Rolex crown

It is inextricably linked to the Rolex brand and a powerful symbol: the crown. It's far more than "just" a logo; it plays a key role in the function of these high-quality watches. This article takes a close look at the world-famous Rolex crown and examines its significance from several interesting perspectives.

The Rolex crown as a brand logo

Whether Sea-Dweller , Deep Sea , Yacht-Master , Day-Date, or GMT-Master II , every Rolex watch is adorned with the unmistakable crown. It serves primarily as a logo associated with the company internationally, representing the watch brand in a way that perhaps no other symbol could.

According to Rolex, the logo represents "a crown for every success," thus perfectly fitting the image of the luxury watch manufacturer. After all, for decades, Rolex has stood for unparalleled quality, the highest precision, and innovative achievements in the watch industry that few other brands can claim. The crown expresses the company's commitment to innovation and is a symbol of the enormous success enjoyed by the Geneva-based manufacturer.

The decision to use the crown as a logo, the origins of which we'll explore in more detail later in this article, may ultimately have contributed significantly to the Swiss company's success. The mighty crown conveys a sense of the brand at first glance and manages to express, without many words, what Rolex stands for: quality, elegance, sophistication, knowledge, and power.

The history of the Rolex crown

To explore the historical background behind the famous trademark, we take a short trip back in time to the time when the crown was introduced as a logo.

The crown came into play in 1931, several years after Hans Wilsdorf founded the Rolex company. Its introduction is closely linked to an event that remains unforgettable to this day: the sporting feat of British professional swimmer Mercedes Gleitze. Gleitze swam the English Channel in 1927 – an impressive feat that earned her considerable acclaim. Naturally, one wonders what this has to do with Rolex. Quite simply: Gleitze wore a Rolex Oyster around her neck, which she had previously received as a gift from Hans Wilsdorf himself. Wilsdorf's generous gesture was nothing less than a brilliant marketing ploy: When Gleitze emerged from the water, the Oyster was still functioning perfectly, thus publicly proving its water resistance.

The slogan behind the logo – "A crown for every success" – is reminiscent of the crossing of the English Channel, which can be considered a groundbreaking achievement not only for Gleitze, but also for Rolex. With its watches that crown every success, the watch brand naturally also addresses "ordinary" people and their everyday successes, be they passing exams, family milestones, or personal developmental milestones, in addition to top athletes.

The design of the Rolex crown

The crown is omnipresent on Rolex watches: It can be found on the dial, directly above the Rolex name, on the winding crown, and sometimes embossed on the case back.

Visually, the logo is unmistakably impressive. Hans Wilsdorf opted for a five-pointed crown with dot-shaped tips, which, despite its simplicity, exudes a truly elegant appearance. The tapered points each culminate in a large dot, resulting in an extremely harmonious and balanced appearance. It's an all-around successful logo that many a watch lover can never tire of.

How the Rolex crown works

While the crown serves purely visual and marketing purposes as a logo, the winding crown naturally has several important functions. It can be set to four different positions, each serving a different purpose.

Position 0 is essentially the fully screwed-down starting position and thus the only position in which the watch's water resistance is guaranteed. Therefore, it is essential to return the crown to this position after each adjustment so that the seals can do their job.

To reach position 1, unscrew the crown counterclockwise until it pops out easily. In this position, you can wind the movement. To do this, turn the winding crown clockwise, with approximately 40 turns required for a full winding.

Position 2, which is accessed by pulling the crown out one more notch, is for correcting the date. Watches with a standard date function can be corrected by turning it clockwise. For more complex date displays, such as those found on a Day-Date, turning it counterclockwise also adjusts the large day-of-the-week display.

Which brings us to position 3: In the outermost position, the clock can be stopped. Afterward, the time can be adjusted forwards or backwards.

Some models offer functions that, in conjunction with the rotating bezel, go beyond the classic setting options. Operating these correctly requires additional expertise. Examples include the GMT-Master II and the Sea-Dweller, which require even more knowledge from the watch enthusiast due to certain variations in operation.

If you take a closer look at the crown and try out its setting options in practice, it quickly becomes clear: It is a highly functional instrument that can certainly exert a great fascination on the proud owner of the watch.

