Articles in Rolex

One of the most crucial aspects of diving is knowing when to swim back to the surface - and what keeps time better than a luxury watch?

In the 19th century hard hat divers used to place common pocket watches inside their helmets to know how much time they’ve spent under water. Fortunately for professional divers worldwide, Rolex stepped into the game in 1926 with its Oyster case patent. A year later Mercedes Gleitze swam through the English Channel with a new Rolex Oyster hanging round her neck - after more than ten hours in cold water the watch remained sealed.

Rolex proved yet again its position as a groundbreaking watchmaker with the release of Submariner in 1954 - still one of the most popular luxury watches in the world. Tested under pressure and water resistant, it was a perfect diving watch. It reached its cult following when it became James Bond’s watch of choice in the 1962 film “Dr. No” and then again, in “From Russia with Love” a year later. The watch proved to be a good choice as Bond was seen wearing a Submariner in the first 10 movies of the franchise.

Part of the Oyster Perpetual line, the watch is being constantly improved, with new movements, better water resistance and numerous small cosmetic changes.

In the 1960s, commercial work in the oceans and seas created demand for professional watches designed for diving operations at greater depths. The first “ultra water resistant” watch was Rolex Sea-Dweller 2000, introduced in 1967. The name comes from its underwater diving depth rating of 2000 ft (610 meters). In 2008, an updated Sea-Dweller was introduced, named Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Sea-Dweller DEEPSEA, with diving an official depth rating of 12,800 ft (3,900 meters). There’s also an experimental DEEPSEA watch, called DEEPSEA CHALLENGE, which is designed to be waterproof up to 39,370 ft (12,000 metres). It’s been tested in March 2012, when a DSV (submarine) called Deepsea Challenger dived with a prototype watch strapped to its manipulator arm to a depth of 10,898.4 metres (35,756 ft) of seawater. According to the pilot, James Cameron, the “Rolex Deepsea Challenge was the reliable companion throughout the dive; it was visible on the sub's manipulator arm and working precisely at 10,898 meters down at the bottom of the Challenger Deep”.

Have you ordered a Rolex watch but feel like something’s off? Or maybe you got one as a gift, but you suspect it might be fake? Fake Rolex watches are, unfortunately, on demand and are getting increasingly better at pretending they’re the real deal - so how can one tell if a Rolex is genuine?

Of course, beware of cheap watches. If someone offers you a Rolex for £50, then you can in most cases be sure it’s a fake. Know your seller and research them if you can, especially if you’re planning to shop for your watch online. Don’t risk it if you’re not sure - it might be a very expensive mistake!

If the watch is already in your hands, just listen to it - it might be the easiest way to spot a fake. A modern real Rolex does not tick - instead, the hand will swoop in a smooth motion around the dial of the watch.

Serial and model numbers on a genuine Rolex are perfectly marked in fine lines, while on replicas they usually appear very blurry. A real Rolex will also in most cases weigh more than a fake one, since it’s manufactured from the finest materials.

If you have a loupe and the glass is supposedly a sapphire crystal, try to find a crown layered in above the 6.

Turn the watch around and look for engravings on the case-back. If there are engravings on a Submariner, Datejust, Daytona or a modern model - it’s probably fake. The case-back should typically be clear with no engravings or design - only very few models have this.

If you want to get more technical, try pulling out the crown and checking the clicking/locking motions from the quick change date function to changing the time. Even try winding the watch. Fakes usually won’t wind.

This Rolex was received with significant water damage and a rusted dial.

We carried out a full service including refurbishment and polish.

All rusted parts were replaced to ensure the watch restored to it’s original functionality.

Each component was ultrasonically cleaned as standard and our specialist Rolex polishers and dial restoration team restored it to pristine condition.

This work was finalised with full water and pressure resistance tests and along with a 48 hour mechanical test, to ensure it’s performance.