How Rolex Unlocked The Deep
The first authorized history of the Oyster Perpetual Submariner watch tells the fascinating story behind one of the world’s most recognizable timepieces.
Nothing catches the eye more than a Rolex watch. As a subtle expression of style, sophistication and lifestyle choice, a Rolex can say so much without saying anything at all.
It is even more eye-catching if that particular watch is the flag-bearer of the Rolex brand, the Oyster Perpetual Submariner, one of the world’s most famous watches. Now, for the first time in its illustrious 71-year history, Rolex has partnered with global design authority Wallpaper* to publish the first authorized history of the Oyster Perpetual Submariner: The Watch that Unlocked the Deep.
The 252-page hardcover book is written by author and watch expert Nicholas Foulkes, who has written more than three dozen books, many on watches, as well as on other subjects. “As a historian with a lifelong obsession with watches, I was delighted and excited to be given unique access to the Rolex archives and flattered and honoured to set down in print the first authorized accounts of timepieces that have helped shaped history,” says Foulkes. “I am very grateful to Rolex for having placed its trust in me to be the one to write its story. It is a fascinating tale to which I have tried to do justice.”
The book is a wide-ranging account of the Submariner, the first diver’s watch guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 100 metres, which was a true breakthrough. Foulkes chronicles the remarkable technical innovation that went into creating the watch alongside the adventures of the extraordinary collection of pioneers who tested prototypes. Rolex defied underwater pressure by creating watches that could go even deeper, including the 2022 Oyster Perpetual Deepsea Challenge, which can descend to 11,000 metres.
An iconic watch ever since its launch, the Oyster Perpetual Submariner is instantly recognizable as a symbol of the Rolex commitment to style, craftsmanship and technical achievement, its story now captured in print for the first time.
