The Watch Appreciation Thread (Reviews and Photos of Men's Timepieces by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Brei

[tifosi]



Someone feel free to point out examples if I'm wrong, but I don't think Rolex is much of an innovator. Almost all of their watches use the same basic design and are based off the same movement, which doesn't have that much that stands out about it. The free sprung balance wheel that distinguishes their movement wasn't their invention IIRC. Their strength lies in producing a basic but well-executed piece that is generic enough to fit into a broad audience's tastes and high quality enough to sustain interest. People are familiar with their products and trust them due to their history and consistency; there aren't a lot of models they've made that venture outside of the mold and the ones they have made weren't very successful.

You are thinking of Rolex now...not when they started. I would consider waterproof watches and self-winding watches innovations.

 

[dopey]



Someone feel free to point out examples if I'm wrong, but I don't think Rolex is much of an innovator. Almost all of their watches use the same basic design and are based off the same movement, which doesn't have that much that stands out about it. The free sprung balance wheel that distinguishes their movement wasn't their invention IIRC. Their strength lies in producing a basic but well-executed piece that is generic enough to fit into a broad audience's tastes and high quality enough to sustain interest. People are familiar with their products and trust them due to their history and consistency; there aren't a lot of models they've made that venture outside of the mold and the ones they have made weren't very successful.

While the dial layout is horrific, I think the Sky-Dweller is a fantastic, innovative watch. And kudos to Rolex for finally adding a date function to their lineup.

 

[in stitches]



You are thinking of Rolex now...not when they started. I would consider waterproof watches and self-winding watches innovations.

this. also, their models are probably some of the most oft imitated/copied/homaged watches out there. pretty clear imo that their designs, while maybe now we consider them classic/old hat, were actually quite new and different at their release.

 

[bkotsko]

Someone feel free to point out examples if I'm wrong, but I don't think Rolex is much of an innovator. Almost all of their watches use the same basic design and are based off the same movement, which doesn't have that much that stands out about it. The free sprung balance wheel that distinguishes their movement wasn't their invention IIRC. Their strength lies in producing a basic but well-executed piece that is generic enough to fit into a broad audience's tastes and high quality enough to sustain interest. People are familiar with their products and trust them due to their history and consistency; there aren't a lot of models they've made that venture outside of the mold and the ones they have made weren't very successful.

I am not a Rolex fanboy, and own quite a few non-rolex watches, but if you go to their website you will read:

• 1910 - first chronometer certification
• 1926 - first waterproof watch
• 1931 - first self winding movement with a "perpetual" rotor
• 1945 - first automatic watch with date in a window on the dial
• 1953 - first watch rated for 100m
• 1956 - the first wristwatch to display the date and day of the week in full in a window on the dial
• 1956 - Milgauss rated for 1000 gauss (not sure if this was the first)
• 1985 - 904L steel introduced into full production
• 2000 - 4130 movement
• 2005 - Cerachrom bezel
• 2005 - blue Parachrom hairspring
• 2007 - Yacht-Master II the first watchequipped with a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory
• 2012 - Sky-Dweller movement with the "command" bezel

Many of those things are innovative to me as an engineer.

 

[tifosi]



I am not a Rolex fanboy, and own quite a few non-rolex watches, but if you go to their website you will read:

• 1910 - first chronometer certification
• 1926 - first waterproof watch
• 1931 - first self winding movement with a "perpetual" rotor
• 1945 - first automatic watch with date in a window on the dial
• 1953 - first watch rated for 100m
• 1956 - the first wristwatch to display the date and day of the week in full in a window on the dial
• 1956 - Milgauss rated for 1000 gauss (not sure if this was the first)
• 1985 - 904L steel introduced into full production
• 2000 - 4130 movement
• 2005 - Cerachrom bezel
• 2005 - blue Parachrom hairspring
• 2007 - Yacht-Master II the first watchequipped with a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory
• 2012 - Sky-Dweller movement with the "command" bezel

Many of those things are innovative to me as an engineer.

Pssshhhhhh...That's all you got??? haha

 

[jet]

yellow gold skydweller is one of my grail watches

 

[tifosi]



yellow gold skydweller is one of my grail watches

There can only be ONE grail.....

