ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX

Sojamannen · 11 November 2009, 02:04 AM

Hello again!

Look what i found! In the rolex advertising, the text says:
"All Rolex Oysters are carved out of a solid block of 18 kt. gold or hardend Swedish stainless steel."

Here is the link:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...=2687,11502344

Is it true? Anybody knows?

Balboa · 11 November 2009, 02:42 AM

That ad is nearly 40 years old. I don't think Rolex has specified the source of their raw materials for some time. They probably have several sources for critical materials. Sweden could still be one of them.

I would like to purchase one of those $195 Submariners shown in the ad. I'll even pay the shipping.

Mark

STEELINOX · 11 November 2009, 02:48 AM

culd b related...

http://rolexmetal.trustpass.alibaba.com/

CKLinLA · 11 November 2009, 02:49 AM

The ad is too old to be relevant as to current steel source.
I think the largest steel producers these days tend to be in India and China, but I guess it could still be Sweden or some European based company.

If the steel is now sourced from India or China, I doubt Rolex would mention in an Ad. Even back then, I note that Rolex prefers to associate the 1968 Olympics with Acapulco, rather than Mexico City!

Idle Swede · 11 November 2009, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojamannen

Hello again!

Look what i found! In the rolex advertising, the text says:
"All Rolex Oysters are carved out of a solid block of 18 kt. gold or hardend Swedish stainless steel."

Is it true? Anybody knows?

Of course it's true.

padi56 · 11 November 2009, 02:59 AM

I would imagine the steel is sourced world wide in billets or in scrap form to be melted down and reformed into billets.There's a lot of myths surrounding Rolex watches. Here is one of them:you often hear that it takes Rolex a year to build a watch. Rolex does little to dispel this myth and in fact promotes it in some of its advertising like one above. But this claim is widely ridiculed within the industry. Anyone who has seen Rolex's new watch manufacturing center in Geneva knows it's a near perfect fusion of automation and technology.Today when you consider that Rolex is producing around 4,000 plus watches a day at peek, this one-year-to-build claim is exposed for what it is.Just purely marketing hype propaganda designed to create a romantic myth around the idea of real watchmaking instead of highly automated mass production..I watched a program on the making of mobile phones all those very very tiny component put on to circuit boards at break neck speed by machine.Cannot see why not the same for mass produced watches.

sbux · 11 November 2009, 04:00 AM

well if u add up all the time, sequentially, for each part, from start to finish, it may just a year. thats why they are saying it i guess. pretty misleading.

Jocke · 11 November 2009, 04:32 AM

Here is what they wrote about Sandvik.

Sandvik

Jocke

Idle Swede · 11 November 2009, 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jocke

Here is what they wrote about Sandvik.

Sandvik

Jocke

Jocke, we all know where the Rolex steel comes from, it's just the moderators that thinks it comes from China.

BarkMaster · 11 November 2009, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Jocke, we all know where the Rolex steel comes from, it's just the moderators that thinks it comes from China.

That explains the "Made in China" sticker on mine.

Prince · 11 November 2009, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Jocke, we all know where the Rolex steel comes from, it's just the moderators that thinks it comes from China.

I don't think it comes from China, Leo. See! I'm alive AND awake!

Idle Swede · 11 November 2009, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince

I don't think it comes from China, Leo. See! I'm alive AND awake!

Add Alert as well.

Jocke · 11 November 2009, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Jocke, we all know where the Rolex steel comes from, it's just the moderators that thinks it comes from China.

Yes and we are soooo shy over here that we never bragging about it.

Jocke · 11 November 2009, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prince

I don't think it comes from China, Leo. See! I'm alive AND awake!

Allan did you know your glasses is made in yellow in China.

Prince · 11 November 2009, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idle Swede

Add Alert as well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jocke

Allan did you know your glasses is made in yellow in China.

Yes, and not surprisingly either!

Sojamannen · 11 November 2009, 05:52 AM

Well, I think Jocke has shown the best evidence so far, the Swedish company Sandvik is delivering steel to Rolex!

I thought it just was a myth, but there it is.

SDDS · 11 November 2009, 09:44 AM

interesting facts

1000ftSub · 11 November 2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojamannen

Hello again!

Look what i found! In the rolex advertising, the text says:
"All Rolex Oysters are carved out of a solid block of 18 kt. gold or hardend Swedish stainless steel."

Here is the link:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...=2687,11502344

Is it true? Anybody knows?

ah, its something how rolex's changed very little over the past 50 years. Which good in ways i guess

snow_rocks · 11 November 2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sojamannen

Hello again!

Look what i found! In the rolex advertising, the text says:
"All Rolex Oysters are carved out of a solid block of 18 kt. gold or hardend Swedish stainless steel."

