Review of the Authorized Rolex Submariner Book and Why the 1926 Oyster Was Not the First Waterproof Watch – Vintage Rolex and other iconic timepieces under the loupe at Perezcope

Rolex simply launched their first approved e-book on the historical past of the Rolex Submariner primarily based on precise archive materials. Watch fanatics who’ve been craving official data for a protracted, very long time, will love a number of the genuinely superb tales, which affirm to a big extent what we researchers have written previously. However, as soon as the primary previews had been out, one thing else grew to become clear. The e-book makes false claims and is riddled with errors. Authored by watch institution hack Nicholas Foulkes, who is completely out of contact with the world of Rolex accumulating, it comes as no shock the brand new publication perpetuates the long-debunked declare that the Rolex Oyster from 1926 was “the primary waterproof wristwatch on the earth”. Rolex didn’t invent the waterproof wristwatch, they perfected it. In 2024, it’s time for manufacturers to drop these annoying advertising exaggerations from the previous and begin speaking about precise historical past. For classic Rolex collectors anticipating solutions to so many burning questions, the brand new e-book just isn’t definitely worth the paper it’s printed on. Strap in, as there’s a lot to unpack.

The Corpus Delicti

The following is an excerpt from web page 92 of the approved Rolex Submariner e-book, exhibiting the timeline 1922 – 1953. The 1926 Rolex Oyster is clearly described as one thing it was not:

“…the Oyster was the world’s first waterproof wristwatch…”

The false declare was additionally made on web page 16 (low decision preview) the place is says:

“The Oyster, the primary waterproof wristwatch on the earth, was lauched in 1926.”

Continue studying for extra errors or click on right here to go straight to the debunking of the fictional historical past of the 1926 Rolex Oyster being the primary waterproof wristwatch on the earth.

In addition to this outrageous declare, Mr. Foulkes, who refers to himself as a historian, made it appear to be the 1922 Rolex Submarine was a Rolex invention when, in actuality, it was primarily based on a case patented and produced by Jean Finger (Patent CH87276) that was utilized by different watch manufacturers as properly. The official identify of the case was ‘Double Boitier Hermetique’ (airtight double case).

Source: Journal Suisse d’Horlogerie, December 1921, web page 384 (watchlibrary.org)

Furthermore, the Rolex Submariner proven within the timeline is definitely a second era mannequin. One would count on to see the earliest model offered on the Basel Watch Fair in May 1954, as depicted within the image beneath. The distinction lies within the dial, how the phrases Oyster Perpetual are organized beneath the Rolex brand. Also be aware how the so-called lollipop seconds hand has a a lot bigger luminous dot.

Sure, these are minute particulars however is that not what classic Rolex accumulating is all about? Author Nicholas Foulkes doesn’t appear to have a deeper understanding for this truth. The following can also be a large blunder. There was no Double Red Sea-Dweller in 1967. It was launched as a testing prototype in 1969 (Mk 1) and have become out there to the general public solely in mid 1970 (Mk2). The watch proven within the timeline is a Mk2 from 1970 onwards.

The earliest Sea-Dweller mannequin, produced within the second quarter of 1967, was the so-called ‘Single Red’ with a depth score of 500 m/1650 ft. None of the round 50 watches produced had a helium launch valve initially because the valve idea had not reached Rolex but. The one-way valve was an thought of U.S. Navy SEALAB Aquanaut Bob Barth, however a diver named T. Walker Lloyd introduced it to Rolex’s consideration, who was rewarded by Genevean firm with a specifically created job as oceanographic marketing consultant. Neither Barth nor Lloyd are talked about within the e-book, which is bizarre to say the least, particularly since T. Walker Lloyd was immortilized in a 1974 Rolex Sea-Dweller commercial as having saved in contact with the event of the valve since its conception.

