Over a century ago, in 1914, Rolex became the first timepiece to receive a ‘Class A’ chronometer certification. This certificate had only been bestowed upon large marine chronometers up to that time, and because it attests to the highest chronometric precision there was not a timepiece that could meet the standard until this brand stood worthy. Looking at this brand, the milestones they have reached, the evolution of their chronometers and Oyster watches, and the success that truly had been obtained back in 1910 when they obtained certification from the Official Watch Rating Center in Bienne, Switzerland. Discovering 100 years of brand chronometers and development is an inspiration to every timepiece.
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The path that Rolex blazed with this certification, opened the door for the popularity of timepieces around the globe and set the stage for the brand to become the world’s largest manufacturer of chronometer-certified wristwatches. The brand continued to work on perfection and in 1926 crafted the waterproof ‘Oyster’ case that protected the movement inside the timepiece. This brilliant stride led to the 1931 development of the self-winding ‘Perpetual’ rotor movement and still today all the brand Oyster Perpetual timepieces are officially certified chronometers, a horological heritage that lives on with the magnificent brand. Their pioneering efforts and the part they played in crafting this precision forever changed the destiny of the watchmaking world.
The certification process is quite stringent and demanding, so being able to pass that was quite impressive and to know that this brand could deliver such precision in a timepiece was remarkable. The brilliant man behind this creation was Hans Wilsdorf, the founder of Rolex and a horological genius. At the time this marvel was produced the reliability and precision was unheard of. Wristwatches were not popular because they could not provide the regularity or reliability of the pocket watches, so no one had any interest. Wilsdorf believed that timepieces were the future and he worked to conceive this innovation. He was a visionary, and one that strived to bring excellence to his ideas.
Rolex is a name that stands for exquisite beauty, accuracy and above all quality. In 1951 the brand took measures to be sure all the movements obtained certificates that proved they were superior and that is still on the dials today, the Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified. This marking is simply a reminder that this brand played a pivotal role in precision for every timepiece.
Rolex has never wavered from excellence and as they continued to make improvements and develop timepieces throughout the years they remained committed to perfection. Discovering 100 Years of Rolex Chronometers and Rolex Oyster Watches is a journey for you to understand how one man’s vision and dedication to precision gave birth to the timepieces that guide us every moment of our day.
