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.