From refining precious metals and producing dial finishes to fabricating Cerachrom bezels, cleaning components and applying protective coatings, the role of chemicals in Rolex's manufacturing is growing bigger than ever.
Rolex said it will start chemical spill exercises this year, a sign that the brand’s manufacturing processes are becoming more complex and chemically intensive.
Chemicals are also used in the fluids for a fleet of roughly 400 manufacturing machines across the Plan-les-Ouates and Chêne-Bourg production sites, according to Rolex, as well as in electroplating, lubrication, laboratory testing and materials research. In 2024, Rolex’s manufacture in Chêne-Bourg, a site responsible for the production of dials and Cerachrom bezels, was evacuated after a runaway chemical reaction following the mixing of certain products released toxic fumes.
From employee training on how to handle chemicals to spacing out drainage frequency, installing fluid recovery devices and limiting contamination, chemical management has become a growing focus point for Rolex, as the brand is expanding the range of materials and finishes used in its roughly one million watches a year.
Now, with more than 2,000 chemical deliveries a year to its production sites, Rolex said it has identified spills during loading operations as another risk. The company said it has mapped drainage systems that could be affected by a spill and reviewed the safeguards already in place. It now plans to begin spill-response drills to train employees in the use of absorbent spill kits and drainage shutoff valves that can be activated in the event of an incident.