For more than a century, Rolex has stood apart as the most legendary brand of watch in the world. A Rolex conveys many things: a luxury timepiece, a tool of power for movers and shakers and the symbol of passage into adulthood.

The Vintage Watch Company is the only store of its kind in the world, with a devoted client base of devoted Rolex aficionados, from royalty to sporting legends to stars of the silver screen. Throughout, father and son, John and David Silver have been carefully cataloguing and amassing one of the largest pictorial records of vintage Rolex watches in the world. This new and updated edition, with an extra 48 sumptuous pages of fabulous pieces, is published to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary in 2025 and contains a unique collection of vintage Rolex watches that have passed through the store in this time. The watches included take the collection up to the year 2006. New labels pop up, styles come and go, but the brand at the top never changes. Ever the record setter - the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million - it comes as no surprise that Rolex is the most collected watch brand in the world.

More than 2,000 watches feature in the book. From early Rolex pocket watches to the world's first wristwatches, elegant in their simplicity yet revolutionary in their impact, to the very first Submariners, iconic Daytonas and jewel-encrusted Crown Collections, the mesmerising archive of vintage timepieces charts the extraordinary rise of an extraordinary brand. Choose from the First Rolex Submariner, later coined the James Bond, or the Early GMT-Master made for Pan Am transatlantic pilots. Read about the First Explorers made famous by the 1953 Everest Expedition, or the Explorer II worn by Steve McQueen. Marvel at Early Vintage collections, from the Officer's Pocket Watch to the Ladies' Diamond; from the Oyster and the Stella & Stone collections, to the Sport Collection. Take a look at a new section covering 'tropical' dials, watches with dials which have faded gradually through exposure to sun and hot climates, which are highly sought-after; and a new section covering the relationship between Rolex and the luxury jewellery brand Tiffany, one of the most famous co-branding partnerships in history.

This book is a perfect gift for all lovers of luxury retail as well as passionate collectors of Rolex watches who will want to read about the models they own.

New and expanded edition of the essential guide to the iconic luxury watch brand

About the Author

The Vintage Watch Company, owned by father and son duo, John and David Silver, was established in 1995 and is now based in London's historic Burlington Arcade. It is dedicated to showcasing Vintage Rolex wristwatches from c1910-c2006. Their unparalleled collection carries over 2000 pieces and is the largest collection of Vintage Rolex watches on display in the world. The shop is now a destination for watch collectors and discerning shoppers from around the world.

Reviews

'A gorgeously indulgent coffee-table heavyweight.' Esquire

'An ode,a love letter and a paean to family tradition...encyclopaedic and monumental in its scope.' New York Journal of Books

Book Information
ISBN 9780008665692
Author David Silver of The Vintage Watch Company
Format Hardback
Page Count 432
Imprint Pavilion
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 270g
Dimensions(mm) 311mm * 233mm * 30mm