Do you think Rolex have come up against a brick wall?

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Tools

I think that everybody overlooks how truly progressive the Rolex Company is overall..

The latest watches have brought buyers out to line up outside waiting for one, and they've done it without producing a Limited Edition watch every year to artificially peak interest...

I don't think that we will see any major changes in those that have already been changed recently.... But there is still room for Basel surprises.. The YM, the Exp II, and even the Daytona can still provide some excitement in the watch world for the future..

To truly see their innovation, look at the Tudor line.. It has pulled away from the Rolex mother-ship with innovation, designs, current trends. It doesn't even resemble the "Rolex poor relation" styles of days gone by..

Rolex also has their hands in the engineering of Tourbillon movement technology.. As a matter of fact, if Rolex engineers had not been involved, many current watch companies would not have one in their line-up. They have also been a player in silicon technology and were teamed up to help Patek produce their silicon based hairspring ........

They are still the only watch manufacture to sponsor and pay watchmakers and watchmaking schools to turn out future repairmen for our mechanical timepieces...........

I don't think that I would put them up against that brick wall just yet...........

Thanks for your interesting and thought-provoking input, Larry.........appreciated.

JJ

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Tools

I think that everybody overlooks how truly progressive the Rolex Company is overall..

The latest watches have brought buyers out to line up outside waiting for one, and they've done it without producing a Limited Edition watch every year to artificially peak interest...

I don't think that we will see any major changes in those that have already been changed recently.... But there is still room for Basel surprises.. The YM, the Exp II, and even the Daytona can still provide some excitement in the watch world for the future..

To truly see their innovation, look at the Tudor line.. It has pulled away from the Rolex mother-ship with innovation, designs, current trends. It doesn't even resemble the "Rolex poor relation" styles of days gone by..

Rolex also has their hands in the engineering of Tourbillon movement technology.. As a matter of fact, if Rolex engineers had not been involved, many current watch companies would not have one in their line-up. They have also been a player in silicon technology and were teamed up to help Patek produce their silicon based hairspring ........

They are still the only watch manufacture to sponsor and pay watchmakers and watchmaking schools to turn out future repairmen for our mechanical timepieces...........

I don't think that I would put them up against that brick wall just yet...........

I agree.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Tools

To truly see their innovation, look at the Tudor line.. It has pulled away from the Rolex mother-ship with innovation, designs, current trends. It doesn't even resemble the "Rolex poor relation" styles of days gone by..

[HL65]

I think they can offer smooth bezel for gold DDll with a few more dials to choose from--that is about it IMHO.

[Aivas47a]

I'd like to see Rolex extend their movement chops with more complications beyond the Daytona chrono. A rugged perpetual calendar, for example -- that would be sweet!

[Joey_V]

Please...

There's so much that can be done.

1. Improve the crystal. Use something better than sapphire.
2. Hardened steel to resist scratches better.
3. Glidelock on all clasps (GMTIIC included).
4. Better lume.
5. Easy release system for their bracelets so we can start playing with straps.
6. Improved chrono pushers on the daytona. Not something that isn't water resistant underwater.
7. Improved shock system for the movement... Perhaps suspend it between springs or shocks.

So many. It's naive to say that this is as good as it gets.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Puffy

Improved power reserve perhaps?

I hope they don't tamper with case sizes - 40mm is perfect for a sportswatch. Would hate to see Rolex move into the oversized PAM world or awfullness of Rado

Hi Anders,

A power reserve doesn't mean much when it's an automatic?

IMO If you take off an automatic Rolex you either wind it every day or forget about it (apart from my Daytona which would need winding every second day).

How about some gas tubes like my Ball Watch - that would be excellent.

[Lion]

There is always room for improvements that any company can make to their products but if you are looking for agreements among end users...that will never happen. Since Rolex has done the most to improving wrist watches over the decades I believe people now expect big changes and are not happy when the changes do not meet up with their expectations.......So we have choices we can make and one of them would be not to buy and patronage the brand!!!

[stephengreen]

Originally Posted by zeuloa

New breed of larger customer? Have we changed so much since 1945 when the DATEJUST was introduced? That's extremely fast evolution... If anything we are getting wider and heavier, specially here in the USA but that is due to actions (or lack of) rather then natural evolution. However, there is a big push against this trend therefore I see no need for Rolex to supersize all their lines to accommodate.

Not so much evolution as nutrition, at least here in europe.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/apr/04/usa

[Singslinger]

JJ I know this isn't answering your question about improving the case, crown etc, but I hope to see more complications from Rolex.

Currently, the most complicated movements are in the Daytona and YM II, so I'd like to see more, especially a moon phase option (with or without a chrono).

[rfknauss]

JJ, for a mass production watch, Rolex can't be beat. I think they are constantly making improvements and will continue to do so in the future.

[zeuloa]

Originally Posted by stephengreen

Not so much evolution as nutrition, at least here in europe.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/apr/04/usa

Interesting article, and although nutrition does play an important role I strongly believe genetics do play a big role as well.

Somebody stop them Dutch before they become giants and take over the world!!!!

[Mockingbird]

Erase the whole super case debacle and go back to their old well-proportioned cases.

[Danand]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Good post, but if that GLIDELOCK were made any shorter, the very purpose for which it was designed and engineered would be defeated.

It has to be long enough for a professional diver to wear on the outside of a thick diving suit. In fact, the DSSD GLIDELOCK is even further modified for this purpose and is an advancement on the Sub's Glidelock system.

JJ

That's exactly my point- IF they could make it shorter but still keep the same degree of adjustability that would be great. (say the length of a gmt master 2 clasp but the degree of adjustability of the subc). We think it can't be done, but maybe it can, it just needs someone to have a eureka moment.

