The Golden Age Of Rolex Movements Part II: Rolex Gets Complicated With Innovations And Patent ...

At the patent office Components such as shock springs are as significant to the Rolex watchmaking revolution as the rock-star movements themselves Rolex often telegraphs its next moves - and movements - with patent applications.

Trace the Rolex patent breadcrumb trail to a June 1998 application for U.S patent number 5881026, "A self-compensating spring for a balance-spring made of a paramagnetic Nb-Zr alloy containing between 5% and 25% by weight of Zr." "Another piece of the Rolex roadmap appeared in June 2011, less than a year before the launch of the Sky-Dweller, when Rolex filed US.

patent number 8328414 for a bezel-based function selector by which"the function and/or indication which is to be adjusted is selected using a rotating bezel In hindsight, Rolex was trying to protect itself ahead of a major product launch, but rarely have Rolex patents so explicitly and thoroughly previewed the consumer product to follow To put the complexity of Rolex Caliber 9001 in perspective, consider that Audemars Piguet's modular chronograph in the Royal Oak Offshore includes 365 parts and the Patek Philippe 5370P's split-second chronograph Caliber CH29-535PS includes 312 parts, both exceptional haute horlogerie movements.

The tension between Rolex's movement innovations and branding exercises contribute, in part, to blame for watch collectors' tendency to overlook Rolex watchmaking. . Source