The Journal
Notes from the bench.
Stories on diamonds and design, buying guides for pre-owned Rolex, and the small lessons that come from three generations behind the same counter.
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Rolex San Diego · 1 min read
What Is a Tool Watch?
What separates a true tool watch from a dress watch, and why divers, pilots, and racers once relied on them as essential instruments.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 3 min read
What Does the Sticker on a Rolex Caseback Mean?
Green, clear, or red-lined: what each Rolex caseback sticker tells you, whether it adds value, and why your authorized dealer probably peeled it off already.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 1 min read
How Do You Feel About Customized Watches?
Where the debate over aftermarket dials, bezels and cases really stands, and what customizing a Rolex costs you in warranty and resale terms.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 2 min read
Why Does the Submariner Bezel Turn Only One Way?
A bezel that turns both ways can tell a diver they have air left when they don't. Rolex fixed it with ref. 16800 in 1979, and not until 1990 on the no-date Sub.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 1 min read
Does Rolex Corporate Philanthropy Matter to You?
A look at Rolex's decades-long Awards for Enterprise and Perpetual Planet initiative, and whether corporate giving changes how you feel about the brand.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 1 min read
To Polish or Not Polish? …. That Is the Question
Weighing whether a factory polish that erases scratches and patina helps or hurts your vintage Rolex's charm and resale value.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 2 min read
How Do You Feel About Bezels?
A look at what watch bezels are really built to do, and why they matter even if you never dive, fly, or track a time zone.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 1 min read
Christie’s Upcoming Watch Auction
A look at the standout lots in Christie's June watch sale, from the legendary Kairos Patek Philippe collection to a Rolex worn during the real Great Escape.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 2 min read
How Loose or Tight Should You Wear a Rolex?
Snug with a little play: the watch should shift on your wrist but never spin or slide over your hand. Both extremes wear the bracelet out faster. Here's why.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 2 min read
What Do the Rolex Red and Green Hang Tags Mean?
Red means COSC certified to -4/+6 seconds a day. Green means Rolex tested the finished watch to -2/+2, twice as strict, plus five years of cover.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 3 min read
Can Lost Rolex Papers Be Replaced?
The guarantee card can never be reissued, by anyone, at any price. Two things can still prove your Rolex is genuine, and one of them arrives with a service bill.
June 2022
Rolex San Diego · 1 min read
Rolex & the 2022 PGA
A look at Rolex's decades-long ties to golf and the PGA, and what that partnership really signals about the brand's values.
June 2022
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New arrivals in the watch case, buying guides, and the occasional story from the counter. No noise — just things worth knowing.
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