Do you want to know where are Rolex watches made? Are you wondering where are all the Rolex factories?
If you are also a fan of Rolex watches then you must want to know where its watches are made. In this article, I am going to tell you how many factories Rolex has and where are they located. And not only this I will start this article by clearing all the misconceptions that people have regarding the Rolex factories.
So keep reading!
Quick Navigation
- Are Rolex Watches Made In China?
- Are Rolex Watches Made In Japan?
- Are Rolex Watches Made In Hong Kong?
- Are Rolex Watches Made In Switzerland?
- Where Are Rolex Watches Made In Switzerland?
- Rolex Factory Locations
- How To Know If The Rolex Watch Is Made in Switzerland?
- FAQs
Are Rolex Watches Made In China?
The biggest misconception that people have regarding the manufacturing of genuine Rolex watches is that they are made in China.
Let me tell you this is not true. Neither Rolex watches are made in China nor does Rolex have any manufacturing unit in China. Therefore if you ever see any Rolex watch that says “Made In China” then you now know what to do. Because this way you can tell whether the Rolex is real or not.
Are Rolex Watches Made In Japan?
The next misconception that people have is that if not made in China then Rolex watches are definitely made in Japan. And to some extent, it makes sense too, since Japan houses some of the big watch companies like Seiko and Citizen. So it’s natural to think that Rolex might also have a manufacturing unit in Japan as well.
But contradictory to what it seems, Rolex watches are not made in Japan. Rolex does not have any manufacturing unit in Japan. So the next time you see a Rolex watch manufactured in Japan then it is not an original one.
Are Rolex Watches Made In Hong Kong?
People also have the misconception that real Rolex watches are made in Hong Kong. But this is not true as well and genuine Rolex watches are not made in Hong Kong.
However, you will see a lot of Rolex copies in the market that says “Made In Hong Kong”. So be aware.
Are Rolex Watches Made In Switzerland?
Yes, all the genuine Rolex watches are made in Switzerland and nowhere else. If it’s a Rolex then it has to be made in Switzerland.
Where Are Rolex Watches Made In Switzerland?
Now that you know all Rolex watches are made in Switzerland, let us now see where exactly in Switzerland the Rolex watches are made.
Unlike other companies, Rolex does not make its watches in a single factory. In fact, Rolex has a total of 4 factories to make its watches. Rolex makes more than 1 million watches a year and each of its watches is made using its 4 factories in Switzerland.
Rolex Factory Locations
Let us now look at all of the 4 manufacturing units of Rolex one by one and where they are located in Switzerland.
Rolex Headquarters – Acacias, Geneva
The world headquarters of Rolex is situated in Geneva, Switzerland. However, this was not the case always. In its initial days, Rolex was based out of London and after World War 1, it moved all of its operations to Geneva.
The headquarters of Rolex houses all of its research and development, sales, communications, design, after-sales, and management. And this is also the place where all the Rolex watches are finalized.
Therefore, Geneva, Switzerland is the place where all the Rolex watches are made.
Having said that, this is the place where only the assembly of all the Rolex watches takes place and the different components of the watch are actually manufactured in 3 different factories situated in Switzerland itself.
Let us look at these 3 factories one by one.
Watch Movements – Bienne
Rolex factory in Bienne, Switzerland is the most important one after its headquarters. This factory is responsible for manufacturing the most important part of a watch – its movement.
There are more than 2000 people employed at this factory and all of the Rolex watch movements are manufactured here. A Rolex watch movement consists of more than 100 components. And you will be surprised to know that all of these components are assembled entirely by the workers with their hands.
Another fun fact about Rolex movements is that 100% of them meet the certified chronometer watch criteria set by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC). This is crazy, right? Just imagine the level of skill and expertise of the employees working at this factory.
Cases And Bracelets – Plan-Les-Ouates, Geneva
Rolex factory in Plan-Les-Ouates, Geneva is the biggest of all the factories owned by Rolex. This factory is responsible for manufacturing all the cases and bracelets that are used in Rolex watches.
You will be surprised to know that Rolex makes its own gold that it uses in its watches. And to process the gold and other metals used in watches, the factory in Plan-Les-Ouates also houses a foundry.
Dials And Gem Setting – Chene-Bourg, Geneva
All the Rolex watches look beautiful, right? Well, the Rolex factory situated in Chene-Bourg, Geneva is responsible to make all the beautiful dials that make the Rolex watches so appealing.
Not only dials but all the gems that you see on Rolex watch bezels, dials, bracelets, etc, are all set here in this factory. And all of this is done by the workers using their hands.
So these are all the 4 factories where all the Rolex watches are made. The factories in Chene-Bourg, Plan-Les-Ouates, and Bienne send different components to the Rolex headquarters situated in Acacias, Geneva. Once received the Rolex watches get finalized in the headquarters itself.
How To Know If The Rolex Watch Is Made in Switzerland?
As discussed, all the Rolex watches are made only in Switzerland. You can also look at Rolex watch dials and tell if it is made in Switzerland.
All the Rolex watches have “Swiss Made” written on the bottom of their dials i.e. below the 6 o’clock position. So look at the bottom of the dial to know if the Rolex watch is made in Switzerland or not.
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FAQs
Where Is The Rolex Factory Located?
Rolex has a total of 4 manufacturing factories and they are all located in Switzerland.
Where Is The Rolex Based Out Of?
Rolex is based out of Geneva, Switzerland.
Does Rolex Have Its Own Foundry?
Yes, Rolex has its own foundry and it is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
