Rolex: The Impossible Collection (2nd Ed)

Description

Rolex: The Impossible Collection explores the history of this iconic brand. For over a century, Rolex has stood apart as the most coveted and legendary watch brand in the world. A Rolex connotes many things: the quintessence of the luxury timepiece, a tool of power for movers and shakers, the symbol of passage into adulthood.

New labels emerge, styles come and go, but the brand at the top remains constant. Ever the record setter—Phillips auctioned the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman 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.

Rolex is rooted in the visionary spirit of its founder, Hans Wilsdorf. In 1905, young Wilsdorf founded a company in London for the distribution of timepieces. Still, his true dream was to produce wristwatches—in their infancy at the time, and not very precise-that would be technically durable, reliable, and supremely elegant. The company initially focused on producing the highest quality movements, and this quest for precision led to the first wristwatch in the world to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision, granted by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne in 1910. Four years later, Kew Observatory in Great Britain awarded a Rolex watch a Class A certificate, a distinction previously reserved exclusively for marine chronometers. From that date forward, the Rolex wristwatch has been synonymous with precision and excellence. Over the last 100 years, Rolex milestones include: the first waterproof watch, the first self-winding mechanism, the first wristwatch to fly over Mount 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.

The 100 exceptional Rolex watches in this updated Rolex: The Impossible Collection volume showcase the most valuable and technically innovative models the luxury watchmaker has produced, including 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 Mount Everest in 1953 and the Submariner worn by actor George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, they are sure to astonish collectors the world over.

About Assouline:

Founded in Paris in 1994 by Prosper and Martine Assouline, Assouline is the first luxury brand on culture. It began with the desire to create a new, contemporary style of book, using the couple’s experienced eye for visually rich stories and compelling narratives. Guided by their passion for knowledge, culture and travel, the Assoulines have since expanded their vision to 1,700 titles in three main collections, along with special editions and unique library accessories—a grand oeuvre of inspiring creations. Over the last quarter of a century, the brand has established a network of international boutiques in prominent locations worldwide. Assouline has also inaugurated a curated library service, working closely with clients to visualise, design, and develop bespoke, one-of-a-kind libraries.

With a distinguished team of creative talents, which includes the founders’ son Alexandre, the brand continues to reinvent the notion of true luxury. Assouline’s roster of collaborators consists of some of the world’s most respected brands, artists, photographers, writers, and designers. Assouline continues to exude an unparalleled signature style and elegant savoir-faire, which has globally redefined the modern publishing landscape. Learn more