a question to the experts

[fquiroga]

hello, my question is: which was the first "rolex" caliber? the 92560 was the first rolex caliber? was in 1931? thank you very much

[padi56]

Cal 620 NA 18000BPH was the first automatic movement by the RWC in the very first 1931 Bubblebacks made from the John Harwood design that Rolex aquired the patent for.But John Harwood from the Isle of Man UK around 1923 took out a UK patent for the very first automatic winding watch.Now he went on with backing to produce many thousands of these watches,but mainly owing to the depression in the mid 1920s to 1930s in the UK he went bust.Now old Hans of Rolex being a very clever but very shrewd man bought and took up this patent for the Rolex Watch Company. And in the very early 1930s incorporated it into the Borgel type oyster design bubbleback case.So with the Oyster case and this acquired Harwood patent auto wind mechanism that only then wound around 300 degrees.But Rolex did improved the design by the help of Hans brother in-law,who made it more efficient by winding a full 360 degrees.And a power reserve then of around 36 hours,after the auto watch and the oyster case Rolex really took off the rest is just pure marketing genius by Hans.

[Safetrends]

So Rolex really did not invent the first movement that was self winding as they claimed to have, they worked off of a prototype from someone else.

[BASSETHOUNDS]

It was Abraham-Louis Perrelet that invented the first automatic movement back in 1770 then Abraham-Louis Breguet improved it . Not very popular as they were used in pocket watches .. as Paul pointed out correctly it was John Harwood that applied the concept to wrist watches . Then wilsdorf ..

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Safetrends

So Rolex really did not invent the first movement that was self winding as they claimed to have, they worked off of a prototype from someone else.

It was not a prototype but a fully working patented automatic winding mechanisum, the RWC aquired the patent when Harwood went bust.But the Rolex did improved the design but it was from the original design by John Harwood from the Isle of Man UK.

[fquiroga]

mira que si ens liem aqui a escriure en català...

Originally Posted by BASSETHOUNDS

It was Abraham-Louis Perrelet that invented the first automatic movement back in 1770 then Abraham-Louis Breguet improved it . Not very popular as they were used in pocket watches .. as Paul pointed out correctly it was John Harwood that applied the concept to wrist watches . Then wilsdorf ..

[fquiroga]

padi, thanks a lot for your answer, I don't understand what means 300 degrees and 360 degrees...

Originally Posted by padi56

So with the Oyster case and this acquired Harwood patent auto wind mechanism that only then wound around 300 degrees.But Rolex did improved the design by the help of Hans brother in-law,who made it more efficient by winding a full 360 degrees.

[kel]

just for those interested....

john harwood was the man behind the first "mass produced" automatic watch along with a chap called walter vogt (founder of fortis) and the "harwood automatic" was born in 1926. wonder what one of those is worth these days.

later, in the 30s harwood developed another automatic movement for the fortis company.

there seems to be a little historical link between rolex and fortis here as early rolex automatic movements were based on harwoods original designs and the harwood automatic.....

not much ever seems to be mentioned about fortis.... anyone have one? i do! great gardening watch ;o)

wonder what one of those is worth these days.

[fquiroga]

here a 1930´s bubbleback



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