Magazine B Issue 41 (Rolex) is available now on loremnotipsum.com. Founded in 1905 by 24-year-old Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex created a completely new type of wristwatch when it introduced the world’s first waterproof watchcase: the Oyster case, which still endures as a symbol of solid manufacturing. Since the 1950s, Rolex has continued to lead the watch industry by launching a wide range of models, including the Explorer, Submariner, Milgauss, and Oyster Perpetual Day-Date. While a number of brands such as Seiko counterattacked with electronic watches, Rolex has adhered to its original brand values by continuing to produce mechanical watches.
A number of brands are described as premium. Being expensive and high-end does not always mean a brand is good, but premium is a position that many brands aspire to occupy. The brands that succeed in becoming premium brands are objects of desire for consumers.
Personally speaking, I am not particularly fond of luxury brands, but I cannot help having the utmost respect for the paths they have trodden and their skills to give consumers sufficient reason to pay handsomely for their products. Among luxury products, there is a lot to say about watches. Wristwatches are one of the most clearly branded items people wear, so it is no wonder that financial affluence leads to the desire to wear a premium wristwatch.
In fact, the wide range of wristwatches cannot be simply categorized as good or bad. Wristwatches are the direct reflection of the values of their wearers. In terms of function, watches are all the same in that they tell the time, but it is not always the case that a more expensive wristwatch is better. As such, wearing a costlier wristwatch is not always more appealing. The ideal watch is the one that best fits the wearer’s thoughts and values.
In this issue, we introduce Rolex, a Swiss watch brand that was established in 1905. It is such a well-known premium watch brand that even people who know nothing about watches would have heard the name. Behind the extravagant, premium image of Rolex lies a commitment to greater functionality that has brought about groundbreaking advances such as water-resistance and unparalleled sturdiness. The brand’s famous Oyster line was named in reference to the shell of an oyster that does not allow water to leak inside. This offers a hint of the brand’s priorities. Based on a pride in technological prowess, Rolex has retained simple, basic forms, establishing itself as a classic brand, but also one which never ceases to be dynamic and appealing.
While examining Rolex for this month’s issue, I found a Rolex model that I would like to own. A Rolex might seem less interesting than the Apple I currently wear, but Apple watches are obsolete as soon as the next model is released. A Rolex might ultimately be the less expensive option, since it can be handed down from generation to generation.
Discover Magazine B – Issue 41 (Rolex).
Magazine B is an ad-less monthly publication that introduces one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe in each issue. Between its covers, Magazine B not only shares untold stories behind the brand but also its sentiment and culture that any readers interested in brand marketing and management can leaf through with ease. Magazine B attempts to discover truly good brands from today’s market where countless brand-named products are overflowing. Magazine B pursues its quest for true value of a printed medium by becoming a magazine that would be worth possessing, not affected by advertisements since it receives no financial support from the brand, and maintains a unique and independent perspective which is increasingly disappearing due to overflowing information mingled among different media outlets.
Magazine B dedicates each issue to the story of one specific brand, which is one of the well-balanced brands that JOH. discovers from around the world based on four standards: beauty, practicality, price, and philosophy. And each issue is packed with B’s unique insights and in-depth analysis. Magazine B will continue to search brands that it pursues to introduce cover-to-cover, such as Swiss recycled bag manufacturer Freitag and Japanese camping gear maker Snow Peak.
Details: Magazine B – Issue 41 (Rolex)
240 x 170 mm, 160 pages