 

[Belligero]



Thanks a bunch for your wise advice. I wish I'd known about Sinn when I was going to Germany regularly. Ordered the watch from Watchbuys last night. I like their option of shipping to RGM for warrantee work and a couple other little perks. Thanks for that interesting link too. The person in my sig wrote about "intellectual conversion" which fits very well with that link's point that it's not the physical stuff that "makes" us happy.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Thanks too, F. Rolex definitely elicits strong feelings. An uncle of mine is a watch collector and has always praised Rolex. I'd never been really into watches in general, but after reading up about them the past year or so, I've definitely grown in appreciation of them and of Rolex in particular. I didn't realize how important they've been in terms of developing designs and technologies that so many have copied.

Hey, my pleasure! I've always been impressed with my direct dealings with the company, and I'm happy to recommend them. I really hope you enjoy the watch when it arrives; it sounds like it'll suit what you're looking for.

I'm glad you enjoyed the link, too. I can strongly relate to a lot of the things that he's talking about in that article and several others. I've only recently discovered the site, but I've found the content very worthwhile so far. It's something I've printed on real paper so I can have the time and the environment to read it properly.

In the sense that the futility of seeking happiness through stuff applies to watches, I find that they're like salt. It will never satisfy on its own and is harmful in excess, but a dash can go well with something substantial.

 

[Tsujigiri]

I am not a Rolex fanboy, and own quite a few non-rolex watches, but if you go to their website you will read:

• 1910 - first chronometer certification
• 1926 - first waterproof watch
• 1931 - first self winding movement with a "perpetual" rotor
• 1945 - first automatic watch with date in a window on the dial
• 1953 - first watch rated for 100m
• 1956 - the first wristwatch to display the date and day of the week in full in a window on the dial
• 1956 - Milgauss rated for 1000 gauss (not sure if this was the first)
• 1985 - 904L steel introduced into full production
• 2000 - 4130 movement
• 2005 - Cerachrom bezel
• 2005 - blue Parachrom hairspring
• 2007 - Yacht-Master II the first watchequipped with a programmable countdown with a mechanical memory
• 2012 - Sky-Dweller movement with the "command" bezel

Many of those things are innovative to me as an engineer.

I'll admit that there are more innovations there than I had thought, but I believe that list has been highly embellished by marketing. Waterproof watches were made long before Rolex even existed, for instance; Rolex just made a more popular and iconic model. And many of the innovations listed there aren't actually innovations at all. The chronometer certification, for an example, is just a set of tests that many watches can pass, but it ultimately became a certification the Swiss used to exclude foreign products that were built just as well as their own. Also many of the things on those list are minor improvements to meet a Rolex-defined benchmark, which don't really display ingenuity the way a real innovation would.

Granted, Rolex does make a good product. I don't think anyone doubts that. But I don't think the few design elements and improvements they have incorporated show very much creativity or out of the box thinking. Of course this is not necessary to make a good product, and creativity for creativity's sake is often not worthwhile. But if we're talking about innovation, Rolex's accomplishments pale in comparison to many other watchmakers. Devising something like coaxial escapement (before anyone says it, I do realize that Omega wasn't the one to come up with this. I'm not bringing up another Omega vs. Rolex debate) takes much more refined thinking than "hey, why don't we use a more stainless stainless steel?"

 

[in stitches]

please tell me what waterproof wrist watch existed before the oyster.

 

[Tsujigiri]

please tell me what waterproof wrist watch existed before the oyster.

http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/waterproof.html

 

[bkotsko]

http://www.vintagewatchstraps.com/waterproof.html

I have to say that the Rolex method which is still used and currently copied to some extent by most of the industry is in fact an innovation, regardless of whether they were officially the first to the market with a watch that was waterproof. That being said, they are still around, and the others in that article that produced anything closer to a wearable waterproof wristwatch no longer exist.

 

[Tsujigiri]

I have to say that the Rolex method which is still used and currently copied to some extent by most of the industry is in fact an innovation, regardless of whether they were officially the first to the market with a watch that was waterproof. That being said, they are still around, and the others in that article that produced anything closer to a wearable waterproof wristwatch no longer exist.

This is true, because Rolex makes a good product. But I think a lot of times we make deities of things we like and convince ourselves that they are the one true creation, and everything else must be a shallow imitation. Rolex has made a couple innnovations, but really not that many and not that groundbreaking. And this in no way detracts from its quality as a watch, nor should it detract from its owners enjoyment.

 

[WhoKnewI]

Had the pleasure of trying this one out last night.

 

[Kaplan]



Someone should talk to her about the excessive wear caused by that slackness.

I hope you're not suggesting a sports bra.