ROLEX GLOSSARY

Explore the meaning or definition of each word or phrase in Rolex vocabulary

C

COSC

Acronym of Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres, the independent entity in Switzerland officially qualified to award the designation of chronometer to movements that have passed their precision tests.

Cerachrom

Bezel insert or monobloc bezel developed and patented by Rolex in 2005, made of extremely hard, corrosion-resistant, virtually scratch proof ceramic whose colour is unaffected by the sun's ultraviolet rays. The moulded graduations and numerals are coated with either a thin layer of gold or platinum via Physical Vapour Deposition.

Chromalight

Luminescent display emitting a long-lasting blue glow. A special material is applied to the hands, hour markers and, on divers' watches, the bezel zero marker. The luminosity duration is almost twice that of standard phosphorescent coatings.

Chronergy

New escapement developed and patented by Rolex offering a 15% improvement in energy efficiency, thereby increasing the movement's power reserve by 10 hours or more. Made of nickel-phosphorus, this key component is also insensitive to magnetic interference.

Chronograph

A watch equipped with an additional mechanism to measure intervals of time. It can be started, stopped and reset by means of pushers. If it passes COSC chronometer tests and meets the official standards of precision, a watch equipped with the chronograph complication may also be called a "chronometer", as in the case of the Cosmograph Daytona which is equipped with a chronograph function and is a certified chronometer.

Chronometer

A watch equipped with a high-precision movement. Official designation awarded by a certification body (in Switzerland, COSC) to a movement which has passed 15 days' and 15 nights' testing of its precision and the stability of its rate in different positions and temperatures. All Rolex wristwatches are certified as chronometers. Acronym of Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres (Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute), the independent entity in Switzerland officially qualified to award the designation of chronometer to movements that have passed their precision tests.

Crownclasp

Concealed folding clasp designed and patented by Rolex, opened via an articulated Rolex crown.

E

Easylink

Rapid extension link system developed by Rolex that allows the wearer to easily extend the watch bracelet by 5 mm for greater comfort.

Everose

Exclusive 18ct rose gold alloy, developed, patented and produced by Rolex in its own foundry. The alloy owes its unique colour to its special composition that helps preserve its pink colour over time.

Everose Rolesor

Identifies an Oyster model composed of 18 ct Everose gold (bezel, winding crown and bracelet centre links) and Oystersteel (remainder of the watch). On Everose Rolesor versions of the Yacht-Master, the winding crown is in Oystersteel.

F

Fliplock

A fold-out extension system fitted on the Oyster bracelet of the Rolex Deepsea and Sea-Dweller divers' watches. It allows the bracelet to be lengthened by 26 mm for wear over a diving suit.

G

Gold Crystals

Exclusive dials or subdials obtained by a process of gold crystallization developed by Rolex in its own foundry.

H

Helium Valve

A security valve patented by Rolex in 1967 for deep-sea diving. During the decompression phases that professional divers undergo in hyperbaric chambers, the helium valve automatically regulates the excess pressure trapped inside the watch case, without affecting the waterproofness of the watch. It features on the Sea-Dweller and the Rolex Deepsea divers' watches.

O

Oysterclasp

Folding clasp with a cover, patented by Rolex.

Oysterflex

Innovative bracelet developed and patented by Rolex. It combines the robustness and reliability of a metal bracelet with the flexibility, comfort and aesthetics of a rubber strap. At its core lies a superelastic metal blade overmoulded with high-performance black elastomer.

Oysterlock

Folding clasp with a cover and a safety catch.

Oystersteel

A stainless steel that is highly resistant to corrosion and specially developed for Rolex. In 1985, Rolex was the first watchmaking brand to make the pioneering decision to use 904L steel for all its steel watch cases. Oystersteel has many stable properties comparable to those of precious metals, and its purity makes it highly polishable. It therefore combines beauty with maximum durability.

