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Originally Posted by alf
RPK, not trying to be argumentative but curious what happened to Rolex after 1971? All of mine but the GMT2 are pre-71 but that was not by design, I just bought what I liked.
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There is no magic about 1971. It just happens to be the newest Rolex I own. But starting in the mid seventies and accelerating to today, Rolex undertook the business course of being more profitable. Due to the Japanese threat, Rolex came to believe that the ony way to survive the future was to fundamentally change the way mechanical watches were made (this is not new to the Swiss, when America perfected mass production of precise mechanisms, like watches, they stole the majority of world watch sales from the Swiss. To combat this, the Swiss adopted the American method of watch production). Rolex came to the same conclusion in the mid seventies, except that they adapted the techniques of the world's automation experts, the Japanese (Japan was the first country to adapt robotic and CNC manufacturing in a wholesale manner).
So Rolex started to automate every production step in watch making they could, culminating in today’s Rolex. It is a solid, evolved design that has been tweaked to enable as much automation as possible in it's manufacture and still be a quality watch.. There is very little hand work involved. This does not mean it is a bad watch, not at all. But it is not a great watch in the sense design, creativity, hand work, art, complication, etc. It is along with a slick advertising campaign the reason Rolex grew into the largest (by far) and best known luxury watchmaker. And although I can appreciate the engineering and automation design require to produce a modern Rolex, they leave me cold because of what they no longer manifest.
One must in the 21st century, realize that telling time is best served by other devices. You can do it cheaper, far more accurate, and far more reliable with cell and quartz technology. So why buy an archaic anachronistic expensive mechanical device? There are a few reasons; each person will have their own.
For me a high grade mechanical watch is a singular marvel. In innovation watch makers seeking ever greater precision and reliability were far ahead of any other mechanical and engineering endeavors. In metallurgy research they were always at the cutting edge. All of the decorative arts (polishing, engraving, enameling, jewelry, painting, gold and silver working, sculpture, etc.) were all brought to their highest perfection first in watch making. Imagine having a compilation of most of the engineering principles, art techniques and expression and human history, all in such a small package on your wrist. Who would not enjoy this immeasurably if they only understood? It's is like having a little bit of DaVinci all to your own.
This is why horology is one of my hobbies. I obtain, purchase, repair and trade watches strictly as a hobby. I do not wear a watch for status or to show my success. I actually often try to find more obscure models and small manufactures to spend my money on. Sort of like supporting the local economy; I try to do everything to allow the art and science of handmade and hand finished mechanical watches to survive.
You do not have to look in dark corners like I do, there are plenty of watches one can purchase that have the look, feel and reliability of a current Rolex. But there are many more with better looks and feel (opinion), and much better construction and reliability (fact). The best thing is you have an enormous spectrum to choose from. One does not have to settle for mass marketed, mass produced flash with a great publicity department calculated to influence the bovine crowd. But each to his own; I’m only suggesting that one tries to learn before one decides, how that could cause someone to get their panties in a twist, is pretty amusing!