The following image exhibits the very first valve prototype made in early 1968, earlier than a number of the 50 preliminary examples had been retrofitted with the valve. This watch was particularly made to be examined in a spectacular experiment known as ‘Hydra’, carried out by the rising French industrial diving firm Comex. For the primary time ever, extremely flammable hydrogen was used as respiration gasoline. Just take a look at the superb ‘Bart Simpson’ coronet on the ‘Single Red’ dial. I guess Nicholas Foulkes has by no means heard of this nickname earlier than.

I’ve but to see your complete e-book. Still, I do know that the story of the primary valve prototype is totally lacking,. The watch was given to main hyperbaric researcher Dr. Werner Brauer, who was investigating the high-pressure nervous syndrome and got here up with the idea of utilizing hydrogen to beat it. You can learn all about it within the following two articles which I wrote in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Read extra: The Sea-Dweller Chronicles – Genesis of the decompressing watch
Read extra: The Sea-Dweller Chronicles – Dry run and teaming up with COMEX

Speaking of Comex, on web page 86, Nicholas Foulkes said that Comex devised the idea whereby saturation divers don’t dwell in underwater habitats as in SEALAB however return in pressurized diving bells to comfy hyperbaric chambers on the floor after their work is completed for the day. This idea was really launched by the underseas division of Westinghouse Electric Corp. within the United States. Named ‘Cachalot’, the primary ever industrial saturation dive with this idea passed off in September 1965. Comex launched their very own system ‘Idefix’ in early 1967. Seriously, what sort of historian is Mr. Foulkes?

Rolex and Comex teamed up in late 1971. Before that, Comex had been collaborating since 1968 with Omega to create the final word skilled saturation diving device watch, which resulted within the Omega Seamaster 600 ‘PloProf’, a watch so well-engineered, it didn’t require a helium launch valve. You see, the valve was extra of a fast repair that saved Rolex from having to spend money on the event of a very new mannequin.

Source: 8 days at a depth of 830 ft with a ‘Seamaster 600’, Europa Star, 1971 (watchlibrary.org)

Comex was not fairly pleased with the cumbersome design of the Seamaster 600, because it didn’t go simply unter the sleeve throughout leisure time. The story of how Rolex prevailed over Omega is kind of fascinating and greatest recounted by Comex founder Henri Delauze himself.

“One day Mr. Heiniger [Director of Rolex] … he proposed to offer me 100 watches that shall be known as Rolex-Comex free of charge that we are going to give to 100 deep divers, … and everytime we’ve to restore one, we had been supposed, and we did, ship the watches to Geneva in order that we’ve an excellent data of what had been the delicate factors of the watches, after which almost each two years they offer us 200 extra Rolex-Comex. … I knew Omega earlier than Rolex and I deserted Omega instantly when he carry me 100 new watches.”

Source: Interview with Henri Delauze from 2009 carried out by Jake Ehrlich of RolexJournal.com

In the e-book, you’ll search in useless for why and when Comex and Rolex began working collectively. The complete story is intentionally imprecise, even type of suggesting that the helium launch valve was developed with Comex, which is totally not true. There are extra errors associated to Comex. In the chapter ‘Submariner – Evolution of an Icon’ (pages 236 – 241), which is an outline of all Submariner fashions made, the launch yr of Ref. 5514, an everyday Submariner with helium launch valve particularly made for Comex, is said as 1969. Ref. 5514 was launched in 1974. The indicated manufacturing amount of 1,618 items is solution to excessive. My database’s estimate is round 800 items associated to Comex. For an organization working inside tolerances of 1 hundredth of a millimetre, all of that is awefully imprecise. In addition to errors, this chapter has additionally numerous lacking fashions, Ref. 168000 as an illustration, a mannequin which marked the transition from 306L to 904L metal. Missing are additionally Ref. 6538 A and Ref. 6540 (A/6538), two crucial Submariner fashions made for the British Navy. Rolex acknowledged their existence previously so why are they not within the e-book? Another mannequin you’ll search in useless is Ref. 6536/1. They point out Ref. 6536 with 5,350 items made however that’s unattainable as solely about 400 examples had been made. The 6536 has a thicker case than the 6536/1. It’s a distinct mannequin altogether. The numbers of those two fashions had been in all probability mixed however primarily based by myself analysis, they produced solely round half the amount.

