100 years of Rolex Oyster: the watch that changed time

In its purest form, Oyster Perpetual is astir austere. Hours, minutes, seconds. No complications, nary temper for showmanship. And yet, it is precisely this simplicity that makes it truthful definitive. It’s not a ticker that tries to impress. It’s a ticker that solves problems.

At the opening of the 20th century, the wristwatch had not yet been established arsenic an object. It was delicate, exposed, with its main anemic constituent being the crown. Dust and moisture could easy penetrate the movement, making it much of a portion of jewellery than a tool. Rolex provided the solution successful 1926 with the Oyster case. For the archetypal time, the bezel, cap, and crown were screwed onto the body, creating a afloat sealed environment. The sanction was nary coincidence; conscionable arsenic an oyster protects its interior, the lawsuit protected the movement. The impervious came astir immediately.