Watchmaking
A unique approach
Superlative. More than a word, it is a vision. A commitment.
A commitment to designing and manufacturing increasingly reliable, high-performance watches. Inscribed on every dial, this word reflects our founding values.
This vision of watchmaking is founded upon seven pillars that shape our identity: precision, waterproofness, self-winding mechanism, autonomy, resistance to magnetism, reliability, and sustainability.
Seven pillars that inspire us to exceed standards and push boundaries. Seven pillars that serve every wearer, wherever their journey takes them. Seven pillars, mastered in their entirety, that make Rolex unique in the watchmaking world.
Seven pillars, one vision
The production sites
Made in Switzerland
Rolex creates, manufactures, assembles and tests all its watches exclusively in Switzerland, thanks to the know-how and commitment of more than 9,000 employees at the brand’s sites, all at the cutting edge of technological progress.
From Acacias, its world headquarters in Geneva, where the watches are developed and assembled, to Bienne, where the movements are manufactured; from Plan-les-Ouates, where the watch cases and bracelets are produced, to Chêne-Bourg, where the dials, Cerachrom bezels and Cerachrom bezel inserts in ceramic are crafted, and where the brand’s gemmology and gem-setting expertise is located, sophisticated high-technology equipment is a reflection of Rolex’s distinction. A fifth site is under construction in Bulle, in the Swiss canton of Fribourg.
By controlling every stage of its production in-house, Rolex has made a strategic, bold and visionary choice. It has an unparalleled production infrastructure linking high value-added skills with state-of-the-art technologies. Rolex can, independently, express its creativity and innovative spirit according to its own standards of excellence. Each Rolex watch is created according to exceptional production criteria. Each element is developed, produced and checked with constant attention to even the smallest details.
Anatomy of a Rolex
Everything you always wanted to know about Rolex watches
Our vision
Since its creation in 1905, Rolex has been on a quest which assembles the skills of many and requires arduous work, day after day, year after year.
Green seal
The colour of excellence
Our signature
Rolex's greatest watchmaking innovations are indelible. They imprint the dial of each watch with new words that, alone, can attest for the unique vision of the brand.
01
Precision
Our watches are guaranteed to be accurate to within -2/+2 seconds per day, surpassing by far the standards of the watchmaking industry.
02
Waterproofness
Ever since the first waterproof Rolex Oyster case was created in 1926, we have continued to challenge the limits of waterproofness.
03
Self-winding mechanism
The self-winding mechanism in our watches is designed to capture the wearer’s energy, regardless of variations in activity.
04
Autonomy
Every detail of the mechanism in a Rolex watch is designed to maximize its power reserve, ensuring up to 72 hours of autonomy.
05
Resistance to magnetism
Our watches are designed to ensure stable, precise performance when exposed to everyday magnetic forces.
06
Reliability
We provide a five-year guarantee on all our watches and recommend servicing only every ten years.
07
Durability
Our watches are designed to withstand the test of time and be handed down from generation to generation. Each timepiece is the result of an increasingly responsible production process.