There is no doubt that Rolex Datejust watch is one of the most recognised and recognisable watches, more classic than Rolex Submariner watch. The Rolex Datejust is the modern archetype of the classic classic watch, thanks to aesthetics and functions that transcend changes in fashion. The Datejust which has spanned eras still r etains the original aesthetic elements. The Datejust represents the essence of Rolex: Simpleness, reliability, firmness and precision.
Hans Wilsdorf who was born in 1881 finished his business apprenticeship in Gemany. After that, he once worked in the Swiss watchmaking field, and he also had been to England at the age of 24. He had a strong brief in designing highly marketable products. Hans Wilsdorf built a company with Alfred Davis, his brother-in-law.
Davis was in charge of making producing, while Wilsdorf’s duty was to order movements. The main business of Wilsdorf & Davis was to import Hermann Aegler’s Swiss movements to England and place it in high quality cases made by Denison and other manufacturers. With the development of the company and the demands of marketing operations, Rolex and current logo took place of Wilsdorf & Davis. Constant hard work and persistence urged Rolex to overcome various difficulties, which made Rolex be a luxury brand for accuracy all over the world. To this day, all Rolex watches are certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute.
Rolex has had a huge impact on the entire market, whose first innovation was a waterproof watch case, called as Oyster case. Its specific back is opened with exclusive tools. In 1931, Rolex launched a Oyster Perpetual watch with an automatic movement. To reach a more practical effect, the idea for date display came into Hans Wilsdorf’s mind. The date display window jumped the next date at the midnight since a central gear and a spring mechanism were added to the movement. It’s the famous device–instant data setting calendar, and the date displayed precisely at any time. The watch manufacturer launched Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch at the 40th anniversary in 1945. In 1947, the first edition of Rolex Datejust watch made its debut. In addition to quick data setting calendar and the conventional centre hour, minute and seconds hands, there was no redundant decoration. Simpleness and reliability also are the motto of Rolex in decade years.
Seven years later, the watch glass with a cyclops lens gained good praise, convenient to see the date accurately at a glance. Then Rolex introduced yellow gold, rose gold, stainless steel and two-tone material to design watches. Different from the current bezel pattern, Rolex Datejust watch in 1950 had a coin grain bezel. The Datejust watch was equipped with Jubilee bracelet which was still used for the current watches. With a cyclops lens and fluted bezel, the Datejust watch in 1958 looks more similar to the current models. In the 1960s, Rolex developed Oyster Quartz in its own labs. Rolex Datejust Oyster Quartz Ref.17000 watch with a quartz movement was listed in the catalog.
With classic Oyster case, Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch features the design for the dial, the cyclops lens and hands. As for Rolex Datejust I or Datejust Ⅱ, their elegant styles are suitable for modern ladies and gentlemen.
