In 1908, Rolex founder Hans Wilsdorf penned the name Rolex. More than just a brand name stamped on the dial, it also provided an identity for his dedicated watch manufacturer. The rest, shall we say, is history still in the making.
Well over a century since its founding, Rolex is launching a new collection developed from the ground up. It is a radical evolution of its Classic category, and the company named it the Perpetual 1908. The “1908” represents the year that Hans Wilsdorf devised the brand’s name and “Perpetual”, as a nod to the first Rolex self-winding wristwatch, which bore the name, Perpetual. Collectors and aficionados will also appreciate that the aesthetics of the Perpetual 1908 have also been heavily inspired by that historical timepiece.
Launched earlier this year at Watches & Wonders 2023, the Perpetual 1908 will be offered in 39 mm yellow or white gold cases, each with white or black dial options. Its dial design poses a purist mindset with a railway-track minute scale around the perimeter and a combination of applied Arabic numerals for the 3, 9, and 12 hours at their respective cardinal points. Slender faceted batons are used to mark the remaining hours. At the 6 o’clock position on the dial, there is a small seconds counter with the words ‘Superlative Chronometer’ arched above. For its hands, Rolex has opted for an hour hand with a circle just before its tip, while the minutes hand has been shaped like a two-edged sword. Apart from these essential elements and the brand trademarks, the dial remains elegantly reserved.
The slim case features a bezel that is part domed and part finely fluted, with the fluted treatment being repeated on the back of the case. A display caseback at the back of the Perpetual 1908 provides an unencumbered view of the calibre 7140, which has been thoughtfully decorated, most visibly with the Rolex Côtes de Genève, the brand’s take on the tradition of decorating large surfaces of movement plates with a stylised ribbed pattern. Except for a few rare pieces from the past, this is the first year Rolex has implemented exhibition casebacks on its watches. They are on the Perpetual 1908 and the new platinum Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona.
Driving the new Perpetual 1908 is the new calibre 7140, a movement wholly developed and manufactured by Rolex, unveiled this year. The self- winding movement provides approximately 66 hours of power reserve. A number of Rolex technical innovations has been incorporated into the calibre 7140, including the patented, highly efficient, reliable, and magnetic-resistant Chronergy escapement. The calibre 7140 is also equipped with the patented Syloxi hairspring, made of silicon and mounted on the patented high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers, ensuring excellent chronometry. Furthermore, as with all of the brand’s timepieces, the Perpetual 1908 is both COSC and internally chronometer-certified, ensuring a deviation of no more than two seconds per day.
The Perpetual 1908 and its undoubtedly contemporary aesthetic is ideally in line with what can be expected from Rolex. As an homage to its founding father, the collection provides a small glimpse into the company’s past while boasting the best chronometric advancements the brand is known for.
