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Old Expat Beast · 8 June 2016, 05:11 PM

Here are some old Rolex advertisements from Singapore that I found online when I got distracted this afternoon. The first one is the earliest I could find, from 1923. The following three are from 1927, 28 and 29. You can follow the move from the popularity of the “Wristlet” (still a bit of a novelty in 1923, as you see from the wording in the small classified ad), to the dress wristwatch to the Oyster sports watch.

Note that the final ad makes a point about the Oyster being damp proof and dust proof. In the humidity, heat and dust of the South Asia and the Far East (the original Oyster target market) these were seen as more significant benefits than water resistance for swimming.

Excuse the yellow highlights, those are from my search criteria.

I hope you find them interesting.

drfaulkner · 8 June 2016, 05:26 PM

These are great!! Thanks for posting! I have spent a lot of time cruising the Rolex ADs in Singpore.

greggsiam · 8 June 2016, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

In the humidity, heat and dust of the South Asia and the Far East (the original Oyster target market) these were seen as more significant benefits than water resistance for swimming.

I thought the original market was in the west (20 years or so previous) and they promoted Rolex by having the lady swim the English Channel.

ADINVA · 8 June 2016, 05:49 PM

I was not born yet!

Old Expat Beast · 8 June 2016, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greggsiam

I thought the original market was in the west (20 years or so previous) and they promoted Rolex by having the lady swim the English Channel.

Rolex didn't organise the channel swim for their own purposes, they just got Mercedes Gleitze to wear (or carry round her neck) a Rolex Oyster on her second channel swim (which she didn't actually complete, but that's another story).

So I don't have to type it out, here's a photo of a relevant excerpt from the Dowling & Hess book about the pre-development and introduction of the first Oyster cases and the Asia market.

ppalasthira · 8 June 2016, 06:02 PM

Very cool! Thanks for sharing, Old Expat Beast.

Old Expat Beast · 8 June 2016, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADINVA

I was not born yet!

Neither was I, Eric

greggsiam · 8 June 2016, 06:49 PM

Ah thanks. I never knew that.

Cru Jones · 8 June 2016, 08:10 PM

nice, thanks, adam. interesting to see how all-over-the-place rolex was with their designs at one point.

HL65 · 8 June 2016, 08:19 PM

Very cool Adam!

THC · 8 June 2016, 08:31 PM

I love history... Thanks Adam

Snow-Dweller · 8 June 2016, 08:47 PM

Interesting. Thank you.

brandrea · 8 June 2016, 08:53 PM

Thanks a lot for posting this Adam. You can definately see where some of the Panerai styling cues came from.

I always appreciate your informative posts

Sublover2166 · 8 June 2016, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Neither was I, Eric

Well, your name does include the word "OLD"! lol.

mfer · 8 June 2016, 09:48 PM

I'm probably the only one who wants Rolex to bring back the cushion case wire lug watch!

jsg · 8 June 2016, 10:17 PM

Very Cool. Thanks for sharing.

WatchinMD · 8 June 2016, 10:19 PM

Great info, Adam! Very interesting

Cru Jones · 8 June 2016, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandrea

Thanks a lot for posting this Adam. You can definately see where some of the Panerai styling cues came from.

I always appreciate your informative posts

the rolex-panerai connection goes to shared movements, not design elements. at any rate, the cushion case was, and still is, a generic shape.

Gaijin · 8 June 2016, 10:50 PM

Good stuff Adam!

yannis · 8 June 2016, 10:54 PM

Great info Adam!

Beef · 8 June 2016, 11:42 PM

Thanks, Adam, as always. Your historical posts are some of my absolute favorites on here.

Old Expat Beast · 8 June 2016, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beef

Thanks, Adam, as always. Your historical posts are some of my absolute favorites on here.

Thanks mate, good to see you back. Been a while.

rmlovett1 · 8 June 2016, 11:50 PM

Great find.... Thank you!

TimeRookie · 9 June 2016, 12:17 AM

Cool!! Thanks Adam! The history of Rolex is one of the attractions to the brand for me. I have a lot of respect for any company that can remain in business for this long.

jon_jon · 9 June 2016, 12:36 AM

Thanks for this great history lesson

liuk3 · 9 June 2016, 01:15 AM

Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing, Adam.

GerardoG · 9 June 2016, 01:17 AM

great articles!!!!! Gracias for sharing!

evlkoala · 9 June 2016, 01:19 AM

Thanks for sharing.
My father wasn't around yet at that time, he was born in 1935. ( Kuala Lumpur )

minute_man · 9 June 2016, 01:34 AM

Great educational stuff, thanks for sharing!

watchwatcher · 9 June 2016, 01:48 AM

Cool.

