Rolex Files to Protect a Marking Few Have Seen

(From Swissreg.ch)

Two years after first using the designation, Rolex has decided to trademark ā€œSuperlative Adjusted,ā€ in the latest sign the brand is planning to make the rating a more prominent — and protected — part of its vocabulary.

While invisible to most Rolex wearers, the designation is familiar to those with models featuring display case backs, as ā€œSuperlative Adjustedā€ is engraved on the bridge. Since 2023, the engraving has also been present on other Rolex movements without transparent backs.

The trademark application, which was filed Thursday by Rolex’s Marques et Domaines department, may simply want to protect a phrase few Rolex owners will see. But it is likely the brand expects long-term value in it, especially if it has plans to expand its lineup of open-movement models.

The trademark filing is the latest step in the evolution of the term ā€œSuperlative,ā€ which first appeared on Rolex dials in the 1950s. In 2015, Rolex redefined the rating, setting stricter standards of āˆ’2/+2 seconds per day. The newer ā€œAdjustedā€ language may be the brand’s way of highlighting the human element of fine-tuning and calibration over industrial processes.

(Photo credit: Rolex)