GC 4,511 Posted April 7, 2011 This article was written by Wei Koh A WORLD APART INSIDE THE ROLEX MANUFACTURE REVOLUTION delves into the heart of the Rolex manufacture to discover a unique fusion between state-of-the-art technology and traditional human values that results in — hands down — the best performing mechanical watches in the world By Wei Koh It’s one of those moments in life when you know you'd never be the same afterwards. You'd be changed forever; your emotional fabric, your chemical composition, your perspective on reality, irrevocably altered. It must have been like this for Alan Shepard, sitting strapped to the chair of his space craft, the nose cone pointed at the deep, cosmic otherness known as space. And as the massive engines ignited beneath him, he felt their power shake him to his soul. As they propelled him into the unknown, he must have known what it was like to feel true awe. So it was for the small group of journalists selected to step foot, for the first time in decades, into the most foreboding realm in the luxury universe — the Rolex factory and headquarters in Geneva. Here it was, a totemic edifice to one of the most powerful, yet most secretive companies on the planet. Outside the Rolex manufacture; stark glass facade shield a secret universe of watchmaking within Who is Rolex? Rolex is a company that has been the gold standard for brand equity, quality and function over the last century. A company known even in the farthest reaches of the world. Rolex watches hold their value with such stability that they could be used as an alternate global currency. The company makes such accurate watches that should all electronic navigational technology become irreversibly corrupted, ship captains and pilots could still plot their course with Rolexes. It produces more mechanical watches than all the other high-end watch companies in Switzerland combined, yet manages to outshine them all in performance, accuracy, ease of use and robustness. But for years, Rolex has also been an information black hole, where questions on movements, manufacturing techniques and technical innovations vanished as quickly as light in a world of total darkness. So, Rolex lovers became ciphers learning to read the language of its creators through the mechanical language of their movement, cultivating a comprehension of their grand ambitions and majestic achievements from the small evolutions that emerged each year in their watches. Then one day, just like Charlie’s Golden Ticket to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, an invitation materializes; and you find yourself standing outside the shimmering reflective glass walls, built to intimidate and to ensure that the world within remains a world apart. So, you step inside its doors and already your head is filled with wild, hallucinatory thoughts:are you about to descend to a top-secret facility buried three miles underground, where captured alien space technology is harnessed to create watches beyond all human comprehension? As you open your eyes, your mind reels to comprehend the full magnitude of what’s passing before them. And suddenly, that deep, painful desire; that all-too-human yearning to learn more, to become the vessel of transcendent knowledge, is satiated. And as if you’ve looked upon the face of God, you are enlightened and changed forever. But hang on. We know what you want to know. Because we’ve heard the gripes, the asides, the whispers spoken with the venom of jealous courtesans. “Rolex only makes three movements,†they say, “How can they call themselves a manufacture?†This is largely true for their Oyster (although, this year, they added the Regatta chronograph caliber 4160), but they make these movements exceptionally well. In fact, I defy any other manufacture to submit their movements for comparative testing related to accuracy and shock resistance. Like Wesley says in The Princess Bride, “The end result can only be humiliation galore.†All precious metals are made from core elements by Rolex at the in-house foundry. This expertise allowed Rolex to create Everose, the only truly stable rose gold in the world. So, is the inner world of Rolex devoid of human life and filled with futuristic robots and replicants that have walked off the set of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner? Yes, and no. Robots are used, but an immense amount of human involvement goes into the creation of Rolex’s watches. The word “manufacture†comes from the Latin description “to make by handâ€, and there is plenty of this going on inside Rolex. Movements are hand-assembled and easily as artisanal in approach as movements assembled at similarly industrialized manufactures such as Breitling, Panerai and Roger Dubuis. Delicate operations such as coiling and separation of hairsprings are still exclusively performed by hand. These processes are artisanal and so far in advance of the rest of the watch industry that they do not exist at any other watch factory in the world. What about the fabled robots? Well, they do exist. The entire inventory of parts in several of Rolex’s facilities is overseen in rooms five stories tall and the size of football fields, presided over by massive robotic superstructures with super-fast drones gliding at warp speed on surrealistically silent rails. Cases are similarly polished by robots. The result? Super-human production efficiency and perfection. Ultimately, what your mind struggles with is that Rolex is unlike any other watch manufacture. It is designed and built from the ground up to optimize quality as well as mass industrialization. It is totally integrated, and with the exception of making its own steel (they buy it from Austria and use surgical grade 904L, which surpasses the 316L used by everyone else, for corrosion resistance), it can do virtually everything involved in making its watches in its four sites: Bienne (where movements are built), Plans-les-Ouates (where cases and bracelets are made), Chêne-Bourg (where dials and gem-setting elements are fabricated), or at the Rolex HQ (where watches are assembled and hairsprings made). All precious metals are forged from raw elements, which allowed Rolex to create Everose, the only rose gold in the world with color that remains consistent even after exposure to chlorinated water. By fusing technology with traditional artisan values, Rolex is capable of creating close to one million watches a year (based on the number of COSC certificates it has applied for per annum), all of which exhibit perfect performance. The Rolex factory is more reminiscent of high-end car factories, like the Volkswagen Phaeton plant in Dresden, than anything related to watches. Its critical differences from other watch manufactures, as detailed in the following articles, make Rolex literally a world apart from all other pretenders to its famous crown. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruhck 0 Posted April 7, 2011 Comparing visiting a watch factory to lunar exploration, give me a break Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David543 0 Posted April 7, 2011 Thanks GC. Although I am critical of the pricing I still like the gens, and have two reps with another on the way! Great Post! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pfcdre 0 Posted April 7, 2011 interesting reading but thats about it .lots of fluffing up rolex im not a rolex fan but appreciate they are a fine manufacturer,but there are also many other smaller fine watch making companies i think this journo makes some bold statements and daft comparisons think he got his tongue stuck up there got lost in the moment Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mspangl 0 Posted April 7, 2011 Thanks for sharing this GC! Was a great read Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
