Water resistant watches were already in the Rolex collection since the early 1930s. In 1935, the Rolex catalog showed a 47mm cushion-shaped Oyster-case watch with reference 2533. It had a pocket watch movement inside, a Lépine hand-wound movement with a small seconds hand at 9 o’clock. It didn’t get any follow-up as there was no interest in watches with a huge case diameter like this.  However, this cushion-shaped watch did pave the way for a partnership with Panerai. Back then, Panerai was an Italian Rolex dealer and specialized in diving equipment. The Panerai Radiomir models with cushion-shaped Oyster-cases with a Cortébert caliber movement supplied by Rolex inspired the Geneva company and gave them very useful feedback on divers watches. Most likely did it also gave useful input for Jeanneret’s Rolex Submariner… More at Fratellowatches.

It’s hard to criticise the Submariner, but it is also hard to consider a watch that is so popular. The desire for something different is often stronger than picking up a watch that is so ubiquitous.

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