5 Fascinating Luxury Watch Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About

Whether you’re fond of wearing wristwatches or merely a collector, looking into the history behind the luxury watches might be quite fascinating.

There are many interesting facts that a lot of people don’t know about. They tell a lovely story how things changed over time.

While it is quite challenging to pick favourites, here are a few facts about luxury watches you probably didn’t know about.

Wristwatches Were Initially Only Made For Women

Even though everybody wears wristwatches nowadays, this was not always the case. A Swiss designer made the first-ever wristwatch for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary back in 1868. It was only meant to be a fashionable jewellery piece.

The wristwatch was not favoured by the gentlemen of the time, as they preferred to have pocket watches on them instead. It was only after a few decades that men started to show their interest in wearing wristwatches. 

NASA Only Approved One Watch for Outer Space

NASA has stringent rules and regulations, and it has only approved one watch for its astronauts to wear. The Omega ‘Moon Watch’ went through a series of complicated tests and was approved for space. The astronauts in the Apollo 13 wore the watch to note their re-entry time.

However, the Russians also had a visit to space. When they did go, their astronauts were wearing Strela watches. 

Rolex Established In England

The name Rolex is very widely known around the world today as one of the most luxurious watches. However, the crown jewel of Swiss watchmaking did not begin in Switzerland. The brand registered in Geneva in 1920, but it was founded in 1905 in the heart of England, London city.

Hans Wilsdorf had moved to London to import premium Swiss movement. However, he and his partner/ brother-in-law had to leave England due to the racial repression that was at a peak after The Great War. Then, they established the company in Switzerland and stayed there indefinitely. There have since been many beautiful models. 

Wristwatches Have a History with the Wars

War requires thoroughly planned strategies. However, that was very challenging to do since it was impossible to tell the time.

That’s when the wristwatch companies started to make them for men as well. Every soldier had a good watch on their wrist, which helped them synchronize their attacks more efficiently. 

Rolex Went Deep Sea Diving

Luxury watches are much more resistant to water. They can survive up to 100 to 300m. However, the Rolex Deep Sea watch took things a little further. The beautiful watch was taken about 11,000 meters deep into the Mariana Trench, and it had no trouble at all, even under the immense pressure.

Rolex was also the manufacturer of the first-ever waterproof wristwatch. The Rolex Oyster took the public by surprise when they witnessed it working perfectly fine underwater in 1926. It was even displayed submerged in fishbowls in the watch stores to catch people’s attention.

 Just Because It Is Expensive, Doesn’t Mean It’s Better

When many people see an expensive watch, they think that it will be extremely accurate and work perfectly fine. However, that is not entirely the case.

Many regular-priced watches use quartz movement while most luxury wristwatches use mechanical. Although the mechanical watches are much more pleasing to the eyes, they are not as accurate as quartz. Nevertheless, people are usually paying for craftsmanship when they purchase an expensive watch, and it still does an excellent job of telling the time.