THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION

Since its inception, Rolex has never wavered in its pledge to create the world's finest watches for anyone, anywhere

With all the technological advancements and innovations regularly emerging from the world of haute horlogerie today, it is almost hard to fathom a time when mechanical wristwatches were seen as finicky timekeepers, valued more for their looks than their reliability. Harder still to imagine that this era was as recent as the early 20th century-a mere two generations ago. But it was Rolex that changed everything.

Deeply dissatisfied with the unreliable state of horology in his day, founder Hans Wilsdorf made it his life's mission to transform the wristwatch from a mere piece of jewellery into a reliable instrument capable of keeping up with the movements of individual wearers and the vagaries of their increasingly active daily life. To accomplish this, he focused on three key innovations: The first was to be able to produce small movements as precise as marine chronometers, the absolute references of the period. The second, to develop a robust and waterproof case to protect the movements from external factors such as dust, moisture, splashes and perspiration. And the third, to fit the watch with a self-winding system that would offer the wearer greater convenience on a daily basis. By 1931, he had achieved all three goals.

Modern-day Rolex has not only carried that spirit of uncompromising excellence into the 21st century-it has expanded on it. Today, every Rolex watch bears the title of "Superlative Chronometer," a promise of exceptional quality expressed through eight core pillars: precision, waterproofness, autonomy, robustness, simplicity, craftsmanship, comfort, and durability.

SETTING NEW STANDARDS