Let's break down the Rolex manufacture's "insider" jargon.

 

Many people read a description or story filled with Rolexish and feel a sense of the Socratic paradox: "I know that I know nothing". That’s because the terms they frequently use are unfamiliar to outsiders or the average layperson. We've decided to compile a dictionary of the most essential words and terminology used by Rolex fans.

 

Air-King – an aviator watch model from the Oyster Perpetual range made since 1958. 

 

Batman – the name of a range of Rolex Professional models with a black and blue colored bezel. These are 24-hour graduated bezels, and the scale thus performs the additional function of a day/night indicator.

 

Cellini – just about every Rolex model that doesn't have "Oyster Perpetual" in its name.

 

Cerachrom – a ceramic-based material. It's also the term used to describe the special technology used to color the bezels of Professional models. Moulds are made on the surface of the bezel for numerals and graduations before firing, which are filled with metal powder. After the sintering process, the bezel only needs to be diamond-polished. The surface of bezels achieved through this process will never fade, and its numerals and graduations won't ever get worn away.

 

Chromalight – a proprietary luminescent compound with a fluorescent blue hue patented by Rolex in 2009. It's notable for providing a remarkable level of brightness and long-lasting illumination. Chromalight glows for up to eight hours in complete darkness, which is twice as long as the more conventional luminescent material SuperLuminova. It's used in the Sea-Dweller, Rolex Deepsea divers' watches, and in some other watches from the Professional collection.

 

 

Chronometer – a watch with very high daily timekeeping accuracy. The only watches that can be classified as chronometers allow for daily losses and gains in accuracy of up to -4/+6 seconds, tested in at least five different positions at temperatures of +8, +23 and +38 degrees Celsius. All Rolex models have obtained this high-precision status, as the manufacturer's movements have been tested and are COSC-certified.

 

Since the Rolex Caliber 3135 was replaced with the latest Caliber 3255 in 2015, Rolex has significantly increased its internal accuracy standards to +2/-2 seconds per day, which is twice as strict as the COSC standards and justifies the no longer merely self-proclaimed title of "Superlative Chronometer". However, Rolex still has its watches certified by COSC because their certification is independent and official.

 

Chronergy – the new new-generation balance spring that replaced the iconic Parachrome hairspring in 2015. It's insensitive to magnetic interferences and almost completely unaffected by them. The lever and escape wheel are made of a nickel-phosphorus alloy.

 

Rolex Parachrom Blue Hairspring
Rolex Parachrom Blue Hairspring
Rolex Chronergy Escapement
Rolex Chronergy Escapement

Crownclasp – the upper part of the bracelet's clasp with folding blades, which bears the manufacturer's crown-shaped logo as a lever, concealing the opening mechanism beneath it.

 

Cyclops – a magnifying lens covering the glass over the date aperture. It was patented by Rolex in the early 1950s and debuted in the Datejust model in 1953. The secret of how this lens is attached completely invisibly onto the sapphire crystal and how it doesn't fall off for decades is one that's very well kept.

 

Date – used in the name Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date. It's a watch that was born in the mid-1950s, ten years after the Datejust. There wasn't much technically different about the two models. The only difference was that the Date was a couple of centimeters thinner. This model has since become known as a small Datejust and generally as a women's watch.

 

Datejust – a model introduced in 1945 to celebrate the manufacturer's 40th anniversary. The company's founder Hans Wilsdorf asked for a special high-tech watch that would be ahead of its time to be made in time for the milestone date. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust in a yellow-gold 36 mm case was a real sensation, as it was the first self-winding waterproof chronometer wristwatch to display the date in a window at 3 o'clock on the dial.

 

 

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 mm
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust 36 mm
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date
Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date

Day-date – the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date model was created for the manufacturer's 50th anniversary, but was only officially released a year late in 1956 due to the time it took to fix problems uncovered during the testing phase. The calendar mechanism was easy to adjust: the correct date was set by rotating the crown clockwise or counterclockwise with it pulled out a notch (between the screwed-down and manual winding positions).

