Watches & Wonders Geneva was held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 14th to 20th, 2026. Rolex, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of the Oyster case this year, had a special exhibit at this trade fair. In line with this exhibit, Masayuki Hirota, editor-in-chief of the watch magazine "Chronos Japan" and webChronos, will conduct a "Rolex Quest." This is an excellent opportunity to learn about the history of Rolex and the masterpieces of the Oyster.
An explanation of the history of Rolex and the Oyster.
Founded in 1908, Rolex has long strived to establish waterproof watchmaking technology, developing the "SUBMARINE" in 1922 and creating the "Oyster" in 1926. In 2026, the 100th anniversary of the Oyster's creation, Rolex unveiled the "Oyster Perpetual 41," a commemorative model. A special exhibition was held at Watches & Wonders Geneva, the new watch trade fair where this announcement took place.
Based on this exhibition, Masayuki Hirota, editor-in-chief of the watch magazine "Chronos Japan" and webChronos, will explain the history of Rolex and the Oyster series. He will carefully examine each exhibit and touch upon the technological evolution of Rolex.
table of contents
00:26 A look back at the history of Rolex
02:50 Development of waterproof watches
03:30 The history of oysters, and famous dishes using oysters
03:41 Development of the Oyster Case
04:47 The Submariner makes its appearance.
07:13 The appearance of "Deepsea"
08:12 Oyster 100th Anniversary Model
