Sea‑Dweller 126661 replica

When we mention Rolex today, the most common things that come to mind are the Water Ghost, DD, and Daytona, but these watches were all born after the 1950s. So what did Rolex‘s early watches, founded in 1908, look like? Recently, Xinxuan got a rare Rolex to see what it looked like nearly a hundred years ago. At first glance at this watch, the design of the cushion-shaped case is not particularly similar to Panerai’s Radiomir.

But in reality, it’s not Rolex like Panerai; it’s Panerai like Rolex. The Panerai brand started out as a watch repair and sales business and did not have the ability to produce watches itself. The early models were actually produced by Rolex as an OEM, and they were supplied to the Italian Navy with their own luminescence and logo.

At the same time, it cannot be said that Rolex created the original design of this cushion-shaped case, because the early 20th century was the stage for the performance of pocket watches. It is common practice to weld a thin metal rod to the pocket watch case as a strap attachment point. This design is more secure, but the disadvantage is that the strap is more cumbersome to replace. You need to cut the old strap first, and then sew the new strap again, and cannot replace it directly.

The design of the dial is also completely different from that of today’s Rolex, with Arabic numerals + FLEUR DE LYS lily hands, and the style is more complicated. This style of hand is now rare and is taken from the shape of the lily, the national flower of France. This motif represents royal power and prestige and is used not only by Rolex, but also by Patek Philippe‘s iconic Caraadhoa Cross. Whether it is the back cover or the front cover, you can see the triangular fluting design. The triangular fluting here is not used as a decoration but has a practical effect, which can increase friction and facilitate the opening and closing of the front and rear covers.

The two most important and fundamental technologies that Rolex has achieved such success with today are the Oyster waterproof case + perpetual movement (that is, we often talk about automatic movements). They guarantee the stability and usefulness of Rolex and build the foundation of the brand’s reputation. This is why this early Rolex Oyster case is specially marked with this inscription on the inside of the back, which has 20 world records and has been patented by both the British Empire and Switzerland.