 

Thanks to the resounding success of the watch's Day-Date weekday wheels, they still come in 27 languages to this day: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Dutch, Polish, Basque, Catalan, Hebrew, Ethiopian, Moroccan, Farsi, Hindi, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Russian, and English of course. It now houses the automatic Caliber 3255, which has three days of power reserve, a balance frequency of 28,800 vph, and a remarkable level of precision for a mechanical watch, accurate to +2/-2 seconds per day.

 

Daytona – the short name for the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona chronograph watch. It was introduced in 1963, two years after the first manned spaceflight, and one year after Rolex became the official timekeeper for the legendary Daytona International Speedway in the United States. The watch was thus arguably dedicated to both of these significant events.

 

The famous Valjoux 72 chronograph movement was initially used in the watch. From 1988 to 2000, Rolex purchased automatic El Primero chronograph movements from Zenith. The manufacturer has equipped the watch with its own Rolex Caliber 4130 ever since. It's the world's most expensive chronograph: in 2017, an anonymous bidder paid $17.75 million for Paul Newman’s stainless steel Daytona Ref. 6239 at the Phillips New York auction.   

Easylink – a bracelet extension system which allows the owner to quickly extend or shorten the bracelet by 5 mm without having to use any tools.

 

Everose – a pink-gold alloy which doesn't loose its shine or rich color, and at hallmark 750 (18 carats), it's exceptionally hard and durable.

 

Explorer – a watch with increased shock resistance and resistance to temperature variations. It was created in 1953 for John Hunt, who led the expedition on which Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first mountaineers to reach Mount Everest's summit. It's still in production to this day. 

 

Fliplock – a bracelet extension system which allows the owner to quickly extend the bracelet by up to 26 mm without having to use any tools.

 

Glidelock – a bracelet extension system which allows the owner to quickly extend or shorten the bracelet by some 20 mm in increments of approximately 2 mm without having to use any tools.

 

Rolex Everose
Rolex Everose
Rolex Glidelock
Rolex Glidelock

GMT-Master – a watch from the Professional collection created in 1954 for Pan American World Airways, which was the largest US international air carrier at the time. Its main distinguishing feature is its additional GMT (Greenwich Meridian Time) hour hand for a second timezone, and a rotating bezel graduated for 24 hours. The watch is still made to this day.

 

Gold Crystals – a gold alloy with visible pyramid-shaped structures that form on its surface during cooling. It's used for decorative purposes on the dials of certain models and in Daytona chronograph counters.

 

Goldust Dream – a patented PVD vacuum coating process for decorating dials by applying a fine layer of 24-carat gold or platinum dust to the dial's mother-of-pearl surface.

 

Hulk – the nickname for a range of Professional models with green dials and bezels.

 

Jubilee – a type of bracelet with five-piece links. It was designed in 1955 for the Day-Date model dedicated to Rolex's 50th anniversary.

 

Mercedes hands – the term used to describe the hour hand in a number of models from the Professional line. It gets its name from three-pointed star encircled on the end of the hand, which looks like the logo of the German automotive marque Mercedes-Benz.

 

Micro-Stella – a free-sprung balance wheel that oscillates at a frequency of 18,000 vph with bolts and screws to regulate inertia. It debuted in 1956 in the automatic Caliber 1055 with the brand's proprietary Day-Date displayed in two apertures. The balance set new and very high standards for accurate timekeeping back then, and it was the first watch to earn the right to have "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" written on its dial.

 

Rolex Mercedes hands
Rolex Mercedes hands
Rolex Jubilee bracelet
Rolex Jubilee bracelet

Milgauss – a watch designed to withstand magnetic interference with a distinctive orange hand shaped like a bolt of lightning. The watch has been produced since 1956, when engineers and scientists were embarking on what was a new scientific and technological revolution. The watch can withstand magnetic fields of up to 1,000 gauss. It's still in production to this day. 

 

Oyster – a type of waterproof case modeled on the oyster shell from the natural world, which is where the most famous model in the history of contemporary watchmaking gets its name from; a type of bracelet with semi-circular three-piece links.

 

Oyster bezel – the fluted bezel most Oyster Perpetual watches have. Its decorative role of making scratches less noticeable isn’t only purpose it serves. Its main function is to screw the bezel onto the watch case as tightly as possible. This special proprietary fluting helps ensure the high level of waterproofness the watch claims to offer.

