If you’re wondering how it wasn’t the Oyster but the Oyster Perpetual that became a mainstay of Rolex’s annual offerings and a household name to boot, it’s because of this watch. The first Oyster Perpetual – named so because it featured an automatic winding movement – was the first water-resistant (hence the term Oyster) automatic watch to be sold commercially. Providing a record 35-hour power reserve, the Oyster Perpetual came with some heft, both culturally and physically. It remains a monument to Rolex’s ability to improvise and innovate.
5. The Rolex Milgauss (1956)
The Milgauss name may not ring a bell for most, but there was a time when Rolex was dedicating watches to scientists and designing them specifically for scientific purposes. In this case, that purpose was extreme resistance to magnetism. Designed for folks working in deep tech labs (think CERN) the Migauss was a truly remarkable accomplishment for Rolex because it received an a-magnetic rating of 1000 gauss. Having gone out of production twice – once in 1988 and then later in 2007 – the watch remains a niche product and an often overlooked technical milestone for Rolex.
6. The Rolex Day-Date (1956)
Apart from being the first watch to feature both the day of the week and the date, the Day-Date was also the first watch to bear the distinction of being called “the President’s Watch”. After having been gifted to John F Kennedy by Marilyn Monroe and then lantern worn by his successor Lyndon B. Johnson, the Day Date’s name was permanently etched in history as a symbol of prestige and success, and not mere opulence. Although five stainless steel versions were produced, the Day-Date remains recognisable for its use of precious metals like gold and platinum, along with its signature fluted bezel – a design attribute that has remained fundamentally unchanged for over half a century.
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