Description
Rolex’s Datejust is the archetype of the classic watch thanks to functions and aesthetics that never go out of fashion. Launched in 1945 for the 40th anniversary of Rolex, it was the first self-winding waterproof chronometer wristwatch to display the date in a window at 3 o’clock on the dial. The Datejust consolidated all the major innovations that Rolex had contributed to the modern wristwatch until then, and continues to be a hallmark of Rolex.
Rolex is recognized throughout the world not only as a brand associated with luxury, but as a watch that is both luxurious and precise. For Rolex, this hard-won and well-deserved recognition was never in doubt. The founder, Hans Wilsdorf named the company Rolex so as to be pronounceable in any language, as he anticipated the acclaim his company would receive due to its relentless pursuit of precision and accuracy. Soon after its founding, Rolex produced the first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, which was rapidly followed by a certificate of precision from the Kew Observatory in Great Britain. From those roots Rolex built a legacy of innovation. The “Oyster” watch was the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch, followed by the first self-winding “Perpetual” rotor. Building once again on innovation, the “Datejust” became the first self-winding wrist chronometer to include a date in a window on the dial. Adventurous women and men who strive to achieve what was never before been achieved have chosen Rolex for their expedition, which both perpetuates the brand’s claim to precision and dependability as well as attests to its veracity. Hans Wilsdorf may have anticipated the acclaim Rolex would someday achieve, but even he might have been impressed its success.