Rolex is one of the finest and most popular watch brands on the planet, but where are they made?
Although Rolex was originally founded in London, England, their watches are assembled in their entirety in Switzerland today. The production of a Rolex has taken place in Switzerland for decades, and likely always will – nothing is outsourced or imported.
Read on to learn more about Rolex and its fantastic production history.
Time on our Hands
The name ‘Rolex’ is known worldwide and has been an established household name for decades. It’s synonymous with the wristwatch, and with fine quality and luxury.
There are precious few watchmakers with a larger profile than Rolex. It’s the most prominent manufacturer of Swiss timepieces in the history of the world.
Although budget watches tend to be much more affordable, there’s something special about a fine timepiece. In fact, luxe.digital confirmed that the number one slot on a list of the most popular watches belonged firmly to Rolex.
This ranking was followed by watchmakers like Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, and Omega. The former actually has a stunning legacy, being the official inventor of the wristwatch.
In 1868, Patek Philippe embarked on a mission to create the first-ever wristwatch. He succeeded, and the first-ever wristwatch was gifted to Hungarian royalty.
Patek Philippe also holds the record for the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction. In 2019, a one-of-a-kind Patek Philippe sold for an eye-watering thirty-one million dollars.
Coincidentally, it was a Rolex that held the record prior to that point. In 2017, a Rolex Daytona was auctioned for a massive seventeen million dollars.
Pound for pound, wristwatches are some of the most valuable objects on the planet. To some, it’s bizarre that something so small and simple can fetch such an incredible price.
Super Swiss
There are no finer watches in the world than Swiss watches. They’ve been considered the de facto standard for wristwatches for over a hundred years.
But why is that?
Rolex pride themselves on manufacturing their timepieces in Switzerland, one hundred percent. They’re clear in the fact that no part of their production process occurs outside of the country.
Taking this knowledge into consideration, it comes as no surprise that there are strict regulations in place. There are literal laws established to protect the ‘Swiss’ legacy.
There are five criteria that must be met for a watch to be defined as Swiss. The first is, of course, that it’s manufactured (and cased up) in Switzerland.
The movement of the watch must also be Swiss, and the final inspection must take place in Switzerland. Finally, sixty-percent of the production cost must be based in Switzerland.
There you have it – that’s your Swiss watch. And of course, Rolex meets all the above criteria with ease.
Although they’re the European kings of watchmaking today, the Swiss weren’t always at the top. The first mechanical watches appeared in Italy, Germany, and France long before the Swiss came along.
These three European powerhouses worked to create the first watches as far back as the fifteenth century. It wouldn’t be until the late twentieth century that widespread changes were applied to their designs.
It was also around this time that the Swiss watch industry underwent a brief struggle. This was due to cheaper, mass-produced watches overtaking traditional mechanical watches.
However, in 1983 a group of watchmakers convened and invented the Swatch. They recognized that something drastic needed to be done to save the Swiss industry, and this was the answer.
The Swatch was less mechanical in its production, and more vibrant in appearance. They were dramatically more casual than traditional Swiss watches, but they were also cheaper.
In a few years, they’d permitted the Swiss watch industry an opportunity at a resurgence.
Fashion Favorite
The wristwatch is one of the few fashion staples that has remained consistent for centuries. Where some fashion choices have come and gone in the blink of an eye, watches have remained.
They’re practical, functional, and often serve as lucrative investments. There are those who purchase fine watches but never wear them, opting instead to watch their value rise.
However, if you’d like to get involved with a flashy Rolex, it’s not all huge sums of cash and massive upfront payments.
The cheapest Rolex is an Oyster Perpetual and will cost around five thousand dollars brand new. Also within that budget are pieces like the Datejust, Explorer, or Submariner.
These all range from around five thousand to eight thousand dollars.