[ParisDakarBmw]

Think back 50 years. (I'm only 33, but pretend I'm 95).

Watchmaking had gone through major changes prior to that, and then automatic watch became more common. That blew people's minds. Accutron made it's crazy device, and set the movements into two seperate catagories.

Rolex has kept the basic movement idea, and improved on the frame. In 20 years it will change even more. I expect to see the movements made of crazy light weight metals, or things beyond the parachrome spring.

As far as looks go, they need to get this Pepsi thing situated!

[Watch Professor]

Allowing us to purchase parts such as the new Glide Lock clasp.
Adding a date to the Daytona.

[SCD]

Co-axial movements some time down the road?

[fernando]

Add anti-reflective coatings to both sides of the crystal (other mfg's have been doing this for decades).

I agree with the posts about upgrading the crystal material. Synthetic diamond, which is certainly doable with today's technology - or perhaps as used in one of the Star-Trek movies, transparent aluminum. I would be impressed with that.

Add some thickness and dome the crystals a la DSSD.

Optional crystal backs to see the movement. The Omega Seamaster GMT (2535.80) has one.

I agree with the longer power reserve, maybe 72 hrs. Along with some notation on the dial to indicate such reserve.

[Pep04]

They can create more models with complications like their competitors. Maybe a new moon phase watch or a split second?


I would like to see what a rubber strap would look like on my GMTIIc.

[ayres]

i think shock absorption will see some advances... as is currently happening in other brands.

higher-beat movements with better alloys that resist wear better?

whatever it is, it needs to happen. maybe we're all denying the truth: rolex peaked decades ago. i hope not.

[Joey_V]

Bottomline is that Rolex will not stay stagnant and they are not up against a brick wall.

I don't understand how anyone can think otherwise.

I mean, even the Daytona has faults - what about the bezel and the fading numbers?

[KarlFr]

Rolex hasn't stopped developping, just taking one planned step ahead at the time. if you live in switzerland for a while you'll figure it out. Imagination is there no limit to, and competion is getting tougher now when major brands are all going manufacture. For Rolex sake i'm hopping they'll follow the shrinking watch trend (no bigger manufactured than 43mm as quoted by zenith). Personnally i also like to retro trend like the tudor heritage and possibly 1655 inspired expii nextyear. If rolex were daring (but not though)they'll also go for a Rolex Portugueser style or a bullhead daytona all equipt with second generation coaxials

[jamesw]

Maybe Rolex could take a look at their QC.

[George Ab]

Give us a date on the Daytona! How hard can that be?

42.5 mm size and increase the size of the bracelet rather than keeping it disproportionate like on the DSSD. On the sub and GMT, less square and go back to the classically round like the older sub, but supersized to 42.5mm.

I actually prefer the older clasp over the 116610 as it is just 1mm too high off of the wrist to accommodate the adjustment feature.

That said, Rolex has made some huge changes as of late as they are a company that moves methodically and slowly. I'm actually quite satisfied in some of there improvements.

[ArcticMoose]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Well, 40 mm is more or less the PERFECT size

Agreed. It's a good thing everyone is different, but every single watch I own is 40 mm and I can't see myself buying anything larger or smaller.

Originally Posted by Joey_V

1. Improve the crystal. Use something better than sapphire.

Yes, please. With inherent anti-reflective properties.

Originally Posted by Joey_V

2. Hardened steel to resist scratches better.

AMEN!

Originally Posted by Joey_V

3. Glidelock on all clasps (GMTIIC included).

Yep.

Originally Posted by Joey_V

4. Better lume.

Yes, please! And maybe a digital display? That would be cool. :-)

Originally Posted by Joey_V

5. Easy release system for their bracelets so we can start playing with straps.

Would be nice.

Originally Posted by Joey_V

6. Improved chrono pushers on the daytona. Not something that isn't water resistant underwater.

I hadn't realized they weren't. Good thing I don't own a Daytona, I would have taken it diving.

Originally Posted by Joey_V

7. Improved shock system for the movement...

This has gone through my mind every time I've bashed my watch against something.

I would also like to see some cosmetic improvements. The paint on the dials of most of the sports watches looks really sloppy to me. Perhaps a metal-based paint could give the text a more precise appearance?

A few quotes:

Everything that can be invented has been invented.. -- Charles H. Duell, US Patent Office, 1899

640K ought to be enough for anybody.. -- Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft, 1981

Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons. -- Popular Mechanics, 1949

Who the hell wants to hear actors talk? -- H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927

Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau. -- Irving Fisher, Yale University, 1929

Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible. -- Lord Kelvin, Royal Society, 1895

[TerryTibbs]

Possibly controversial but what about a SUB with a lower profile back, in line with the GMT-II?
I think I prefer the less busy dial of the SUB (OH called the GMT-II a toy watch OMG) but the close fitting nature of the GMT seemed much nicer in the shop.

[mountainrivera]

I agree with others on the size issue. Perhaps they can come up with a Steroid Line so there would be both small and larger versions of their traditional models. They should call it, "Barry Bonds After" and for short I can say I bot a sub-c-bba.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by Jocke

Maybe the Sub-C will get a thinner case?

That would nice

Hopefully when this current trend for absurdly chunky and excessive large and blinged up watches passes......they will go back to making some proper designs again.

[x5falcon]

How about getting the second hand move more smoothly? It seems the movement is 8 times per second currently, but if they make it to 10 or 12 or even 16 per second, I think the second hand sweep will be much smoother and more enjoyable to look at too...

[cwru32]

seems to me that they have a mechnical movement as a means to make more money during service periods! they should slim down the wt of the watches and offer quartz mvmt ;/