What doesn’t Rolex make in house?

[Nice marmot]

I know Rolex is nearly a completely vertically integrated company. Everyone knows they own the foundry, make the metals and of course all of the internals and dials.

I was just sitting here on a Sunday morning pondering what do they still outsource? Hands? Crystals? Anything not made in house anymore?

They are not a very transparent company at all. Anyone know they answer to this?

[Robf52]

Hands and crystals for sure. Mainsprings, movement screws and bracelet pins also, I believe.

[EEpro]

Nobody can know for sure unless they'll put it in writing.

That's said I have my suspicions that crystals are outsourced unless they are purposely mixing and matching AR coating hues under their cyclops. They probably have a handful of vendors that account for the variation.

I don't take issue with this. My Vacheron dial and bracelet were made by vendors. The cases of A Lange & Sohne are made by a handful of vendors also.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Nice marmot

I know Rolex is nearly a completely vertically integrated company. Everyone knows they own the foundry, make the metals and of course all of the internals and dials.

I was just sitting here on a Sunday morning pondering what do they still outsource? Hands? Crystals? Anything not made in house anymore?

They are not a very transparent company at all. Anyone know they answer to this?

Its doubtful if Rolex themselves make there own movement/bracelet screws,lume paint, plus a few things are still out sourced by Rolex, like mainsprings they are made by Schwab-Feller AG, all movement bearing and cap jewels, watch crystals, spring-bars, and a firm called Aiguilles makes all the watch hands for all models. And some years ago now some movement parts were finished by home workers .And dials are made in 3 different factories now all owned by Rolex so there has always been and always will be tiny variations on dials over production years.

[enjoythemusic]

^^^ great info, thanks Peter!

[Wee-Willie]

The wait list for a watch!!

[Hemdog]

Merch

[Stud Screw]

The issue is not so much that they lack transparency, but rather that, outside of a small portion of enthusiasts like ourselves, the vast majority of customers couldn't care less. Hence, Rolex has never felt the need to provide an itemized breakdown of what is made "in-house," and what is not. It would be a waste of time and effort.

The whole notion of "in-house," after all, is a mostly romantic one that, with the peculiar exception of watches and (maybe) cars, is absent from our collective perceptions of other products. Do you demand "in-house" from your desk lamp, your coffee maker, or your TV?

[77T]

Opacity thine name is Rolex…

I believe they still outsource their non-metal Watch bands - both animal and elastomer.


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[alphadweller]

I read somewhere that they outsource the polishing of their steel cases.

[MRBolton]

Seeing as there aren’t likely many alligators in Switzerland, the leather straps surely are outsourced.

The rubber in Oysterflex likely is coming from somewhere else, too.

[ExplorerI]

Originally Posted by Stud Screw

The issue is not so much that they lack transparency, but rather that, outside of a small portion of enthusiasts like ourselves, the vast majority of customers couldn't care less. Hence, Rolex has never felt the need to provide an itemized breakdown of what is made "in-house," and what is not. It would be a waste of time and effort.

The whole notion of "in-house," after all, is a mostly romantic one that, with the peculiar exception of watches and (maybe) cars, is absent from our collective perceptions of other products. Do you demand "in-house" from your desk lamp, your coffee maker, or your TV?

Yes I take much pride in my fully in house coffee maker!

[Old Expat Beast]

I doubt Rolex ever made watch boxes, but they used to at least show 'Made in Switzerland'. I don't think they do nowadays. Likely made in China with so many required every year.

[GMT_lover]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHLpGf-pzFs
2:30 into the video. Interesting if true.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Nice marmot

Anything not made in house anymore?

Love


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[htrap2294]

Originally Posted by padi56

Its doubtful if Rolex themselves make there own movement/bracelet screws,lume paint, plus a few things are still out sourced by Rolex, like mainsprings they are made by Schwab-Feller AG, all movement bearing and cap jewels, watch crystals, spring-bars, and a firm called Aiguilles makes all the watch hands for all models. And some years ago now some movement parts were finished by home workers .And dials are made in 3 different factories now all owned by Rolex so there has always been and always will be tiny variations on dials over production years.

If the watch hands are made by one vendor, any idea why they differ a little on the same model? Example, 126610LV has two different second hands mounting cap that I've seen. One is a thin metal ring, while the other looks more like an actual cap.

Here's a quote of what I mean with mine:

Originally Posted by htrap2294

A closeup of mine!


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And the other variation of the second hands mounting cap can be shown here:

Originally Posted by dlav

Mine showed up last week. Congrats everyone!




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[Greg.A]

Chocolates