The Rolex crown as a quality feature

If you ask watch lovers and industry insiders about the world's most prestigious watch brand, you'll likely hear "Rolex" as the answer. And that's no surprise: The name alone immediately evokes certain associations in watch fans, conjuring up images of luxury, quality, and success. The brand's international reputation is unparalleled, and hardly anyone with a passion for timepieces doesn't harbor the desire to one day admire their own Rolex on their wrist.

To fulfill this desire, customers sometimes accept extremely long waiting times of several years or very high prices on the secondary market . The reason: A Rolex is simply more than "just" a luxury watch. The watches with the unmistakable crown have long been considered status symbols, attesting to their wearer's sense of style, financial strength, and a keen eye for timepieces.

The crown also makes a Rolex instantly recognizable as such—in principle, even by a layperson. Once you spot the distinctive five-pointed shape, you know immediately what you're dealing with. Thus, the crown is a universally recognized quality feature, whose significance is almost intuitively understood by everyone.

The crown and water resistance of Rolex watches

Ever since the success story of Mercedes Gleitze, who swam across the English Channel wearing a Rolex around her neck, Rolex watches have been repeatedly associated with exceptionally high water resistance. Regarding this very topic, there's a detail about the crown that's mostly known only to "professionals" in the watch world. It's about the significance of the dots located below the logo on the winding crown.

If you look at different models, you'll notice that sometimes there's just one dot, sometimes two or three dots, or even a bar in this position. What's the point? The explanation is obvious: the dot markings indicate the watch's water resistance. Models with the Twinlock system, which are water-resistant to at least 100 meters, are marked with one dot, two dots, or a bar. A bar is reserved for steel and white gold watches , while Twinlock products made of yellow gold or rose gold typically have two dots. If, on the other hand, only a single dot is visible, you're most likely dealing with a platinum Twinlock watch.

And the third of the points? Well, only models with the Triplock system have "earned" that. This system, which has been used in Rolex watches since 1970, features a third seal located in the case tube, resulting in even greater water resistance. With this version, the material plays no role in awarding points: All Triplock watches are awarded three points, regardless of whether they are made of platinum, gold, or steel.

The Rolex crown in the collector market

Owning a genuine Rolex is often high on the list of things collectors aspire to in their lifetime. However, anyone who wants to become the proud owner of such a luxury watch often has to resort to the secondary market. The number of watches that Rolex releases to dealers each year is extremely limited. So, if you're not a valued regular customer of a dealership but would like to own a coveted Rolex model, you have little choice but to look to the secondary market – a costly solution.

Despite the sometimes almost outrageously high prices commanded on the secondary market, the Rolex crown seems to have a magical appeal for buyers. However, it's important for prospective buyers to know that the crown alone is not a guarantee of the authenticity of a Rolex watch. After all, the logo is quite easy for a skilled fraudster to counterfeit, and so the crown may even appear on timepieces that essentially have nothing to do with the Rolex brand. To avoid falling victim to fraud, it's essential to carefully examine not only the occasional photo, but also the papers and certificates, and, if necessary, seek professional assistance when purchasing.

The Rolex crown as a distinguishing feature

The decision for or against a Rolex is ultimately a matter of taste, but also of knowledge of the world of watches, and, last but not least, a question of budget. Those who adorn themselves with a Rolex in everyday life are expressing their penchant for luxury goods, their specialized knowledge, and their success in a particularly stylish way, and are also revealing their personal values. After all, the Rolex company and the Rolex crown stand for innovation, quality, robustness, the desire for optimization, and "pure luxury."

As a unique symbol with immense recognition throughout the world, the Rolex crown is far more than a cleverly chosen logo. It is a distinguishing feature that immediately evokes certain associations, even in the minds of people with little or no involvement with the watch industry.

Conclusion on the Rolex crown

All in all, the Rolex crown can be confidently described as the most prominent and perhaps most admired symbol of success and luxury in the watch world. Everyone knows that a watch with this crown is intended for more than just telling the time. It is a status symbol, an expression of pure sophistication, and a sign of the ambitious pursuit of "more" – whether in sports, private life, or professional life.