This is the primary time Rolex disclosed manufacturing numbers, which is nice. However, from a collector’s perspective, these numbers are virtually ineffective within the type offered within the e-book and right here is why. Knowing {that a} whole of twenty-two,038 Sea-Dweller Ref. 1665 watches had been made is kind of irrelevant. Collectors wish to know what number of of them had been Single Red, what number of Double Red Mk1, Mk2, et cetera, et cetera. Surely they may also wish to have a solution as to what the next tremendous uncommon dial is all about, the so-called Mk0, a few of which had been discovered on non-valve Sea-Dwellers assembled in 1971. Why had been there non-valve Sea-Dwellers in 1971 to start with?

The identical applies to the Submariner Ref. 1680 with its six ‘Red’ and 4 ‘White’ dial variants. What collectors are longing for is detailed data. In this regard additionally, the brand new e-book is disappointing. Thanks to my in depth database with at present greater than 100,000 well-documented watches, I can simply inform what number of of every sort had been roughly made. One would suppose Rolex has significantly better knowledge at hand, however how is it doable then that on web page 163, they present the next image of a Ref. 5512 Submariner, claiming it’s from 1959?

The watch within the image has a ‘Pointed’ crown guard and clearly a so-called ‘Underline’ dial. It just isn’t from 1959 however from 1963, shortly earlier than the introduction of tritium designated dials (Swiss vs. Swiss – T <25). The earliest 5512s had so-called ‘Square’ crown guards, adopted by the ‘Eagle Beak’ sort.

What can also be wild, now that we all know underwater photographer Dimitri Rebikoff was a number one drive behind the event of the Submariner, is that there isn’t any image of him sporting one within the e-book. Rolex and the writer appear to be utterly eliminated and out of contact with the discoveries made by the watch neighborhood, else they might have been conscious of the next image of Rebikoff unearthed by horological eagle-eye Nick Gould (IG: @niccoloy) a while in the past.

To conclude, these are the inaccurate claims and errors I noticed within the e-book previews. There are in all probability many extra. Things like this occur when a elaborate phrase juggler like Foulkes, who has by no means studied classic Rolex, works on such a venture in his quiet little chamber. Eager for the laurels, it by no means even crossed his thoughts to achieve out to educated collectors and students. Breitling has proven how approved books should be conceived. From the very starting, they labored with high Breitling collector Fred Mandelbaum (IG: @watchfred) to verify the knowledge offered is right and usefull.

The First Waterproof Wristwatch

There had been a number of waterproof watches earlier than the Rolex Oyster got here alongside in 1926. Waterproof pocket watches had been recognized since a minimum of 1851, in response to watch skilled David Boettcher, who has researched this matter to exhaustion.

1911 – F. Borgel

The first waterproof wristwatch instances seem to have been provided by Swiss casemaker F. Borgel in 1911. Borgel was engaged on waterproofness since a minimum of 1891 when he patented his first water-proof case. An improved case consisting of three items was patented in 1903. In the next commercial from 1911, they began providing wristwatch instances as properly, on particular demand from automotive drivers and members of the British military and colonies (backside, proper).

The 3-piece case is of particular curiosity as it’s virtually equivalent to the Rolex Oyster case from 1926.

“Nouvelle Boîte impermeable à vis en 3 pièces… Cette nouvelle boîte à vis, hermetique, est formée de trois pièces; soit la lunette, le fond et la carrure se vissant toutes trois certain le garde-poussière, dans lequel est ajusté le mouvement. Les fermetures sont hermétiques et la boîte très solide, par le fait que le garde-poussière appuie de chaque côté, dans le fond et dans la lunette de glace, une fois ces pièces vissées.”