Here is the link:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?ni...=2687,11502344

Is it true? Anybody knows?

Text also sez 1968 Olympics in Acapulco. Sorry, Mexico City (summer), or Grenoble (winter).

Idle Swede · 11 November 2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snow_rocks

Text also sez 1968 Olympics in Acapulco. Sorry, Mexico City (summer), or Grenoble (winter).

That only goes to show how good it is since they are still buying it 42 years later.

Pep04 · 11 November 2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by padi56

I would imagine the steel is sourced world wide in billets or in scrap form to be melted down and reformed into billets.There's a lot of myths surrounding Rolex watches. Here is one of them:you often hear that it takes Rolex a year to build a watch. Rolex does little to dispel this myth and in fact promotes it in some of its advertising like one above. But this claim is widely ridiculed within the industry. Anyone who has seen Rolex's new watch manufacturing center in Geneva knows it's a near perfect fusion of automation and technology.Today when you consider that Rolex is producing around 4,000 plus watches a day at peek, this one-year-to-build claim is exposed for what it is.Just purely marketing hype propaganda designed to create a romantic myth around the idea of real watchmaking instead of highly automated mass production..I watched a program on the making of mobile phones all those very very tiny component put on to circuit boards at break neck speed by machine.Cannot see why not the same for mass produced watches.

What about the ceramic bezel? The Rolex web page claims it takes 40 hours to make it. Is this exaggerated?

Porsche · 11 November 2009, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by padi56

I would imagine the steel is sourced world wide in billets or in scrap form to be melted down and reformed into billets.There's a lot of myths surrounding Rolex watches. Here is one of them:you often hear that it takes Rolex a year to build a watch. Rolex does little to dispel this myth and in fact promotes it in some of its advertising like one above. But this claim is widely ridiculed within the industry. Anyone who has seen Rolex's new watch manufacturing center in Geneva knows it's a near perfect fusion of automation and technology.Today when you consider that Rolex is producing around 4,000 plus watches a day at peek, this one-year-to-build claim is exposed for what it is.Just purely marketing hype propaganda designed to create a romantic myth around the idea of real watchmaking instead of highly automated mass production..I watched a program on the making of mobile phones all those very very tiny component put on to circuit boards at break neck speed by machine.Cannot see why not the same for mass produced watches.

Thanks Padi, I always knew there was marketing hyperbole in that claim, but was never quite sure how they "calculated" the year...

I wonder if it includes time taken in the preparation of raw materials? eg. the smelting of the gold.

Or maybe it means from the time the first billet of steel/gold/platinum is cast, until the watch actually leaves the factory gate?

multimedia · 12 November 2009, 04:03 PM

Indeed an interesting and fun read!

A big

for Swedish steel.
(but then again, who would have thought anything else?)

Cheers,
Joe

Polizeifritz · 12 November 2009, 06:28 PM

It is likely as much hype as them saying it takes a year to make a Rolex

padi56 · 12 November 2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pep04

What about the ceramic bezel? The Rolex web page claims it takes 40 hours to make it. Is this exaggerated?

Well first its the insert only and if it takes almost 2 days to make one insert
or perhaps a thousand inserts. Its just purely marketing propaganda much like saying (Carlberg is the best larger in the world) but then they say probably.

Singslinger · 12 November 2009, 07:31 PM

What's the difference between Swedish steel and say, steel from China or Mexico or anywhere else? Is Swedish steel harder? (I think the measurement scale for hardness is Vickers).

As other TRF members have often pointed out, enquiring minds want to know!

padi56 · 12 November 2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Singslinger

What's the difference between Swedish steel and say, steel from China or Mexico or anywhere else? Is Swedish steel harder? (I think the measurement scale for hardness is Vickers).

As other TRF members have often pointed out, enquiring minds want to know!

316L 904L and all the rest of the stainless steels will have same formula world wide.But myself worked in the Steel industry for almost 30 years,but in those days say Ford preferred Steel from Llanwern.And British Leyland preferred its steel from Port Talbert.In todays high production market I would expect they have several other sources of Steel other than Sweden. It would not make sense just to rely on a single source supplier who could dictate its price to the buyer.

Jocke · 12 November 2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Singslinger

What's the difference between Swedish steel and say, steel from China or Mexico or anywhere else? Is Swedish steel harder? (I think the measurement scale for hardness is Vickers).

As other TRF members have often pointed out, enquiring minds want to know!

To me it's easier to talk with the steel if it is from Sweden.

11 November 2009, 02:48 AM	#3
STEELINOX 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Real Name: Sink-O! Location: a praire in AZ Watch: ROLEX-less atm... Posts: 14,020	culd b related... http://rolexmetal.trustpass.alibaba.com/ __________________ *Positive Waves Baby* Lug Hole Loyalist / Chamfer Line Inspector INFORTHE WIN SUB-MAH-REEEN-ER ~ !

