Rolex and Cartier are two of the few cornerstones of the Swiss Haute Horlogerie business that have upheld the standard of quality and watchmaking throughout their existence. The brands have gone through every high and low there is to see in the industry and always come out triumphant. As far as their watches are concerned, it is needless to say that they are simply exceptional. Rolex timepieces are complete all-rounders that can handle any situation and circumstance. Cartier watches, on the other hand, are arguably the best dress timepieces that have ever existed.
This amazing duo has some truly interesting facts about them that often go unnoticed. Let us take this chance and explore some of these facts.
Rolex has its own gold foundry
The watchmaking industry is a world full of crazy facts and tales about watchmakers that go the extra mile to make sure they reach perfection. But none of them do it like Rolex. The Swiss luxury watchmaker took it to the next level when it started its own gold foundry. Today, Rolex has earned the title of ‘watchmaker’. Every single operation involved in the process of creating a Rolex watch is undertaken ‘in-house’.
Rolex watches are all hand-made
It would be hard to believe but every Rolex watch you see in the market is hand made. This is exactly what makes a Rolex timepiece unique. If you take a look at a Rolex watch, you will know what this is all about. Every watch is handcrafted with the perfection and elegance of the highest level.
It takes a year to make a Rolex watch
This might be a follow up to the earlier fact, but it is amazing nonetheless. The watches that Rolex offers take around a year to be fully made. The thing is that once they are assembled, they go through a series of tests and evaluations that are required to be cleared in order for them to reach the boutiques and dealerships all around the world. This whole entourage of activities takes about a years to get completed successfully.
The Cartier Santos is the first men’s wristwatch
Cartier is known for many things. The Swiss watchmaker is a culmination of numerous factors that come together in unison and create magic. One such example is the Cartier Santos. The watch was especially crafted for Alberto Santos Dumont, a man after whom the timepiece was actually named. The watch was created in order to assist him in his pursuit to be the first man to fly. This was a necessity as pocket watches, devices which were the norm for men in that era were not as efficient for timekeeping during adventurous activities such as flying an aircraft.
Cartier Santos is allegedly the first pilot’s watch
The Santos watch from Cartier is also the first pilot’s watch, per se. The tale states that Louis Cartier made it for his friend Alberto Santos Dumont. The man was an aviator himself and was also an inventor. He wanted to be the first man to fly. He reached his goal too. Only to discover later that the feat was already achieved by the Wright Brothers. Nonetheless, the Santos got a massive following when people saw Dumont donning the timepiece while on one of his flying experiments.
Cartier bought a store with a necklace
Not many people know about this but the brand bought its flagship New York store in exchange for a pearl necklace. Crazy, right? The story tells us that Pierre Cartier bought the popular New York store on Fifth Avenue by giving the iconic Cartier double stranded pearl necklace. Today, the location as well as the store are invaluable for the brand.