The rolex story

A history of the world's most famous wristwatch manufacturer, Rolex, known as the "watch with crown."

The watch brand with the crown is recognized worldwide as an invaluable sports implement and luxury product. In little more than one hundred years, Rolex has become one of the most successful and innovative watch brands in the world. From the beginning, the sponsorship of statesmen, movie stars, and athletes has driven its success, but the company has expanded to include more than just the rich and famous.

Rolex manufactures more than a half a million wristwatches per year while maintaining an outstanding reputation and near-perfect quality. The Rolex Oyster became the first watch to defy the elements when, in 1927, Mercedes Gleitze wore one while she swam the English Channel. In 1933, the company patented the first automatic winding mechanism.

The Rolex Story (editor Franz-Christoph Heel) explores the company's illustrious history, and book highlights include:

• Images and historical and technical details of the most reliable Rolex models, including the Submariner, Cosmograph, and Yachtmaster, which divers, auto-racers, and boat captains trust for their precision and durability
  
• Updated reports written about new Rolex ideas and performance tests featured in the German watch magazine Armbanduhren (Wristwatch) from the past 15 years
  
• More than 185 color photographs
  
• A price guide

This book is a complete and comprehensive guide for Rolex collectors and anyone interested in the history and manufacture of the "watch with the crown."