11 November 2009, 02:49 AM	#4
CKLinLA "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Real Name: KL Location: Los Angeles Watch: Explorer II Black Posts: 1,480	The ad is too old to be relevant as to current steel source. I think the largest steel producers these days tend to be in India and China, but I guess it could still be Sweden or some European based company. If the steel is now sourced from India or China, I doubt Rolex would mention in an Ad. Even back then, I note that Rolex prefers to associate the 1968 Olympics with Acapulco, rather than Mexico City! __________________ Explorer II 1655; Day Date 1803; Submariner 14060; Deepsea Sea-Dweller 116660; 5-Digit Datejusts; Perpetual Date 1500 and 15000; Pelagos FXD M25707B; Omega Dynamic 'Targa Florio' 5291.51.07; 'Good Planet' GMT 232.30.44.22.03.001; Planet Ocean 215.30.40.20.03.002; Zenith Chronomaster Original 03.3200.3600/22.M3200.

11 November 2009, 02:59 AM	#6
padi56 "TRF" Life Patron Join Date: Jun 2005 Real Name: Peter Location: Llanfairpwllgwyng Watch: ing you. Posts: 53,041	I would imagine the steel is sourced world wide in billets or in scrap form to be melted down and reformed into billets.There's a lot of myths surrounding Rolex watches. Here is one of them:you often hear that it takes Rolex a year to build a watch. Rolex does little to dispel this myth and in fact promotes it in some of its advertising like one above. But this claim is widely ridiculed within the industry. Anyone who has seen Rolex's new watch manufacturing center in Geneva knows it's a near perfect fusion of automation and technology.Today when you consider that Rolex is producing around 4,000 plus watches a day at peek, this one-year-to-build claim is exposed for what it is.Just purely marketing hype propaganda designed to create a romantic myth around the idea of real watchmaking instead of highly automated mass production..I watched a program on the making of mobile phones all those very very tiny component put on to circuit boards at break neck speed by machine.Cannot see why not the same for mass produced watches. __________________ ICom Pro3 All posts are my own opinion and my opinion only. "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you actually own the time, Place no faith in time, for the clock may soon be still for ever." Good Judgement comes from experience,experience comes from Bad Judgement,.Buy quality, cry once; buy cheap, cry again and again. www.mc0yad.club Second in command CEO and left handed watch winder

11 November 2009, 04:32 AM	#8
Jocke 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Real Name: Jocke Location: Sweden Watch: A dozen of Rolex's Posts: 22,541	Here is what they wrote about Sandvik. Sandvik Jocke __________________ This message is written in perfect swenglish. What is best a custom Rolex or a Rolex that is stuck in custom? Buy a professional camera and you´re a professional photographer, buy a flute and you own a flute.

11 November 2009, 09:44 AM	#17
SDDS "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Real Name: Yazan Location: Canada Posts: 4,782	interesting facts __________________ Patek Philippe 5167 Patek Philippe 5905P black dial Rolex Deepsea 116660 M series Rolex Oysterquartz 17000 N series Rolex OP 41MM 124300 Green Dial

11 November 2009, 02:42 AM	#2
Balboa Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: SoCal OC U.S.A. Posts: 342	That ad is nearly 40 years old. I don't think Rolex has specified the source of their raw materials for some time. They probably have several sources for critical materials. Sweden could still be one of them. I would like to purchase one of those $195 Submariners shown in the ad. I'll even pay the shipping. Mark

11 November 2009, 04:00 AM	#7
sbux "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: USA Posts: 303	well if u add up all the time, sequentially, for each part, from start to finish, it may just a year. thats why they are saying it i guess. pretty misleading.

11 November 2009, 05:52 AM	#16
Sojamannen "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sweden Watch: Rolex SD Z-serial Posts: 10	Well, I think Jocke has shown the best evidence so far, the Swedish company Sandvik is delivering steel to Rolex! I thought it just was a myth, but there it is.

12 November 2009, 04:03 PM	#23
multimedia "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Real Name: Joe Location: Hong Kong Posts: 1,835	Indeed an interesting and fun read! A big for Swedish steel. (but then again, who would have thought anything else?) Cheers, Joe

12 November 2009, 06:28 PM	#24
Polizeifritz "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: The garage Watch: SMP Posts: 145	It is likely as much hype as them saying it takes a year to make a Rolex

12 November 2009, 07:31 PM	#26
Singslinger "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: singapore Posts: 6,424	What's the difference between Swedish steel and say, steel from China or Mexico or anywhere else? Is Swedish steel harder? (I think the measurement scale for hardness is Vickers). As other TRF members have often pointed out, enquiring minds want to know!

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