Rolex stands apart as the most coveted and legendary brand of watches in the world. Over the last 100 years, Rolex milestones include: the first waterproof watch, the first self-winding mechanism, the first wrist-watch to fly over Mt. Everest, the first diver’s watch waterproof to 100 meters, the first to withstand magnetic fields of 1,000 gauss and the first to descend the Mariana Trench.
Paul Newman’s ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytona timepiece.
Ever the record setter—the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million—it comes as no surprise that Rolex is the most collected watch label in the world.
Selected by specialist Fabienne Reybaud (senior editor of watches and jewelry at Le Figaro, author of Watches: The Ultimate Guide and independent journalist who’s been covering the company for more than two decades), each of the exceptional Rolex watch models in this handcrafted limited-edition Ultimate Collection volume showcase the most valuable and technically innovative models the luxury watchmaker has produced.
Actor George Lazenby sported the Submariner in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Included in the book are watches never seen in print before: from the first wristwatch dating to the early 1900s and the first Oyster Perpetual from 1931, to an Explorer worn during Sir Edmund Hillary’s expedition to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953 and the Submariner worn by actor George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Diving into the Rolex brand with nearly 200 illustrations, this 20 lb, handcrafted limited edition comes in a luxury clamshell case with metal plaque. Available at Books & Books Bal Harbour in September, Assouline’s Rolex: The Impossible Collection is not your average coffee table book.
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