8 June 2016, 05:11 PM	#1
Old Expat Beast TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron Join Date: Jul 2013 Real Name: Adam Location: Far East Watch: Golden Tuna Posts: 28,820	Early Rolex in Asia Here are some old Rolex advertisements from Singapore that I found online when I got distracted this afternoon. The first one is the earliest I could find, from 1923. The following three are from 1927, 28 and 29. You can follow the move from the popularity of the “Wristlet” (still a bit of a novelty in 1923, as you see from the wording in the small classified ad), to the dress wristwatch to the Oyster sports watch. Note that the final ad makes a point about the Oyster being damp proof and dust proof. In the humidity, heat and dust of the South Asia and the Far East (the original Oyster target market) these were seen as more significant benefits than water resistance for swimming. Excuse the yellow highlights, those are from my search criteria. I hope you find them interesting. Attached Images

8 June 2016, 08:19 PM	#10
HL65 TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron Join Date: Dec 2007 Real Name: Ken Location: SW Florida Watch: One on my wrist. Posts: 64,005	Very cool Adam! __________________ *SPEM SUCCESSUS ALIT*

8 June 2016, 08:47 PM	#12
Snow-Dweller 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Real Name: Clive Location: The Alps Watch: collections change Posts: 6,284	Interesting. Thank you. __________________ . The path from WIShood to WISdom can have many turnings... ——————————————————————————————————— . 16803. 16570. 18038. 114300. GMW-B5000D.

8 June 2016, 09:48 PM	#15
mfer "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Real Name: Mik Location: USA Posts: 13,724	I'm probably the only one who wants Rolex to bring back the cushion case wire lug watch! __________________ member#3242

8 June 2016, 10:54 PM	#20
yannis "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Real Name: Yannis Location: Europe Watch: maniac Posts: 9,070	Great info Adam! __________________ Rolex Submariner 116610LV \| Tudor 79220N DSSD MEMBERS - OWNERS CLUB

8 June 2016, 05:26 PM	#2
drfaulkner "TRF" Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Real Name: Daniel Location: Malaysia Watch: Expl II, TT DJII Posts: 420	These are great!! Thanks for posting! I have spent a lot of time cruising the Rolex ADs in Singpore.

8 June 2016, 05:49 PM	#4
ADINVA "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Hong Kong Watch: Daytona Posts: 733	I was not born yet!

8 June 2016, 06:02 PM	#6
ppalasthira Banned Join Date: May 2007 Location: ASK Watch: SubC.5711.D500 Posts: 2,236	Very cool! Thanks for sharing, Old Expat Beast.

8 June 2016, 06:49 PM	#8
greggsiam "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Real Name: Gregg Location: Bangkok Posts: 694	Ah thanks. I never knew that.

8 June 2016, 08:10 PM	#9
Cru Jones 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Paris, France Posts: 35,297	nice, thanks, adam. interesting to see how all-over-the-place rolex was with their designs at one point.

8 June 2016, 08:31 PM	#11
THC 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Real Name: Tom Location: Mandeville La Watch: 126333 Posts: 10,664	I love history... Thanks Adam

8 June 2016, 08:53 PM	#13
brandrea 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Real Name: Brian (TBone) Location: canada Watch: es make me smile Posts: 78,075	Thanks a lot for posting this Adam. You can definately see where some of the Panerai styling cues came from. I always appreciate your informative posts

8 June 2016, 10:17 PM	#16
jsg "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2013 Real Name: J. Location: North east USA Watch: Rolex, PAM, Omega Posts: 581	Very Cool. Thanks for sharing.

8 June 2016, 10:19 PM	#17
WatchinMD "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Real Name: Larry Location: Maryland Watch: Saxonia Moonphase Posts: 3,428	Great info, Adam! Very interesting

8 June 2016, 10:50 PM	#19
Gaijin 2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Japan Watch: ing your back. Posts: 16,179	Good stuff Adam!

8 June 2016, 11:42 PM	#21
Beef "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,824	Thanks, Adam, as always. Your historical posts are some of my absolute favorites on here. __________________ "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." "So you have enemies. Good. You must have stood up for something, sometime in your life." Winston Churchill

8 June 2016, 11:50 PM	#23
rmlovett1 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Real Name: Richard Location: GA Watch: YTBD Posts: 23,509	Great find.... Thank you!

9 June 2016, 12:17 AM	#24
TimeRookie "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Real Name: Don Location: Canada Watch: 116710BLNR Posts: 2,204	Cool!! Thanks Adam! The history of Rolex is one of the attractions to the brand for me. I have a lot of respect for any company that can remain in business for this long. __________________ 1988 15053 Rolex Date Two Tone (Grad Present) 116710 GMT Master II BLNR Seiko Prospex LX SNR031 Pelagos 42mm Explorer II 226570

9 June 2016, 12:36 AM	#25
jon_jon "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA Posts: 4,350	Thanks for this great history lesson

9 June 2016, 01:15 AM	#26
liuk3 "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 3,354	Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing, Adam. __________________ "Appreciate your life!"

9 June 2016, 01:17 AM	#27
GerardoG Banned Join Date: Oct 2005 Real Name: Gerardo Location: Here Watch: ALL of them Posts: 32,098	great articles!!!!! Gracias for sharing!

9 June 2016, 01:19 AM	#28
evlkoala "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Los Angeles Watch: Sub Posts: 862	Thanks for sharing. My father wasn't around yet at that time, he was born in 1935. ( Kuala Lumpur )

9 June 2016, 01:34 AM	#29
minute_man 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Real Name: Basil Location: Athens, GR Watch: BoctokKomandirskie Posts: 2,881	Great educational stuff, thanks for sharing!

9 June 2016, 01:48 AM	#30
watchwatcher "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Real Name: Larry Location: Kentucky Watch: Yes Posts: 35,044	Cool.

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