 

Oysterclasp – a folding clasp for bracelets with a cover that prevents accidental opening. When you want to unlatch it, you need to press the lip of the additional safety lever first.   

 

Oysterlock – a folding safety clasp for bracelets with a cover that uses the Oysterclasp security lock system. 

 

Oyster Perpetual – the name of the 1931 self-winding Rolex model with a waterproof case. This is Rolex's quintessential watch collection, which includes some classic models such as the Air-King, Oyster Perpetual, Date, Datejust, Day-Date and Sky-Dweller.

 

Oystersteel – an alloy made of austenitic grade 904L stainless steel, commonly used in high-technology, aerospace and chemical industries.

 

Parachrom – the name of Rolex's proprietary patented hairspring and the exclusive alloy from which it's made. It ensures superior concentric (isochronous) oscillation and greater stability of oscillation. The manufacturer claims that Parachrom's performance is twice that of similar alloys produced by Nivarox — the world's main supplier of hairsprings for watches.

 

Paraflex – the name of Rolex's proprietary shock absorber. Not only does it include specially designed chatons, it also has an original regulator index for holding the spring which makes them 50 % more resistant to shocks compared to conventional ones.

 

Paramagnetic – a type of materials used in alloys and specially designed cases to keep magnetic fields interfering with the watch movement to a minimum. These materials were primarily created for the Milgauss watch but have been used in the Air-King and Submariner models as well. It has also occasionally found its way into special models from ordinary collections.

 

Perotorarlmaster – a type of bracelet for her with large solid rectangular links.

 

Pepsi – the nickname given to the red and blue bezel used in a number of models from the Professional line.

 

Perpetual – the first in the history of watchmaking with an oscillating weight that pivots freely in both directions on its central axle. Each rotation winds the movement’s mainspring. The Perpetual rotor has given part of its name to the brand's main collection — Oyster Perpetual.

 

Platinum – a 950 grade alloy is used in Rolex watches. The main feature of a platinum Rolex is the watch's ice-blue dial.

 

Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLRO Pepsi
Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710 BLRO Pepsi
Rolex Paraflex Shock Absorber
Rolex Paraflex Shock Absorber

President – a type of bracelet very similar to the Oyster, the only difference being that the connecting links on the side are half the length of those used in the Oyster, which have a more rounded shape. It was designed in 1955 for a special Day-Date model. Some sources say it was bestowed to US President Dwight D. Eisenhower as a gift for promotional reasons.

 

Prince – models in a rectangular case from the Cellini collection. 

 

Professional – a line within the Oyster Perpetual collection which includes models designed to deliver optimal protection for wear in extreme conditions. The line designed to meet professional and sporting needs includes the following models: Milgauss, Explorer, Submariner, Rolex Deepsea, Sea-Dweller, GMT-Master, Yacht-Master and Cosmograph Daytona (excluding the Air-King and Sky-Dweller). 

 

Rainbow – a term used to describe the bezels of some Rolex models set with multicolored gems (usually baguette-cut).

 

Red Seal – a wax hang tag seal stamped with Rolex insignia and with holographic text and images. It guarantees that the watch has fully satisfied the criteria and meets the standards to have "Superlative Chronometer Officially Certified" written on its dial. It also guarantees that the watch has been certified by COSC (the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute) following 15 days of accuracy testing. This seal comes with every gift-boxed Rolex. 

 

Ring Command – a system used in Sky-Dweller and Yacht-Master II watches which allows the user to control and adjust the position of the hands using the bezel. In the Sky-Dweller, the bezel can be turned to three positions to select the date, local time or reference time for a second time zone. The crown only has one position for manual winding. The Ring Command bezel in the Yacht-Master II for sailors and yachting enthusiasts allows its owner to select and set the reversed chronograph / countdown regatta timer.

 

Ringlock – Rolex's patented system which seals the watch's rotating bezel to prevent moisture from entering the case.

 

Rolesium – a combination of 950 grade platinum and 904L steel used in some Yacht-Master models. It was first introduced in 1997 in the Yacht-Master Ref. 16622.

