Style Edit: The 8 gold standards all Rolex watches must meet, explained – the Swiss luxury timepiece brand tests every model according to these strict measures

Oct 24 , 2023

With a name synonymous with luxury, iconic watch brand Rolex ensures that each of its timepieces reaches the highest standards of excellence in 8 distinct categories. Photos: Handout

Ask people to think of a luxury watch, and the first brand that comes to mind will probably be Rolex. This didn’t happen by accident. The Swiss manufacture, founded nearly 120 years ago by the visionary Hans Wilsdorf, quickly climbed to the top of the horological tree and has maintained its elevated position thanks to the meticulous care and attention shown at every stage of the watchmaking process.

This “superlative” approach, to use the brand’s word, is a mindset that permeates every aspect of Rolex’s operations, ensuring the watches it creates continue to scale the heights of technical excellence, accuracy, reliability and aesthetic distinction.

In-house casting of 18-karat gold alloys used for watch manufacture

The full realisation of a Rolex creation is guaranteed by the rigorous process of checks that accompanies each watch at every stage of its manufacture. This is followed by the remarkably exacting tests performed by the maison’s Superlative Control unit, which measure and evaluate the watches to well beyond industry standards before they’re allowed to leave the factory.

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The guarantee of quality ensured by these processes takes physical form in the green seal that accompanies the watches, and is further backed by a five-year international warranty. Measured against eight critical characteristics, Rolex watches are designed to meet the highest standards in each area – precision, waterproofing, autonomy, robustness, simplicity, craftsmanship, comfort and durability.

Setting diamonds into the bracelet of the Rolex Lady-Datejust

A commitment to precision lies at the heart of every Rolex watch. All movements are certified by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC) and the company’s even more stringent Superlative Chronometer tests, guaranteeing accuracy of minus or plus two seconds per day.

Waterproofing – together with its sibling, dust protection – has been an abiding obsession at Rolex ever since it developed the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch, in 1926. To this day, every watch is tested in a hyperbaric tank, an environment that simulates deep-ocean pressures.

A close up on the hand assembly of a Rolex movement

The value the company places on autonomy is evident in the self-winding movements it gives its timepieces. Indeed, the company pioneered the world’s first self-winding mechanism with a perpetual rotor in 1931.

The robustness of every Rolex timepiece is guaranteed by its choice of materials, which include Oystersteel, RLX titanium and ceramic. Its movements are also protected from shocks by the Paraflex shock absorber developed by the brand.

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Simplicity, to Rolex, means constantly refining its movements to improve their performance and reliability. A case in point: the much loved Cosmograph Daytona, which is powered by a calibre that contains just 314 components.

The waterproofness of each finished watch is tested in a hyperbaric tank

The radiant beauty of Rolex watches is the result of the company’s commitment to craftsmanship. The house puts endless care into the curves and angles of each piece, optimising the way they reflect the light.

Comfort is also a priority at Rolex. Its bracelets and clasps – such as the Oyster, Jubilee, President and Oysterflex – are created with every bit as much care and attention as its cases, dials and movements.

Durability, meanwhile, is ingrained in every component. A rigorous testing regime ensures that cases, bracelets and movements all remain at their best long into the future.

Style Edit

Ask anybody to name a luxury timepiece brand, and Rolex is likely to be first on their lips – but how did the Swiss watchmaker achieve such universal renown?
The Superlative Control unit tests every watch to leave the manufacture, with 8 critical characteristics established to ensure Rolex pieces meet the highest standards in each area