P

Parachrom

Hairspring developed, patented and manufactured by Rolex in an exclusive alloy which has the advantage of being paramagnetic, offering great stability to temperature variations and remaining up to 10 times more accurate in case of shocks than a traditional hairspring, It thereby enhances the movement's chronometric performance. Shock absorbers developed and patented by Rolex which increase the shock-resistance of sensitive movement components, notably the balance staff, by up to 50%.

Paraflex

Shock absorbers developed and patented by Rolex which increase the shock-resistance of sensitive movement components, notably the balance staff, by up to 50%.

Perpetual

Self-winding mechanism with a free rotor invented by Rolex in 1931 which allows the mainspring of the watch to be wound using the natural movements of the wrist. The Perpetual rotor provides a constant and optimal source of energy for the watch movement as well as increased comfort for the wearer.

R

Ring Command

Rotatable bezel developed and patented by Rolex to interact with the movement. On the Yacht-Master II model, it affords access to the programming function of this regatta chronograph's mechanical countdown. On the Sky-Dweller model, it allows easy selection of the function to be set: date, local time or reference time.

Ringlock System

Case architecture designed and patented by Rolex. It enables the Rolex Deepsea divers' watch to resist the pressure found at a depth of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet). The system is composed of three elements: a domed 5 mm-thick sapphire crystal, a high-performance nitrogen-alloyed stainless steel compression ring positioned inside the middle case, and a grade 5 titanium case back.

Rolesium

Identifies an Oystersteel Yacht-Master model with a 950 platinum bezel.

Rolex Glidelock

An extension system with a rack integrated into the clasp, developed and patented by Rolex. It enables fine adjustment of the bracelet length in 2 mm increments for a total extension of approximately 20 mm. It features on the Submariner, Submariner Date, Sea-Dweller and Rolex Deepsea divers' watches; either with a fixed rack under the clasp cover or, for the Rolex Deepsea, in a lift-up version which allows the bracelet to be adjusted without removing the watch from the wrist.

S

Saros

Annual calendar mechanism developed and patented by Rolex. Its innovative design is reminiscent of the astronomical phenomenon of the same name. This mechanism allows the Sky Dweller's calendar to automatically differentiate between 30-day and 31-day months. The calendar thus displays the correct date throughout the year requiring only one adjustment — on 1 March, February having only 28 or 29 days.

Superlative Chronometer

All Rolex watches are now covered by the new Superlative Chronometer certification redefined by Rolex in 2015. The certification, specific to the brand, applies to each fully assembled watch with the movement encased and is a guarantee of superlative performance on the wrist in terms of precision, power reserve, waterproofness and self-winding. The precision of a Rolex Superlative Chronometer after casing is of the order of -2/+2 seconds per day, or more than twice that required of an official chronometer. The Superlative Chronometer status is symbolized by the Rolex green seal and is coupled with an international five-year guarantee.

Syloxi

Silicon hairspring with five patents, developed and manufactured by Rolex, offering singular chronometric performance for its ladies' watches. The Syloxi hairspring is paramagnetic, remains unaffected by temperature variations and exhibits a high tolerance to shocks. It employs innovative solutions that make the most of silicon technology, including an optimized geometry and an efficient design of its fixation systems.

T

Triplock

Screw-down winding crown with a triple waterproofness system developed by Rolex for its divers' watches, now fitted on a number of Professional models. Identified by three dots below the Rolex emblem, it ensures waterproofness to a depth ranging from 100 to 3,900 metres (330 to 12,800 feet) depending on the case.

Twinlock

Screw-down winding crown with a double waterproofness system developed by Rolex ensuring waterproofness to a depth of 100 metres (330 feet). Identified by two dots (gold winding crown), one dot (platinum watch) or a line (steel winding crown) below the Rolex emblem.

W

White Rolesor

Identifies an Oyster model composed of 18 ct white gold (bezel) and Oystersteel (remainder of the watch).

Y

Yellow Rolesor

Identifies an Oyster model composed of 18 ct yellow gold (bezel, winding crown and bracelet centre links) and Oystersteel (remainder of the watch).