The Oyster, 90 Years of Innovation

Rolex has provided no shortage of innovative watches over the years, but none comes close to matching the influence of the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch. This year marks the Oyster’s 90th anniversary. It has provided the template for today’s modern watches and influenced countless models. We take a look back at how it began and what makes the Oyster the gem it is.

It all began in 1926 when Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf announced he had created the world’s first hermetic, waterproof watch. The hermetically sealed case was an ingenious innovation at the time, as it kept dust out to maintain the perfect time. The water-proof concept and the name originated when Wilsdorf decided that a watch should be able to remain underwater for a limited amount of time – just like an oyster. To complete the concept, Rolex patented a method for making a self-winding watch – and the perpetual movement was born. Together, these innovations set a new industry standard and the prototype for the watch you’re currently wearing today, regardless of make or model.

All these innovations were tested across a range of high-performance conditions. In 1927, an English woman named Mercedes Gleitze swam the English Channel and emerged with a fully functional Oyster strapped to her wrist. Testing wasn’t limited to water, as the first man to break the 300 mph speed barrier on land was also wearing an Oyster. And Sir John Hunt, wholed the first expedition to successfully reach the summit of Mount Everest, attested to its perfect performance along the journey. These experiences began a long-standing affiliation between high-performance activities and the Oyster, thanks to the latter’s legitimacy as a watch that can more than hold its own with the elements.

Rolex’s journey towards creating the world’s most innovative watches hasn’t stopped. The company has recently established a new standard of excellence testing. This testing is applied to the fully assembled watch. Rolex’s testing guarantees the precision of its superlative chronometers to within -2/+2 seconds per day, compared to the typical -4/+6 seconds required by the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute, or COSC. Testing is done over a course of 15 days and nights and involves seven elimination criteria in five static positions at three temperatures. This level of precision is rarely found in any consumer item and is one of the main reasons for the Oyster’s continued longevity and success over the years.

Beyond the technical elements, the Oyster has had a lasting impact on pop culture, which has contributed to its iconic status. From Che Guevara to Sean Connery’s James Bond, with an assortment of the world’s greatest entertainers in-between, many iconic personalities have personally opted to possess the Oyster as their timepiece of choice for its unparalleled combination of style and technical capabilities that still maintains the authenticity of that original model. Ninety years in and the Oyster is as iconic as it was yesterday, and we can’t wait to see where the next 90 years take it.