Tuesday, October 7, 2014

REPOST: Rolex Submariner: Lost and found

The Rolex Submariner is one of the most talked about Rolex watches because of its notable features. But in this article from Forbes.com, the Submariner is highlighted in a very unlikely circumstance.

Image Source: forbes.com

Spotted on the wrist of James Bond, Steve McQueen, Eric Clapton, and an innumerable list of other notable figures, the Submariner is patently Rolex’s most talked-about watch. The Submariner reference 6024, the first reference in the series, was launched in 1953 and, prompted by its indomitable looks and functionality, was a sensation in the realm of deep-sea diving from the start. In 1954, at the Swiss Watch Fair, the Sub was introduced to the public. Since then, the Submariner has undergone countless changes in terms of size and shape, but Rolex has still preserved many iconic aspects of the design, such as the uni-directional bezel and the easily identifiable Mercedes hour hand.

Image Source: forbes.com

Today, I’ve got a story for you, something that occurs once in a blue moon. Imagine stumbling upon a Rolex as you hike through Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains. Yeah, wouldn’t that be great? Well, it actually happened.

A close friend of Nick Gabarro, a prominent Spanish collector, was on a high-altitude hike in the Pyrenees when he found a 5513 that was seemingly untouched by human hands. The watch was, in fact, originally discovered with the crown unscrewed, allowing debris from the environment to enter and shatter the movement. After approaching Rolex on multiple occasions with the intention of servicing and restoring his find, he realized that the price of the service would far surpass the value of the watch. So instead of pursuing this costly servicing endeavor, he gifted the Rolex to Nick.

The watch sat in a drawer in Nick’s home for the better part of the 80’s. When Nick made the decision to give his once junk-drawer watch some wrist time, he called up a Rolex-certified watchmaker, the only watchmaker willing to take a look at the watch. Many components in the movement were replaced, along with the hands and dial. Luckily, Nick’s watchmaker placed each and every original part in a bag and kindly gave it to Nick.

Image Source: forbes.com

Watch collecting in the 80’s and 90’s was drastically different than it is now. Collectors’ concerns were geared toward the purposeful alteration of the dials, crystals, and such, more so than with the originality of these parts. In many cases, patinated dials would be swapped for service dials or repainted. Also, many collectors did not look at acquiring watches from an investor’s standpoint. But those who did, saw massive returns on those watches.

It wasn’t until twenty years later that Nick removed the watchmaker’s replacement parts, opened the bag o’ original parts and inserted the original bezel, dial, hands, and “super-dome” acrylic crystal. Nick may have spent $600 on a costly service in the 90’s, but it was all worth it in the end. His no longer “broken Rolex” is now a significant piece in his collection.

Swiss Wrist is an online luxury watch store selling new and previously owned Rolex watches for both men and women. Visit its official website for more information.

Friday, September 12, 2014

REPOST: Apple’s Smartwatch Is Cool, But The Classic Wrist Watch Isn't Going Anywhere

The tech industry has grown tremendously that it managed to make mobile devices―from tablets to smartphones―a necessity to man’s daily activities. However, there is one important possession that users would love to remain analog: wristwatch. This article explains why classic timepieces can last for decades in spite of the proliferation of their digital counterparts.



A far cry from Apple's Watch. | Image source: businessinsider.com


Apple has officially unveiled its long-awaited Watch, and while some in the tech and fashion industries are praising the latest gadget, don’t expect it to take over the traditional watch market anytime soon.
Watches have been around for more than 500 years, surviving wars and technological revolutions. We may have advanced past the mechanics of the classic wristwatch, but we're still a long way from trading our Rolexes for smartwatches.

"The Apple Watch ... won't have a dramatic impact on the Swiss watch market at this stage, as the majority of the market is composed of brands at a luxury level, David Sadigh, founder and CEO of the Digital Luxury Group, told Business Insider. "Folks at Vacheron Constantin, Rolex, and Patek Philippe can still sleep well at night."

Here's why we aren't concerned about the fate of classic watches.

Design And Function Fall Short

Although the Watch wasn’t what some in the tech community were expecting, Apple no doubt attempted to appeal to watch purists, the fashion world, and the general public with familiar dials and watch faces (fashion editors were even invited to attend the Apple keynote for the first time).



