Rolex History, Icons and Record-Breaking Models

The history of Rolex is inextricably linked to its founder Hans Wilsdorf, who took the first steps in the world of Swiss watchmaking as he dreamed about a timepiece that could be worn around the wrist. This experimental research led Rolex to achieve its highest goals in both technological innovation and in the use of the finest materials alone. Its models have been photographed on the wrists of political leaders, sports champions, and film and fashion celebrities, transforming each Rolex into a fully-fledged status symbol, a synonym of elegance and precision.

Including essays with a historical and technical slant, in-depth descriptions of the most representative pieces and a brief glossary, the pages in this book sparkle with golden hands, diamond-studded dials and patent-leather watchbands, illustrated in period photographs and macro-detail. The volume ends with a chapter dedicated to the most amazing auctions that saw the sale of the Geneva-based company’s vintage watches.

Mara Cappelletti, journalist and consultant for many publications by antiquarians and jewellery historians, she is also a professor of the history of jewellery at the Istituto Superiore di Arte Orafa Galdus. In collaboration with Osvaldo Patrizzi, watch collector and world-class watch expert.