Are Rolex handmade?

[Rexplorer214270]

So on Long's Jewelers website and other AD's websites, there is the following message about Rolex model availability:

Model Availability
All Rolex watches are assembled by hand with the utmost care to ensure exceptional quality. Such high standards naturally restrict Rolex production capacity and, at times, the demand for Rolex watches outpaces this capacity.
Therefore, the availability of certain models may be limited. New Rolex watches are exclusively sold by Official Rolex Jewelers, who receive regular deliveries and independently manage the allocation and sales of watches to customers.
Long's Jewelers is proud to be part of the worldwide network of Official Rolex Jewelers and can provide information on the availability of Rolex watches.

Is the assembled by hand the same as handmade?

[timlaw]

depends what you are comparing Rolex to i suspect

compared to say a Patek Philipe not so much but to most other brands pretty much similar

if you mean every component of the movement is hand made then no - you have to remember rolex make 1 million watches a year so they cannot be hand made the way a patek is when they make a fraction of the watches that rolex do - hence more man hours = higher price (much)

[NorthWest]

Originally Posted by Rexplorer214270

So on Long's Jewelers website and other AD's websites, there is the following message about Rolex model availability:

Model Availability
All Rolex watches are assembled by hand with the utmost care to ensure exceptional quality. Such high standards naturally restrict Rolex production capacity and, at times, the demand for Rolex watches outpaces this capacity.
Therefore, the availability of certain models may be limited. New Rolex watches are exclusively sold by Official Rolex Jewelers, who receive regular deliveries and independently manage the allocation and sales of watches to customers.
Long's Jewelers is proud to be part of the worldwide network of Official Rolex Jewelers and can provide information on the availability of Rolex watches.

Is the assembled by hand the same as handmade?

In a word, no.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Rexplorer214270

. . .

Is the assembled by hand the same as handmade?

No, it is not the same.

Rolex has sophisticated machinery that ensures precision in machining and aligning certain parts, and ensuring torque and pressure is precise.

Final assembly of movements and watches is done by hand, with some processes being machinery operated by hand.

[zjd168]

the short answer is no

[bp1000]

Virtually everything is machine made and then hand assembled.

[Maxy]

Originally Posted by Rexplorer214270

So on Long's Jewelers website and other AD's websites, there is the following message about Rolex model availability:

Model Availability
All Rolex watches are assembled by hand with the utmost care to ensure exceptional quality. Such high standards naturally restrict Rolex production capacity and, at times, the demand for Rolex watches outpaces this capacity.
Therefore, the availability of certain models may be limited. New Rolex watches are exclusively sold by Official Rolex Jewelers, who receive regular deliveries and independently manage the allocation and sales of watches to customers.
Long's Jewelers is proud to be part of the worldwide network of Official Rolex Jewelers and can provide information on the availability of Rolex watches.

Is the assembled by hand the same as handmade?

Yes, handmade but made by robot hands!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Rexplorer214270

So on Long's Jewelers website and other AD's websites, there is the following message about Rolex model availability:

Model Availability
All Rolex watches are assembled by hand with the utmost care to ensure exceptional quality. Such high standards naturally restrict Rolex production capacity and, at times, the demand for Rolex watches outpaces this capacity.
Therefore, the availability of certain models may be limited. New Rolex watches are exclusively sold by Official Rolex Jewelers, who receive regular deliveries and independently manage the allocation and sales of watches to customers.
Long's Jewelers is proud to be part of the worldwide network of Official Rolex Jewelers and can provide information on the availability of Rolex watches.

Is the assembled by hand the same as handmade?

Rolex watches are mass produced thats a simple fact and today to those who think that mechanical watches are produced by hundreds of little elves, restlessly filing, smoothing, grinding, polishing watch parts. And that they are made by grey-haired little old watchmakers, sitting bent at their tables for countless hours, somewhere in the Swiss mountains afraid they would be vastly mistaken. Sure there is still a small percentage with the hands on approach but look at the past COSC tested figures 750000- 900000 watch movements a year now around 800000 plus ts passed a year.But as only the bare uncased movement is tested at the COSC no winding rotor module date wheel,now these could be added to the movement to be finished by hand later.This was a past much advertised Rolex quote it takes 12 months to make a oyster this is what advertisement tries to sell us, but IMHO its light years away from reality.

IMHO in today's,watch production world its now primarily an issue of engineers,computer techs, and metallurgists,various technicians,and specially trained workers.Once you have the design and tooling for vast production you can make them by the many thousands. And as the parts are robot machine made, in theory they should be all the same much more easy to get a first time pass rate at COSC,than a movement thats completely hand made, too many variables with a completely hand made movement and just think of the huge extra time cost.IMHO the traditional watchmaking part is all but now the very last thing in modern day mass watch production today.And then only when the movements are fully assembled in case and adjusted and finally checked again on timing machine before packed and shipped world wide.

Quote from a past magazine.

Rolex launches its large-scale construction the goal of the new Rolex building project is to contain the entire watch movement making process to one building. Most of the parts distribution and much of the movement manufacturing process is totally automated by robotics.

[GBD]

Not even close to being hand-made, but some final assembly occurs by hand. I don't think this is a bad thing - Rolex's automation, and the quality they are able to maintain at such a massive scale, are really impressive.

[garyk]

All the parts, cases, movements, etc., all the various pieces are machine made but mostly hand assembled with some assist from robots.

I have always appreciated these products and I think there is nothing else quite like it. A lot of great quality product for the money... Just my opinions

[Onikage]

More than most but less than others. If a machine can do it better a machine will be used. I read that somewhere.