Image source: businessinsider.com


Apple’s Watch is designed to be recognizable as a wristwatch. It's shaped like a traditional timepiece with a square clock face and even a digital crown on the side that can be spun and twisted to control what appears on the touch screen.
Yet the gadget looks first generation, to put it mildly. Clunky and thick, the Watch tries too hard to look analogue, and not hard enough to look like the new-age smartwatch Apple fans were anticipating.

Aside from its appearance, another concern is the battery life. The Watch must be charged each night, which means you can't sleep with it on your wrist, as Business Insider's Jim Edwards points out.

What the Apple Watch does have going for it is customization. Don’t like your watch face? Tap for a new one. Can’t decide between a leather wrist band or sporty fluoroelastomer band? Get both. This is by far the most customizable product Apple has ever introduced.

Another pro is how sporty the Watch is. It can provide plenty of data for fitness enthusiasts and will compete with the FitBit and Nike FuelBand, as well as wearable devices from tech industry rivals. But the Apple Watch is still not handsome or long-wearing enough to compete with real watches.

Craftsmanship And Nostalgia

Mechanical watches have remained popular through the digital age because of their craftsmanship and superior quality.

"We're all extremely attached to our cameras, our phones, our computers, our iPads, and I think there's something charming about owning something analogue," Stephen Pulvirent, former associate editor of online watch publication HODINKEE, told Business Insider last year. "I'm going to replace my iPhone sometime in the next few years. But a really high-quality watch I can wear and enjoy on a daily basis.”



It may not be able to ready you heart rate, but classic watches can last for decades. | Image source: businessinsider.com


Watch buyers accept that they're paying tens of thousands of dollars for what went into making their watch because they expect it to last.
It takes master watchmakers months and sometimes years to create the elaborate interior mechanisms that make collectors' watches so special, such as a split-second chronograph (two second hands to time different events) and perpetual calendars (which are designed to display the correct date on any given day in the future).

And never underestimate the power of history and nostalgia. Watch brands recognize that even if people aren't necessarily wearing watches to tell time, the watch can still be a symbol of something more personal.

"I can give my watch to my children and they can give it to one of their children," Pulvirent said. "It's something that works in perpetuity since watches aren't something that needs to be changed constantly."

On the other hand, if you buy an Apple Watch when it's released next year, it will quickly become obsolete once the next generation of the product is released.

Luxury Smartwatch, Not A Luxury Watch

Apple announced that the watch will be available beginning in 2015, with a base price of $349.

At that price, the Watch only competes with a small segment of the market. “While the new Apple Watch won’t replace the inherent beauty and elegant utility of a vintage Patek Phillippe, it will disrupt the low-end market for overpriced quartz wristwatches (and maybe even some mechanical watches),” writes Kelly Jasper at HODINKEE.

High-end Swiss watchmakers shouldn't blink an eye at the Watch, but it could compete with mass-market watch brands like Rado, Citizen, and Fossil, which sell timepieces at similar price points. And while Swiss watchmakers now export more than $20 billion worth of watches, growth within the segment has been uneven, Pulvirent, now at Bloomberg Businessweek, writes, noting:

Dollar and unit exports of battery-powered electronic watches have been flat, while the market for luxury mechanical watches has nearly quadrupled. In 2000, mechanical watches accounted for only 8 percent of the watches leaving Switzerland; in 2013 they represented 27 percent. Nearly all this growth is coming from watches priced over 3,000 francs.

Global consumer interest in luxury watches grew 5.7% worldwide in 2013, with China, India, and Russia experiencing the biggest year-over-year increases. And the market for vintage luxury watches remains strong as well.

Apple is equipped to handle these challenges down the line. The Watch's design can be made more streamlined, and the battery life can be improved as technology advances.

Designers and celebrities may also start to team up with Apple to make more fashionable versions of the Watch (à la Google Glass and Diane von Furstenberg), giving it more clout and desirability in the marketplace.

The Apple Watch is just the newest player in the game though, and there will always be people who want impeccably made watches that last for decades (and don’t need to be charged every night, or used exclusively with an iPhone).

The classic wrist watch has lasted this long, and it isn't going anywhere.

Online luxury watch store Swiss Wrist, Inc. offers an extensive timepiece inventory you won’t find anywhere else on the Web. Visit its website for more details.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Rolex tech: The ‘Syloxi’ for calibre 2236 watch movements

One reason Rolex is among the top brands of luxury watches is its continuous dedication to the research and development of new technology to improve the quality of its already state-of-the-art timepieces.