Translation: New 3-piece waterproof screw case… This new hermetic screw case is made up of three elements; the bezel, the caseback and the center case all three screw onto the mud guard [movement retaining ring], wherein the motion is positioned. These closures are hermetic and the case could be very strong, by the truth that the mud guard [movement retaining ring] presses on all sides, in opposition to the caseback and the bezel with the glass, as soon as these elements are screwed in.

Source: Revue internationale d’horlogerie, 1911 (watchlibrary.org)

From what I perceive, these Borgel instances didn’t have any gaskets. The metal-to-metal joints had been so easy and exact, sealing supplies weren’t obligatory. There is a narrative from March 1915 about an early Borgel pocket watch that was misplaced within the Modder river in South Africa in the course of the Second Boer War (1899 – 1902) and reportedly survived a number of days submerged in water. These had been not at all diving watches however they had been waterproof and will stand up to water intrusion to a sensible extent. The principal goal was to guard the motion from humidity and dirt.

The Rolex Oyster case from 1926, out there in two shapes, octagonal and cushion, was closely impressed by Borgel’s 3-piece case development from 1903, as could be seen within the exploded view beneath.

The main break by means of of the Oyster case was the screw-down crown, an thought which Hans Wilsdorf acquired from its inventors Paul Perregaux and Georges Perret (Patent CH114948, filed October 1925).

1915 – Tavannes ‘Submarine’

In late 1915, in the midst of World War 1, the Swiss watch producer Tavannes created a water-proof wristwatch named ‘Submarine’, round 35 mm in diameter and provided solely by Brook & Son Jewellers in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The story goes, as reported within the British Horological Journal in December 1917, that two off-duty submarine commanders approached Brook & Son to fee a particular watch which not solely wanted to be completely waterproof but in addition non-magnetic, impervious to temperature fluctuations and extremely seen in the dead of night. The case of the ‘Submarine’ is analogous in precept to F. Borgel’s 3-piece case however less complicated in development because the motion is fastened on to the center case, thus not requiring a separate motion retaining ring. Bezel and caseback had a recess the place greased sealing materials was crammed. The crown tube had an oiled leather-based gasket held in place by a screwed brass nut.

Not a lot is understood concerning the growth of the Tavannes ‘Submarine’. The inside the caseback has a ‘Brevet +’ stamp, which refers to a Swiss patent, however the corresponding doc has not been discovered but. Brook & Son marketed the ‘Submarine’ as “the primary waterproof wrist watch made”, which, given its development and using sealing supplies, is totally credible.

1918 – Depollier

Of particular significance with regards to early waterproof watches is the Depollier Waterproof Watch developed by Jaques Depollier & Son within the United States, and extra importantly, extensively examined by the U.S. authorities in 1918 and confirmed waterproof.

Originally powered by a Waltham motion, the United States Army Signal Corps division positioned an order of 10,000 instances in December 1918 to make use of with their very own commonplace actions (Elgin, Illinois). The following commercial from September 1920, printed in The Keystone jewellery commerce journal, exhibits how the watches had been examined in a lockable water tank.

Below is an excerpt from the Annual Report of the Chief Signal Officer to the Secretary of War, dated June 30, 1919, making reference to the waterproof instances:

“After analyzing many designs the engineers of this part lastly adopted a design of waterproof case wherein a watch might really run for a number of weeks beneath water. The bezel on this case is tightly screwed in opposition to an oil-filled washer, thus making an impervious seal. The pendant is supplied with a locking cap which seals all openings at this level. Many thousand of those instances had been ordered, and it was contemplated to place the usual Signal Corps watch actions into them. This was being achieved when the armistice was signed. Several passable actions had additionally been examined, examined, and accepted by this part.”

Depollier’s waterproof watch was additionally mentioned within the Swiss watch media in an article from 1919:

“Les montres Depollier imperméables sont soumises aus observations les plus rigoureuses. La boîte est d’abord essayée seule, pour vérifier son imperméabilité à l’eau et à la poussière, puis la montre complète est immergée dans un réservoir ou elle marche pendantn un sure temps sand remark.”

