Does Rolex Make Their Own Movements?

Over the past couple of decades Rolex has rolled out several tech innovations that have allowed them to almost fully integrate their wristwatch production. All of the models currently in production at their facilities in Switzerland are equipped with self-winding mechanical movements that are made in-house by the watchmaker and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). 

Rolex Movement (photo: Rolex/Jean-Daniel Meyer)

The movements used in men's Rolex models are equipped with a blue Parachrom hairspring patented by the watchmaker. The alloy used for the hairspring consists of niobium, zirconium and oxygen. It is insensitive to magnetic fields and able to compensate for temperature variations, allowing it to remain precise even in less than ideal conditions. Rolex introduced the Syloxi hairspring, made using silicon, in 2014 for the lady's models.

High performance lubricants, gold Microstella nuts and a traversing balance bridge also help make Rolex's in-house movements oscillate at a frequency of 28,800 beats per hour. In 2005, they introduced the Paraflex shock absorber that doubled the shock absorption of previous movements. The watchmaker continues to integrate their production processes, giving them more control over the quality and precision of their timepieces.

For more information about the tech innovations that have gone into producing Rolex's in-house movements, check out my article of the Top 5 Rolex Tech Innovations. For details on individual movements, Rolex proprietary materials and more, visit the Tech section of this blog.

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