Rolex Submariner

About the Watch

In the early 1950s, Rolex CEO and amateur diver Rene P. Jeanneret initiated the development of a diver's watch that would be equally suitable as an elegant timepiece for everyday wear. By 1953, the time had come and the watch was ready for initial testing. That same year, August Piccard and his son Jacques planned to set a world record in diving. They went to a previously unimaginable record depth of 3,131.8 m with their deep-sea diving capsule. Attached to the outer wall of the capsule was a Rolex specially designed for the adventure. Upon resurfacing, it still worked perfectly. It was the beginning of a legendary story.

About the Brand

Known the world over, Rolex is a benchmark for prestige and quality in watchmaking. Since its creation, the brand has placed the reliability of its products uppermost. It submits virtually its entire movement production for testing by the Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres to obtain COSC certification. Rolex is also renowned for its after-sales service which is performed by staff who have been specially trained, often in Rolex's own schools in countries around the globe, including the United States and Japan. Rolex was founded by Hans Wilsdorf. A Bavarian watchmaker who emigrated to Switzerland, he immediately put his natural flair for products and business acumen at the service of a brand that would soon forge an international reputation. He was succeeded in 1963 by André Heiniger, whose son Patrick took over at the helm in 1992. Bruno Meier in 2009 then Gian Riccardo Marini in 2011 were successively appointed at the head of the business, a limited company (société anonyme) that is wholly owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. In 2014, Jean-Frédéric Dufour, previously Chief Executive of Zenith, was named as the new CEO. Such a reputation hasn't gone unnoticed among collectors, as recent auction results demonstrate. At a 2013 sale in Geneva, for example, a Daytona Chronograph in steel achieved an absolute record price of US$ 1.1 million. The brand hones its image through associations with prominent and well-respected personalities chosen from the arts and sports. Also, in 1976 Rolex launched its Awards for Enterprise which each year single out innovative projects that promote sustainable development. The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative gives young artists a privileged opportunity to benefit from the experience of masters in their field.