Feature: Can You Handle The ULTIMATE Rolex Quiz?
Do you think of yourself as a Rolex connoisseur? Know all there is to know about the watches and history behind the Crown? If the answer to those questions is “yes”, then you’d better put that confidence to the test in our ultimate Rolex quiz. Go on, show us what you’ve got!
1. What precious metal is a Rolex watch made from if its reference number ends in ‘6’?
Answer: Platinum
Rolex places a handy number at the end of each of its reference numbers to indicate what the watch is made from. So, if it ends in a ‘6’ it’s platinum, if it’s steel it’ll end in ‘0’ and if it’s an 18k yellow-gold number it’ll end in an ‘8’ and so on…
2. The Rolex Sea-Dweller was the first dive watch to incorporate what?
Answer: A helium escape valve
A function found on many dive watches, a helium escape valve allows trapped helium gas molecules to safely vacate a watch’s case in a safe and controlled manner. Rolex introduced the first watch with a helium escape valve to the world via its Sea-Dweller, reference 1665, in 1967, making it a revolutionary timepiece.
3. The Rolex Explorer II, reference 1655, is known—erroneously, some say—for its association with which late Hollywood actor?
Answer: Steve McQueen
Most of us know of Steve McQueen’s affiliation with TAG Heuer’s Monaco, but what many don’t know is that although the Rolex Explorer II was nicknamed “the Steve McQueen”, it’s likely the man himself never even owned one, as no photographic evidence of him wearing an Explorer exists. He did, however, own a Submariner, so there was at least one Rolex in his repertoire.
4. Which watch industry legend designed Rolex’s King Midas model?
Image courtesy of Bonhams
Answer: Gerald Genta
Best known as the man behind classic luxury steel sports watches such as the Royal Oak and the Nautilus, Gerald Genta also designed Rolex’s King Midas, a fact that often gets forgotten. Well, we’re here to remind you that the legendary watch designer extended his hand to the oh-so-popular Crown, too.
5. In what year did Rolex register its iconic crown logo and feature it on its dials for the first time?
Answer: 1925
The thought of a Rolex without the iconic crown on its dial is unfathomable. However, the famous logo didn’t debut on a Rolex dial until 1925—we’re so pleased it made the cut!
6. What Rolex model was the first to be commercially available in titanium?
Answer: Deepsea Challenge
Ever since the successful British sailor, Ben Ainslie, revealed he was wearing a prototype titanium Yacht Master given to him by Rolex in 2020, it’s been a question of “when?”. When will Rolex officially release its first titanium watch? Well, the answer is November 2022, when the Crown finally unveiled its Deepsea Challenge made of the lightweight material.
7. Which fast food chain gifted Rolexes with its logo on the dial to its employees?
Image courtesy of Bonhams
Answer: Domino’s Pizza
That’s right, the mighty takeaway pizza chain gifted managers of well-performing stores a Rolex, but not any old Rolex—one with the Domino’s Pizza logo on, of course. Now that’s one pretty epic way to get a “well done” from work!
8. Rolex wasn’t keen on being mentioned in what cult early-00s film adapted from a Brett Easton Ellis novel?
Answer: American Psycho
If you’ve seen American Psycho, you’ll know that Patrick Bateman—played by Christian Bale—loves the finer things in life, his Datejust included. However, Rolex wasn’t so happy about being mentioned in the film and insisted that the original line from the 1991 book by Bret Easton Ellis be changed from “Don’t touch my Rolex” to the more generic “Don’t touch the watch” in the film version.
9. Which Rolex model became known as the ‘Doctor’s Watch’?
Answer: The Rolex Prince
A lesser-known model, the Prince is an unusual Rolex for a few reasons. The main one being that it has a rectangular case, something associated with Cartier and its dressier Tank models than Rolex. The Prince got its “Doctor’s Watch” nickname thanks to its large seconds subdial, which was ideal for timing a patient’s heartbeat.
10. In 2017 Rolex launched a watch featuring a complication that the brand hadn’t used since the 1950s. What was the complication?
Answer: A moonphase
A classic complication often reserved for dress watches, the moonphase function was recruited by Rolex once again back in 2017, when it appeared on a sophisticated Cellini—reference 50535.
