The Canadian Horological Institute at Church and Wellesley in Downtown Toronto / Credit: WURM Hastings

A LOOK AT WATCHMAKING SCHOOLS IN CANADA

February 04, 2021 in Watch Industry, Horology

Watchmaking schools have long been central to the watch industry, what about some of the schools in Canada?

Screenshot from the 1964 Seiko catalogue

SEIKO AND THE 1964 TOKYO OLYMPICS

January 28, 2021 in Seiko

The Olympics are often very impactful for any city or nation-state that gets the honour of hosting them. We took a quick look at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and how they impacted Seiko.

IN MEMORY OF BASELWORLD

August 08, 2020 in Horology

As we’re sure many of you are aware, Baselworld has been struggling as of late…

Long Reads

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The 'Special Forces' of Watchmaking

Inside Rolex’s most specialized watchmaking team, the master watchmakers at the Atelier de Restauration are the elite of their profession, working with new and antique tools, recreating old manufacturing techniques and solving problems that can take months of research…

Inside the Rolex Workforce

The figures in this article tell the story of a brand that has built one of the industry's largest and most diverse in-house manufacturing workforces, with low employee turnover while keeping the majority of its expertise in a country less than 10% the size of Texas…

Crazy About Rolex, Indeed

A new Rolex book, Crazy About Rolex, mixes bold typography, vibrant colors, magazine-style layouts and large-format imagery all while talking about Rolex's collections, culture and philosophy…

Rolex’s Swiss Expansion Challenge

Rolex display cases may remain empty, but the growing forest of cranes above Bulle has become a visible reminder of the extraordinary lengths Switzerland’s largest watchmaker is willing to go to expand production in one of the world’s most tightly regulated industrial environments…

The History of the Yacht-Master II

The Rolex Yacht-Master II can feel sometimes removed from the brand’s other Professional models because of its highly specific purpose. Yet, beneath its polished exterior is one of the most technically complex movements Rolex has produced…

The Art of the Dial

Amid all the talk of AI taking over jobs, dial manufacturing at Rolex may be among the safest crafts in Switzerland. More than any other part of the watch, it is where beauty, art, technology and expertise meet at the most visible level…

Wilsdorf's Oyster Turns 100

The story of the watch that managed to shut the world out. Rolex is celebrating, in 2026, the 100 years of the Oyster, the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch in the world…

Rolex’s Ambitious Plan for Green Manufacturing

The new 3D renderings provided by Rolex offer the clearest look yet at its future manufacture. Construction began in 2025 just outside the Swiss town of Bulle, and the site is scheduled to open in 2029…

Dufour on Retail, Innovation, AI

At Dubai Watch Week on Nov. 19, 2025, Rolex CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour offered a rare look at how the brand thinks about its future. He discussed the importance of long-term partnerships, the use of AI in manufacturing, and the balance between innovation and tradition…

Rolex's Philosophy of Precision

Why in an era of smartwatches, Rolex, a brand now more closely associated with luxury than with instrument making, continues to invest in improving the accuracy of its mechanical movements…

When Rolex Sets the World’s Clock

How does Rolex define time? It’s not just about measuring it; it’s about setting the standard. With its atomic clock, Rolex now produces the very second used to calibrate its precision-testing machines and contributes towards the realization of international time…

Rolex and the Next Generation

Rolex has made training and apprenticeship a key part of its strategy to preserve know-how and prepare the next generation of watchmakers and specialists…

Rolex’s Hidden Display Studio

Birds and flowers encased in leather. Airships with metallic skins. Miniature trains climbing mountainsides. For decades, Rolex has relied on Roldeco, a company it owns, to design and produce elaborate window displays that appear in the brand’s stores worldwide…

Inside Rolex’s Gold Advantage

Rolex has built a competitive edge through its little-known "circular gold" system. From washing filings to incinerating polishing cloths, the brand has quietly built a recycling process that helps shield it from gold price volatility…

Book Review: 'The Making of a Status Symbol'

Rolex is often celebrated for its craftsmanship, but “The Making of a Status Symbol” details how the brand’s rise and survival through the quartz crisis was equally driven by a narrative that elevated the watch to a symbol of success…

Framing the Face of Rolex

Rolex, a brand defined by discretion and precision, rarely releases images of its top executives, making the role of the CEO’s official photographer one of the most exclusive in luxury…

Rolex Winds Up for Growth

Before opening its new manufacture in Bulle in 2029, Rolex is already expanding, turning Romont’s former Tetra Pak site into a production hub and ramping up hiring…

Crowning Australia

Australia is gaining traction as a modest yet promising market for luxury goods. Rolex’s recent play signals the brand is serious about the region’s rise and value…

Rolex's Ride to the Future

After a decade of record-breaking success, Rolex’s next chapter hinges on CEO Jean-Frédéric Dufour’s ability to execute on the billions’ worth of capital he has deployed…

Rolex's (Discreet) Sustainability Goals

Companies are talking more about sustainability in marketing materials, financial disclosures and earnings calls. As a privately held company, Rolex is more discreet. But its sustainability goals reach beyond its well-publicized Perpetual Planet Initiatives...

The Hans Wilsdorf Foundation

The Hans Wilsdorf Bridge is the most obvious symbol of a power that is so far-reaching people in Geneva speak of a “state within a state.” But it is also so mysterious that some people won’t mention its name…

Interview With a Dial Expert at Rolex

Turning ideas into dials requires rare expertise. Interview with David Riboli, head of watch prototypes at Rolex and expert in the art of dial making…

Does Rolex Own a Newspaper?

Rolex bought a daily newspaper in 2020 through an intermediary foundation. As the brand is embroiled in scandal the business deal — estimated at 6.5 million euros — is bringing in dividends…

Rolex Just Wants to Have Fun

The new Rolex Deepsea is exemplifying what the brand has always been good at: mixing jewelry with patented innovation. Mixing celebration with adventure. Mixing precious metal with extreme engineering…

A Rolex New Era Is Coming to You

We've entered a new era of watch design that goes beyond just a varied palette of colors: This is the era of playfulness, lightness and casualness that is redefining luxury…

Rolex's Tesla Challenge

A new patent filed by Rolex reveals the brand is tackling anti-magnetism again. And the initial testing results broke records, exceeding expectations from Rolex engineers…

For Bulle, 2029 Is Already Tomorrow

A small city in Switzerland is getting ready for Rolex’s fifth manufacture, a one-billion-swiss-franc project. What is keeping local business owners up at night…

Rolex in the Future: A Prediction for the Long Term

For 2024 I am predicting the Rolex market will continue to soften as the brand catches up with deliveries. But in the longer term, artificial intelligence will make its way into watchmaking — and not just in watch design or engineering, but also online customer service…

Why Eddie Braun Is Rolex's Greatest Walking Ad

What's the ultimate resistance test a Rolex Explorer can be put through? Hiking a mountain? River-rafting? Repelling? How about being strapped to the wrist of a stunt double, day after day…

As Rolex Boosts Supply, a New Market Emerges

The new Rolex manufacture in Bulle slated to open in six years will help with endless waiting lists. Or will it? India, now the most populous country in the world and the fastest-growing major economy, only counts 25 Rolex boutiques…

A LOOK AT WATCHMAKING SCHOOLS IN CANADA

SEIKO AND THE 1964 TOKYO OLYMPICS

IN MEMORY OF BASELWORLD

Long Reads

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