Wednesday, 13 November 2013

History of Rolex... 'Inextricably linked to the visionary spirit of Hans Wilsdorf, its founder'

With a selection of fabulous Rolex watches going under the hammer in this weeks Watches and Coins auction, we thought it would be interesting to delve into the history of these world renowned timepieces.

The history of Rolex stems back to 1905 when the ‘visionary spirit’ of Hans Wilsdorf, its founder, evolved the idea of a watch being worn on the wrist. His vision, originating in London, saw that wristwatches had the potential to have more than just a functionality purpose; they could become both ‘elegant’ and ‘reliable’.

1908 saw the creation of the name and the brand as we know it today, Rolex. ‘Genius in five letters’ is how they described it. Having a name that was easily recognisable and transferable into different cultures and languages but what also looked attractive on the watch.

1910 saw Rolex’s first achievement. Their attention to detail and exceptionally precise timepiece granted them the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision by the Official Watch Rating Centre. Then 1914 saw another achievement for Rolex when they were awarded a class “A” precision certificate and from then on Rolex were indistinguishable with perfectionism.


An example of an Oyster wrist watch in our Watches and Coins auction.

In 1926 and 1927 Rolex formed the waterproof watch and to justify this functionality they ventured on a ‘cross channel challenge’ and after a 10 hour swim the watch was still in pristine condition resulting in their claim shifting to proof.

Continuing with their innovation, 1953 saw the ‘pioneering watches being developed’ which included watches intended for professional services. Watches included ‘The Explorer’ for human adventure, ‘The Submariner’ for deep sea diving, ‘The GMT- Master’ for airline pilots, ‘The Oyster Perpetual Milgauss’ for the scientific community and many more in the years to come. In 1976, to celebrate 50 years of the Oyster, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise were launched to honour individuals who have the bravery and ambition to commence major challenges.

In 1985 Rolex went on to become the watch making brand to pioneer the use of 904L in their steel watches. The 21st century conceived the 4130 movement exclusively by Rolex which contains just 290 components, far less that a standard chronograph therefore enhancing the stylish, timeless and simplistic watches.


Another example of their precision in this 18 carat gold ladies wrist watch.

The most recent thing to happen, in ties with Rolex’s long history of sporting, Rolex entered into partnership with Formula 1 Racing as their Official Timekeeper and Official Timepiece.

Their history, timeless attention to detail and chronograph precision has meant that Rolex today remains the watch that people desire to have.

Information sourced from the Rolex website. Read more here Rolex History.

Our Watches and Coins auction tonight at 5pm features the above watches and plenty more 'timeless' pieces that may catch your eye. 

Thursday, 7 November 2013

Ready to Bid and Buy at McTear's

Time to start to your Christmas shopping for your nearest and dearest, and why not start at McTear’s Auctioneers? There is much to be appreciated in next week's auctions, have a look at only a few of our favourite Lots coming up.

First up, we have this George IV silver and cut crystal six bottle cruet set in Lot 1, estimated between £250-£350. A cruet set is a collection of small containers to hold condiments such as oil, mustard, vinegar and pepper. The shape of each cruet is specific to the condiment it is designed to hold. This could be a very stunning addition to your next dinner party... Forget the fine china, let the George IV silver and cut crystal cruet set to the talking! Also, this precious set is a sparking feature for your sideboard decoration! Watch out for this on Tuesday 12th November in our Silver Auction, and see what else it has to offer here.


LOT 1

Next up in Lot 130, we have this 14 piece Irish Belleek porcelain shamrock tea service set… a grand way to serve up tea to visitors. Belleek is an Irish village in Country Fermanagh which has been producing much desired pottery for over 155 years. See what else is in our British and Continental Ceramics and Glass Auction on Tuesday 12th November here.

LOT 130
Tune in to Lot 355 for this 19th Century Hagspiel Figured Walnut Baby Grand Piano. This is a beautiful feature to warm up a room with the wonderful aesthetics it produces. Estimated between £300 and £500, this is sure to be a popular Lot for keen bidders. See more included in our Furniture , Clocks and Works of Art Auction on Tuesday 12th November here.

Time for some bling, with Lot 1051 offering up this glamorous Lady’s 18ct Gold Rolex Date Just Wrist Watch, with diamond dot numerals. Do you know a very lucky lady who deserves this striking watch? The watch is estimated between £5000 and £7000… Christmas is just around the corner! See what else we have in our Watches and Coins on Wednesday 13th November auction here


LOT 1051

See our other upcoming auctions that week, our catalogues are ready for viewing;

Rare & Collectable Whisky, Wine & Port Auction on Wednesday 13th November at 10.30am

Fine Jewellery Auction Wednesday 13th November at 6 pm

The Scottish Pictures Auction Thursday 14th November at 6pm