Image Source: ablogtowatch.com

Recently, Rolex introduced a technology it has been working on for a decade, the "Syloxi", a silicon hairspring. It was only now that the company has decided to incorporate such technology to some of its watches, particularly its ladies watches. The Syloxi technology will not replace the Parachrom hairspring but will work side by side with it. The Parachrom is an exotic alloy of metals introduced by Rolex in the year 2000, which was developed to improve accuracy by removing the effects of magnetism and shock.

Image Source: luxuryactivist.com

The Syloxi technologydebuted at the Baselworld 2014, and it boasts elegance, beauty, and accuracy as it provides precise movement to precious stone-laden women’s watches such as the new Datejust Pearlmaster 34.

Image Source: capelux.com

The Datejust Pearlmaster 34 will have the calibre 2236 automatic movement, the only compatible automatic movement with Syloxi at the moment. But since it is incorporated with the 2236, speculations arise that Rolex will use Syloxi in future timepieces.


Silicon has been known to be one of the most valuable elements in watchmaking because of its characteristics. Silicon does not need lubrication, does not react to magnesium, is not affected by temperature, and is one of the most stable elements in the planet. Silicon in itself is great, but Rolex was able to use that element and develop a technology that made it the best hairspring Rolex has to offer.


Swiss Wrist is among the world’s leading online luxury watch store known for selling Rolex watches. Check out its collections here.

Friday, July 18, 2014

REPOST: Why Rolex Watches Are The Most Reputable Consumer Products In The World According To Industry Study

Already known for its commitment to high quality craftsmanship, the Rolex brand of watches have been named the most reputable consumer products in the world in one industry study. Ariel Adams, writing for Forbes, explores the reasons behind this designation.

It does not come with much surprise that Rolex is a company with a high reputation. The 2014 Global RepTrak 100 study by the Reputation Institute places Rolex in an exceedingly high position as tied for second place on their overall list of the 100 most reputable companies, and number one when it comes to a reputable company as measured by consumers. Also, Rolex is the most reputable company that exclusively produces a consumer product. In a world where pundits argue that wrist watches are going the way of the LP, how is this possible and what does this mean?

The Reputation Institute has been measuring the reputation of the world’s biggest companies for the better part of two decades. Their empirical studies are based on consumer survey data from 15 of the largest consumer markets around the world, totaling over 55,000 interviews according to the company. Topping the 2014 list for the position of the most reputable company is a tie between The Walt Disney Company and Google that each earned a score of 77.3. Tied for second position is BMW and Rolex each with a store of 77.2. According to the Reputation Institute, what each of these companies have in common is a high degree of trust among consumers and a great ability to deliver meaningful and personally important stories that consumers want to be a part of.

Image source: Forbes.com
It is interesting to see Rolex, a luxury watchmaker, so high on the list. What is interesting is that compared to Google, Disney, and BMW, relatively few people interact with Rolex on a daily basis. Google is ubiquitous, Disney is something most people grow up with, and BMW is one of the world’s top automotive makers that most people see several of on their daily commutes. As a wrist watch, a Rolex is a more personal item with less regular visibility even though Rolex is a major international advertiser. What is so impressive is that, despite all this, Rolex has succeeded in keeping their product not only in a state of high-regard among consumers, but also on their minds.

Looking at the entire list of the 100 most reputable companies, Rolex was not the only watch maker. At 61 on the list is The Swatch Group (who owns a range of entry-level to high-luxury Swiss watch brands), and at 37 is LVMH. Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy is responsible for a range of products including fashion and spirits, but also owns about a half dozen quality watch makers such as Zenith, Hublot, and TAG Heuer. While it is impressive that each of these groups is on the list, the placement of Rolex near the top, as a company that exclusively makes timepieces is much more telling of the reputation they have with consumers specifically related to their watches.

So what exactly is the Reputation Institute looking to measure in the RepTrak 100 study? The study is really about consumer perception and not about overall corporate performance or growth. Reputation is a combined metric that includes how a consumer feels about a company’s products, image, governance, personal relatability, citizenship, and financial performance. A reputable company both produces high-value quality products, but is also a conscious world citizen that is good to people and its own employees.