Translation: Depollier waterproof watches are topic to essentially the most rigorous observations. The case is first examined by itself, to verify its impermeability to water and dirt, then the entire watch is immersed in a tank the place it runs for a sure time with out remark.

Source: La montre imperméable Depollier, Revue internationale de l’hoerlogerie, 1919 (watchlibrary.org)

The fascinating saga of the Depollier Waterproof Watch was virtually misplaced within the shuffle of historical past. Thanks to Stan Czubernat, who did a superb and award-winning job at chronicling this important chapter of horological historical past, Depollier is the final word testomony to the truth that the Rolex Oyster was not the world’s first waterproof wristwatch.

Read extra: Waltham Depollier Waterproof Watch (lrfantiquewatches.com)

“Historian” Nicholas Foulkes has achieved a horrible job on this topic. He ought to be ashamed of himself. Continue studying to study extra concerning the Rolex Oyster from 1926 and the way the outdated design lived on within the first skilled diving device watches made by Rolex for the Royal Italian Navy throughout World War 2, a darkish chapter that was utterly left out within the e-book, or click on right here for my last ideas on the matter.

The Rolex Oyster from 1926

Latest analysis means that among the many first Rolex Oyster fashions produced, had been some Oyster pocket watches made between October 1925 and Mai 1926 whereas the patent utility for the Perregaux and Perret screw-down crown (CH114948), the very invention which made the Oyster doable, was nonetheless pending. Evidence for this are the stamps ‘Patent utilized for +114948’ discovered on the casebacks of all recognized examples.

These elegant timepieces are extraordinarily uncommon. If you ever come throughout one in your life you’ll be able to contemplate your self fortunate. In late 2022, I had the possibility to examine not one however three of them throughout a visit to Taiwan. They are completely attractive!

Basically a 3-piece F. Borgel case, the actual innovation of the Oyster lied within the screw-down crown invented by Perregaux and Perret in 1925. Hans Wilsdorf shortly realized its potential and purchased the patent. The downside with this primary design was that the stem remained engaged when screwing down the crown. Especially when totally wound, this operation put monumental stress on all elements concerned, even to the extent of damaging the mainspring. To keep away from the difficulty, a brand new patent was filed in October 1926 (CH120848). The new design featured a clutch which disengaged the stem when being screwed down.

All these early Oyster instances with wire lugs had been made by casemaker C. R. Spillmann in La-Chaux-de-Fonds. They had been the go-to casemaker for a lot of later Rolex watches, particularly chronographs akin to classic Daytonas. They additionally produced for different manufacturers akin to Omega (Speedmaster).

It is fascinating to notice that the Perregaux and Perret patent for the screw-down crown (CH119948) was first transferred to C. R. Spillmann on July 19, 1926, and solely 5 days afterward July 24, 1926, to Hans Wilsdorf. The patent for the Oyster case was filed on September 21, 1926. C. R. Spillmann was concerned from the very starting within the creation of the Oyster waterproof case and it stands to purpose that they had been the precise designers of the case.

In the Thirties, Rolex developed a brand new streamlined Oyster case design in collaboration with case maker Robert Meylan, that includes strong lugs and a simplified development. The unique 3-piece Oyster case development with wire lugs, nevertheless, lived on within the diving device watches made by Rolex for the well-known navy divers of the key Italian Navy unit Decima Flottiglia MAS and distributed by means of Italian Rolex retailer G. Panerai & Figlio who outfitted the watches with their very own Radiomir dials.

With Rolex markings in every single place, it can not denied that these watches had been made by Rolex.

There appears to be no reference to this necessary chapter of Rolex historical past within the approved Submariner e-book, which is bizarre as these watches had been the primary skilled diving device watches in historical past. On the opposite hand, there are just a few pages devoted to the British film ‘The Silent Enemy’, which recounts the adventures of Lieutenant-Commander Lionel ‘Buster’ Crabb in Gibraltar, famously looking down Italian divers who had been trying to sabotage British battleships within the British Naval Base.