 

Rolex Rainbow bezel
Rolex Rainbow bezel
Rolex Red Seal
Rolex Red Seal

Rolesor – a combination of steel and gold, usually with the case and bracelet predominantly made of steel, while the bezel is made of gold. Rolesor can be white or yellow depending on the color of the gold used. The combination of steel and pink gold is known as Everose Rolesor.

 

Saros – an annual calendar system operated by a patented mechanism in the Sky-Dweller model. The original meaning of the Saros is a cycle of exactly 223 synodic months or approximately 6585.3211 days, which was invented and used by Chaldean (neo-Babylonian) astronomers.

 

Sea-Dweller – a Professional model for deep-sea diving. It’s been made since 1967 (the first model had a depth rating of 500 meters). The model was famous for having the first helium release valve developed specifically for watches. This is the same watch that debuted Ringlock, Glidelock and Chromalight. It's still in production to this day. In 2008 and 2014, the collection welcomed special Sea-Dweller Deepsea models in a case water-resistant to a depth of 3900 meters. Since 2018, the Deepsea has been equipped with the self-winding Caliber 3235.

 

Shoulders – metal protrusions on the right-hand side of the case surrounding the crown to protect it from accidental impact.

 

Submariner – a watch from the Professional line in a case which can resist water pressure to increased depths of 300 meters (1,000 feet). It's been made since 1953.

 

Rolex Ring Command
Rolex Ring Command
Rolex Ring Command
Rolex Ring Command

 

Sky-Dweller – a watch with a dual time zone display and annual calendar made since 2012.

 

Tridor – a now relatively rarely seen combination of the three most popular shades of gold — yellow, white and Everose. It mainly features in Rolex bracelets. 

 

Triplock – a triple-sealing system for the winding crown to prevent moisture from penetrating the case. The winding crown itself is made up of some 10 parts. It has been used since 1953 after the Professional watches appeared.

 

Turn-O-Graph – a system in a watch without a chronograph which allows the length of intervals shorter than an hour to be timed by reading the current position of the minute hand against the start mark on the rotating bezel.

 

Twinlock – a system for sealing the winding crown to prevent water from getting into the case. Two gaskets complete the hermetic sealing, with one inside the tube, the other inside the crown. It was introduced in 1953.

 

The first Sky-Dweller model launched in 2012
The first Sky-Dweller model launched in 2012
Rolex Submariner
Rolex Submariner

Yacht-Master – a watch for navigators and skippers first introduced in 1992. In 1997, this model debuted the stainless steel and platinum combination known as Rolesium. The Yacht-Master II Regatta Chronograph model was released in 2007, with its revolutionary reversed chronograph / countdown regatta timer and Ring Command bezel.

 

3135 – the legendary Rolex Caliber 3135, which was first introduced over 60 years ago and brought the manufacturer worldwide recognition. It has a balance frequency of 28,800 vph, and its power reserve has fluctuated over the years from 48 to 60 hours.

 

3255 – the latest Caliber 3255, which is on course to gradually replace the iconic 3155 movement. This movement is a 90 % upgraded version of its predecessor. The movement's entire kinematic train has been optimized — from the balance spring to the self-winding mechanism and the mainspring barrel.

 

The new-generation balance spring which replaced the previous Parachrom hairspring was patented by Rolex under the name Chronergy. It's insensitive to magnetic interferences and almost completely unaffected by them. The lever and escape wheel are made of a nickel-phosphorus alloy. The balance wheel-hairspring assembly oscillates at a frequency of 28,800 vph, with an increased power reserve of 70 hours.

 

3135
3135
3255
3255

Thanks to a change in the geometry of the escape-wheel teeth, the use of new materials, and new high-performance lubricants developed by Rolex engineers, the escapement efficiency of Calibre 3255 has been improved by 15 %. Its average accuracy is -2/+2 seconds per day, which is double the accuracy required by the COSC standards.

 

Moreover, the movements are fine-tuned twice: immediately after the movement has been made and once it's been housed in its case. The new Rolex Calibre 3255 debuted in the 2015 Oyster Perpetual Day-Date.