Rolex is without a doubt the biggest name in the world of watches. And we love to talk about the impact of the brand, the history of the different models, and the value development of the different timepieces. In this article I would love to take a closer look at what makes the design of the different Rolex watches so attractive in the eyes of many. I’ll specifically focus on the different sports models the Geneva brand has created. Rolex sports models that have defined how we look at watches today. What makes them so great? And how come we still look at design that was created seven decades ago as the standard in watch designs. Time to look at the magic of Rolex design.
It all starts with a functional question
When it comes to the design of Rolex sports watches, it all started with a series of practical questions that needed to be solved in design rather than creating that simply creating the best-looking watch out there. And as it happens, Rolex had to solve multiple of these practical questions in the same era due to new trends. The first was the increase in people scuba diving in the 1950s. Both professionally as recreationally, underwater diving saw an incredible rise in popularity. This huge increase in popularity led to an explosion of watch brand introducing dive watches. While Rolex was not the first brand introducing a ‘modern’ dive watch as we know it today – that honor goes to the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms – the Rolex Submariner did follow shortly and defined the category as we know it today. But it was all based on the practical question of how to create a watch that was essentially a diving tool that helps wearers while diving to see the remaining dive time they have. The answer came in the form of a 60-minute diving bezel that made it possible.
From the Rolex Submariner to the GMT-Master
A second watch that solved a practical issue was the Rolex GMT-Master that the brand introduced in 1954. With aviation quickly making global traveling possible, the brand had to find an answer to the question how Pan Am pilots could keep track of local time and home time. The answer came in the form of the Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 that featured an extra GMT-hand and a 24-hour bezel to indicate a second time zone. In a twist of magic, Rolex gave the bezel the blue and red Pan Am colors with blue for the nighttime hours and red for the daytime hours. Not only did the watch solve a very practical solution for indicating time in two time zones, but its solution was colorful, iconic and came with a great story.
The Rolex Explorer is another perfect example
A third and last example I want to give is the Rolex Explorer. The race to conquer the highest peaks in the world reached its climax in the early and mid-1950s. To give you an idea, the thirteen highest peaks in the world were all summitted between 1950 and 1960, with twelve of them being conquered between 1953 and 1960. As you probably will know, the highest mountain of them all, Mount Everest, was summitted in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. While there has been heavy debate what watch was first at the top of Everest – a discussion I won’t get into – both Hillary and Norgay were known to wear a Rolex, and possibly they were taken all the way to the top. And right after both men summitted, Rolex introduced the Rolex Explorer that used the conquering of Everest as a great tool to prove that Rolex watches could withstand extreme conditions perfectly. On top of that, the Geneva brand introduced the Explorer with its iconic 3, 6, 9 dial for ultimate readability, even in the most difficult conditions. Seven decades later, the dial is still the perfect example of a brilliantly designed dial that is both recognizable and ultra-functional.
The importance of the era
The most remarkable aspect about all these watches is that they were all designed in the early 1950s. So not only did Rolex have to solve a lot of practical issues for their new introductions, but the brand’s designers also had to find a design style that accommodated these big challenges while also being instantly recognizable as a Rolex. In essence, this challenge is easier to tackle when presented with the challenge to tackle multiple practical problems at the same time. It gave the Rolex designers the chance to synchronize a style that became the blueprint for the brand’s sports watches and later on the industry standard.
Looking at the design of the individual models, what stands out is that the Rolex designers found the perfect balance between creating designs that were new and revolutionary in the way they tackled practical problems but at the same time felt very familiar and logical in their overall presence. The simplicity of the chosen design solution made sense. And looking back at them, they still make sense. It made them the industry standard after all. But we also have to be honest, it’s not like these new Rolex sports models became commercial hits overnight. At a time when most people were wearing small dress watches, these new tool watches definitely needed time to sink in with the bigger audience. And let’s also not forget that all three watches mentioned were created for professional divers, pilots, and explorers first and foremost. They used these tool watches for their jobs and therefore were the ultimate proof that Rolex watches were successful in both their technical and design solutions.
Consistency turns out to be key
After the introduction of the first Rolex sports watches, we saw the introduction of more models that followed that same style first adopted in the 1950s. After the Explorer and Submariner in 1953, the GMT-Master in 1954, the next big sports watch to follow was the iconic Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in 1963, followed by the Rolex Sea-Dweller and Explorer II in 1971. There was quite a bit of time in between these introductions, but Rolex also made sure to update the Submariner, GMT-Master, and Explorer models. On top of that, the brand also introduced the Day-Date as a new non-sports model that also became an icon.
Besides striking gold with the design for its sports watches, Rolex did something else very well and it made them unique in the world of watches. Instead of taking the design influences of the 1960s and 1970s and incorporating them into its watches, the Geneva brand decided to update its designs by using small incremental steps. Every update was a carefully executed design exercise that took the initial design and perfected it in relation to the era it was released in. While other brands would take the design influences of the era to create wild new creations typically for that time, Rolex chose a path of consistency and belief in its own designs. And that unique approach turned out to be the key to the brands design success.
Rolex Sports Model designs today
As a result, the brand’s iconic models all have a long history with small but always relevant updates in their designs. By incorporating relevant design details inspired by current times into the classic designs, Rolex always makes sure the DNA of its iconic sports models is always guaranteed. It is why a current Rolex Submariner has a direct visual link to the first model that was first introduced in 1954. And every Submariner in between looks like, well a Submariner.
In recent years, the biggest updates came in the form of new materials. The most impactful have been the ceramic bezels. Ceramic bezels are a lot stronger than their aluminum predecessors. On top of that, they are more resistant against discoloration. While some people, like myself, miss the charm of the vintage models, the updates make total sense in terms of robustness and taking care of longer service intervals. Additionally, with such a strong design persistence, the history of the watches makes sure that the incorporation of updated looks and new materials is never a problem. For me, the design strategy that Rolex chose and the accompanying belief in its own models, is the key to the great success of the brand. That is what makes Rolex the no.1 brand in the world of watches today.