Given that Rolex is a notoriously secretive company it is further impressive to see them have so much acclaim with consumers. I personally visited Rolex and shared some insights about how they produce timepieces (here). This is information that few dedicated watch industry insiders even know. So to have Rolex rank so high with consumers in regard to their governance and leadership in the world is extremely interesting. When it comes down to it, I think that Rolex is so high on the list because they have been successful at retaining a core element of the Rolex ownership experience–that being that a Rolex is a sign of success and personal accomplishment.

Image source: Forbes.com
My own observations find that many consumers view a Rolex timepiece an item to reward themselves with upon achieving some level of personal success. That is distinct from a mere status item, which is about a consumer wearing or owning something that communicates success to others. No doubt many consumers are interested in showing off their perceived success to others, but what makes a Rolex product unique is that many consumers feel owning one is a personal gift to themselves. That suggests a very high-level of reputation and deep personal relationship consumers have with what a Rolex product means to them emotionally, as opposed to its strict utilitarian value as a timepiece or jewelry item.

My understanding is that Rolex has retained a high level on the RepTrak 100 list for a while, so its high placement on the list is not a new development. What is equally impressive is how Rolex has maintained its image over the years in spite of growing competition from other types of products vying for consumer attention when it comes to “rewarding yourself and celebrating success.” Specifically, one can observe that Rolex focuses on a core set of products that improve but vary little over the years, and that Rolex emphasizes the “story of Rolex” as a means of communicating the brand values as well as famous people who have worn Rolex watches over the years.

Image source: Forbes.com

What other watch makers and brands overall may be able to learn from Rolex is how to gain reputation from an extremely solid and unfaltering product ownership experience. Rolex is not only able to maintain a high degree of perceived value for its products with consumers, but Rolex timepieces further enjoy an impressive re-sale value. The pre-owned market for Rolex timepieces is perhaps larger than that for new Rolex timepieces. To put things into comparison with another more modern company focused on consumer products that enjoy a high sense of consumer esteem is Apple. While consumers regularly pay a premium for Apple’s consumer electronic products the company is placed at number 7 on the 2014 RepTrak 100 list. While Rolex is not see as innovative as Apple (not that Rolex is trying to go for that), consumers hold Rolex products in a more reputable position overall. An interesting question is whether the result of such a study make new people want to buy Rolex products or if it simply reinforces a desire that existing fans of the brand already have.

Rolex's commitment to quality can be seen in after-market watches, a testament to the timeless durability of its timepieces. Visit the Swiss Wrist website for more on used Rolex watches.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Rolex Oyster: A brief history of the first waterproof watch

It was a major step forward. Two decades after Hans Wilsdorf of Rolex decided to put up his own watchmaking company, the Oyster, inarguably the first waterproof wristwatch widely sold, was born.

Wilsdorf established Rolex, in 1905. Years before that, in 1851, an interesting model of a timepiece was exhibited in London. Made by W. Pettit & Co., it was described as a "watch, keeping time, though suspended in a glass globe." To show dirt and water could not pass through it, the watch was exhibited submerged in water. But it looked too heavy and impractical for wearing.

All other watches at that time had to be wound and set by key, until Patek Philippe invented a prototype watch with keyless winding and setting. This led to the development of a more practical archetype for a waterproof watch.

In 1888, Paul Perregaux and Georges Perret invented a cased timepiece with a screw-down crown. The casing and the crown not only held the dial and the crystal in place, but also prevented water and dirt from entering the inner works.

Later in 1925, Wilsdorf bought the patent from Perregaux and Perret, and in 1926, the first batch of Rolex Oyster watches was produced. This time, the timepiece had a screw crown design for easier time adjustment, a screw back and bezel, and a hermetically sealed case, giving it optimal protection from water and other elements.

Image Source: ablogtowatch.com

The next thing Wilsdorf thought about was how he would market the most invaluable feature of his product. Rolex came up with a poster where the timepiece was associated with mermaids. Meanwhile, Rolex dealers decorated their store windows with an Oyster submerged in a fishbowl filled with water and fish.

Image Source: rolexblog.blogpost.com

Obviously, people grew fascinated with the product, and the fish bowl ad campaign went on for decades. The rest is history for waterproof watches.

Image Source: luxuryactivist.com


Over the years, Swiss Wrist has gained a loyal following of luxury timepiece aficionados looking for the best deal on pre-owned Rolex models. Visit its official website to find out the model that best suits you.