[garyk]

Originally Posted by Onikage

More than most but less than others. If a machine can do it better a machine will be used. I read that somewhere.

I just read that too. Also, in the manufacturing process, machines deliver parts to human watchmakers cutting down on time spent looking for parts I guess...

[garyk]

We must organize a TRF expedition to the Rolex Factory sometime!!!

[Robf52]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, it is not the same.

Rolex has sophisticated machinery that ensures precision in machining and aligning certain parts, and ensuring torque and pressure is precise.

Final assembly of movements and watches is done by hand, with some processes being machinery operated by hand.

This.

[Polarexplorerii]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, it is not the same.

Rolex has sophisticated machinery that ensures precision in machining and aligning certain parts, and ensuring torque and pressure is precise.

Final assembly of movements and watches is done by hand, with some processes being machinery operated by hand.

this

[mykii]

The most impressive angle, IMO, to Rollies being "hand assembled" is that the bracelets are hand assembled using a template. Thats a lot of bracelets!

[HogwldFLTR]

I knew it; elves, all done by elves. Thanks for clearing that up for me!!!

[JR16]

Knowing that elves assembled my Rolex makes it more special than my PP


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[alphadweller]

I wonder how many hours of labour are needed to assemble a simple piece like say an OP.

[snok]

I don't think it is completely machine made. Might include little hamdworks too

[Calatrava r]

The photos of the Rolex factory always show lines of people working at counters on the watches. Obviously, most of the parts are machine cut but I would most of the assembly of the movement is done by hand.

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by timlaw

depends what you are comparing Rolex to i suspect

compared to say a Patek Philipe not so much but to most other brands pretty much similar

if you mean every component of the movement is hand made then no - you have to remember rolex make 1 million watches a year so they cannot be hand made the way a patek is when they make a fraction of the watches that rolex do - hence more man hours = higher price (much)

I wonder about this with the more “entry level” pateks. The movement has better finishing for sure, and I have read Patek hand assembles. But I wonder comparing in actuality is patek making the materials all inhouse from scratch the gold, ss, etc. are they making their own crystals, and each movement part truly from scratch, getting rawhide tanning it and stitching all in house. I wonder being inside the facility how actually different patek is from how Rolex makes their watches (obviously I know patek makes far less watches). Not talking their grand complications.

but I sometimes wonder if it a matter of scale. People assume there are less people working there and they are making less watches. Rolex I’m sure had far more watchmakers.

[bay-dweller]

There is a fabrication facility at my workplace.
Frankly, machines can turn out a better product than a human that earns >$130/h.

[Snake Plissken]

Originally Posted by Chester01

I wonder about this with the more “entry level” pateks. The movement has better finishing for sure, and I have read Patek hand assembles. But I wonder comparing in actuality is patek making the materials all inhouse from scratch the gold, ss, etc. are they making their own crystals, and each movement part truly from scratch, getting rawhide tanning it and stitching all in house. I wonder being inside the facility how actually different patek is from how Rolex makes their watches (obviously I know patek makes far less watches). Not talking their grand complications.

but I sometimes wonder if it a matter of scale. People assume there are less people working there and they are making less watches. Rolex I’m sure had far more watchmakers.

The key difference is the finishing. You aren't going to have the same perfect attention to detail with a Rolex because that's the step in the process that requires so much time.

I'm sure Patek doesn't make their own inputs like gold, leather, etc. but that's not really important IMO.

[Aberdein]

Could they not turn the speed dial on the big watch making machine that makes their watches to max speed so they can turn out a few more Daytona's, GMT's and Sub's? Or even just leave it running overnight.

[Chester01]

Originally Posted by Snake Plissken

The key difference is the finishing. You aren't going to have the same perfect attention to detail with a Rolex because that's the step in the process that requires so much time.

I'm sure Patek doesn't make their own inputs like gold, leather, etc. but that's not really important IMO.

I agree with you, but I think despite the companies vast difference in size, many aspects are likely highly similar between the two companies.

[Speedbird-1]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

I knew it; elves, all done by elves. Thanks for clearing that up for me!!!

I met one of the Rolex Elves, in a bar, in Basel, last year.
She, was wearing a Grand Seiko.

[Rashid.bk]

Originally Posted by Tools

No, it is not the same.

Rolex has sophisticated machinery that ensures precision in machining and aligning certain parts, and ensuring torque and pressure is precise.

Final assembly of movements and watches is done by hand, with some processes being machinery operated by hand.

This.
There's no such thing as a "handmade" watch today, not the ones we see in shops at least, and not if you want accuracy and top notch quality in micro details.
However, if you are looking for handmade and assembled like they do traditional shoes and bags still to this day, that type of watch will usually cost upwards of six figures from the likes of George Daniels or Phillippe Dufour.

When it comes to micro mechanics and details, the Horology world benefits most from technology. People throw a tizzy because there Rolex crown doesn't line up to their liking on an $8k watch, can you imagine the amount of screaming their would be for the imperfections of the hand on a $200k watch. The public honestly doesn't want handmade in a watch, although they think they do.

[mav3rick]

rolex philosophy is tt if a machine is able to do a process better than hand assembly, they will assign that part of the process to the machine, if not it will remain hand assembled until the technology required is ever available...

[Easy E]

Originally Posted by Speedbird-1

I met one of the Rolex Elves, in a bar, in Basel, last year.
She, was wearing a Grand Seiko.

So, what you are saying is even Rolex employees are on the wait list.