hour hand. Combined with the bezel, the user could now track three different time zones. The new capabilities of the 3085 movement made it thicker than earlier calibers which, in turn, required the case of the 16760 to grow larger as well from 12mm to 12.5mm. This increased thickness led to the ref. 16760 GMT Master II earning the nickname "Fat Lady." The model had luminous white gold indices and a sapphire crystal with a distinctive red and black "Coke" bezel.

2005 - To celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the GMT Master line, Rolex released the ref. 116718LN GMT-Master II. Available in solid 18k yellow gold with a distinctive green dial, this model introduced a significantly larger case (40mm in diameter, 12mm thick) with thicker lugs, a solid bracelet and endlinks, redesigned clasp, a larger handset and hour indices, and was powered by the new caliber 3186 movement that used a Parachrom hairspring that was 10 times more antimagnetic and shock resistant than its predecessor. This was also the first appearance of Rolex’s Cerachrom ceramic bezel insert which would go on to be used across the entire Rolex model lineup.

2013 - Rolex released the ref. 116710BLNR, nicknamed the “Batman”, which featured a bi-color black and blue ceramic bezel. This was the first Rolex ceramic bezel with two different colors, a result achieved using a proprietary patented process.

2018 - Baselworld 2018 was a big one for Rolex with several new models hitting the lineup. First up was the new stainless steel ref. 126710BLRO “Pepsi” GMT. Powered by the all new caliber 3285 movement with Rolex’s patented Chronergy escapement which offered an extended 70-hour power reserve, the model featured the red and blue bezel of the earlier white gold GMT and a stainless steel Jubilee bracelet. Also released in 2018 were the solid rose gold ref. 126715CHNR Everose GMT Master II and the ref. 126711CHNR in two-tone steel and rose gold with a black and brown ceramic bezel that quickly earned the Root Beer nickname.

With a nod of competition to Patek Philippe's Ladies Twenty-4 collection and Omega’s Ladies Constellation line, Rolex introduced the all-new Pearlmaster in 1992. Initially available in 29mm and 34mm sizes, the Pearlmaster featured softer lines than Lady Datejust models and was offered with dials, bezels, and even bracelets set with precious stones including diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Rolex fashioned the model’s bracelets using solid rounded 18K gold or platinum links for comfort and concealed, ultra-refined "Crownlock" clasps with Rolex crown emblems. These magnificent and creative versions of the Datejust were Rolex’s gem-setting department’s tour de force and were some of the most expensive Rolex models ever produced.

The initial iteration of the model, the ref. 16628, featured a 40mm case made of solid 18k yellow gold with a 60-minute bezel designed to sync with race start times, a white dial with luminous yellow gold hands and black hour markers, date aperture with a cyclops magnifier, a Triplock crown, 100 meters of water resistance, and a caliber 3135 movement. Positioned in the Rolex lineup as a more luxurious version of the Submariner, the model was an immediate success.

In 2003, the two-tone stainless steel and yellow gold ref. 16623 was introduced. The model was available with a variety of dials from white and gold to dark blue and Tahitian Mother of Pearl and further expanded the new line.

Introduced in 2016, the ref. 116621 brought a two-tone model back to the lineup. Featuring a rose gold and stainless steel case and bracelet, the model had a rose gold bezel with high polished raised numerals on a sandblasted background, a black dial with red accents, and rose gold hands and hour marker.

The new Sky-Dweller featured a large 42mm case, caliber 9001 movement with a 72-hour power reserve, and an easily readable radial GMT/dual time zone display combined with an innovative annual calendar called "Saros”. The “Saros” mechanism had two gear ratios and four gear wheels that were added to the traditional Rolex date calendar. The classical name honors the Greek concept of the 18-year earth, sun, and moon cycle recording solar and lunar eclipses. It only requires a single date adjustment each year in February. Similar to the Yacht Master II, the Sky Dweller utilized the rotatable "Ring Command" bezel for adjusting the date, local time, or GMT.

In 2017, Rolex addressed criticism that the Sky-Dweller was too pricey and only available in precious metal by introducing a two-tone "entry level" stainless steel and 18k yellow gold model with a white or black dial (ref. 326933) and a two-tone stainless steel and white gold model with a white, black, or the highly desirable blue dial (ref. 326934). The hour markers were also changed from Arabic numerals to cleaner, sleeker luminous batons.

In 2021, Rolex made the stainless steel and Rolesor models of the Sky-Dweller available with a Jubilee bracelet.

Even though the new collection was not formally introduced until 1968, one of its most notable models arrived in 1962 as the aptly named “King Midas” which was crafted entirely from 18k gold. Although never officially confirmed by Rolex, it is widely believed that the model was penned by legendary designer Gerald Genta. The model featured a radically angular case and integrated bracelet whose shape is thought to have been inspired by the Parthenon in Greece. Fewer than 800 examples of the first series ref. 9630 were produced over the course of a ten-year run between 1962 and 1972, with each and every piece made entirely by hand.

In 2005, Rolex revived the vintage Prince model as part of the Cellini line. The original from 1928 was an Art Deco masterpiece that featured a large rectangular, gently curved tonneau-shaped case with a "figure-eight" style dial featuring a large upper register for the time positioned over top of a smaller seconds register below. The new model was a faithful homage to the original with the only major difference being the increased 47mm x 28mm case size. Available in four configurations (two in white gold, one in yellow, one in Everose), several different styles of dial and case decoration were produced and all variants were powered by the manual-wind Caliber 7040. The Cellini Prince is the only Rolex to feature a sapphire caseback to allow collectors to admire the decorated rectangular manual-wind movement.

2017 saw the introduction of another new model, this time with a complication that Rolex had not produced since the 1950's – the Cellini Moon Phase ref. 50535. The model projects the full and new moon on a blue enamel disc at 6 o'clock with a meteorite applique for the new moon, and a silver ring signifying the full phase. With zero adjustment, the moon module will remain accurate for 122 years! As of 2022, the ref. 50535 Moon Phase in Everose gold is the only Cellini model that remains in production.