Rolex, la saga du roi de l'horlogerie

Summary

Au cœur de New York, une vente aux enchères exceptionnelle voit un modèle Rolex Milgauss atteindre les 160 000 dollars, illustrant la folie des collectionneurs pour la marque. Avec 200 pièces à son actif, un collectionneur dévoile sa montre fétiche, la 'Big Crown' de James Bond. La montre Rolex, emblème de richesse, est célèbre pour sa résistance et son innovation, notamment avec le modèle Oyster waterproof et l'Explorer conquérant de l'Everest. Malgré les menaces de la contrefaçon, Rolex, protégée par une fondation, continue de symboliser le luxe et l'aventure, suscitant un engouement mondial et des enchères record.

Takeaways

• 🕰️ Les montres Rolex sont extrêmement prisées lors des enchères, avec des prix pouvant atteindre des sommes considérables.
• ⌚ L'histoire de Rolex commence avec Hans Wilsdorf, son fondateur allemand, qui a révolutionné l'industrie horlogère en introduisant la montre-bracelet.
• 🛠️ Rolex a été pionnier avec plusieurs innovations, notamment la montre Oyster, la première montre étanche au monde, et le mouvement automatique.
• 🌊 Le modèle Submariner, étanche jusqu'à 100 mètres, a solidifié la réputation de Rolex auprès des amateurs de plongée et d'aventure.
• 🚀 Les montres Rolex ont été associées à des exploits historiques, comme l'ascension de l'Everest par Edmund Hillary et Tensing Norgay en 1953.
• 👁️ La marque maintient un haut niveau de secret autour de ses opérations, renforçant son image de luxe et d'exclusivité.
• 🔍 Rolex est confrontée à des défis, notamment la contrefaçon, qui menace la valeur perçue et la confiance dans la marque.
• 📈 Les montres Rolex sont considérées comme un investissement, avec des modèles dont la valeur peut augmenter significativement avec le temps.
• 💡 La fondation qui détient Rolex lui permet de ne pas divulguer ses informations financières, offrant un avantage stratégique sur ses concurrents.
• 🌐 Rolex est devenue une icône culturelle, portée par des célébrités et des personnalités influentes dans le monde entier.

Q & A

Pourquoi le modèle Milgauss de Rolex a-t-il initialement échoué avant de devenir populaire 50 ans plus tard ?

Le texte ne fournit pas de détails spécifiques sur les raisons initiales de l'échec du modèle Milgauss, mais il indique que sa popularité a considérablement augmenté 50 ans après sa sortie, ce qui suggère un changement dans la perception ou la valeur attribuée à la montre par les collectionneurs et les amateurs.

Quelle est la particularité de la montre Big Crown portée par James Bond en 1962 ?

La Big Crown est spéciale car elle est exactement la montre que Sean Connery portait en 1962 dans le film James Bond contre Dr No, ce qui la rend un objet de collection très recherché parmi les fans de James Bond et les collectionneurs de montres Rolex.

Quelle innovation Hans Wilsdorf a-t-il introduite dans le monde de l'horlogerie ?

Hans Wilsdorf a révolutionné l'horlogerie en introduisant la montre-bracelet pour hommes à un moment où seules les femmes portaient des montres-bracelets et les hommes utilisaient des montres de poche. C'était une innovation majeure au début du 20e siècle.

Qu'est-ce que la Rolex Oyster et pourquoi est-elle importante ?

La Rolex Oyster est importante car elle a été la première montre au monde à être complètement étanche. Brevetée en 1926, elle a représenté une avancée technologique significative, protégeant le mécanisme de la montre contre la poussière et l'humidité.

Comment Rolex a-t-elle protégé son innovation de la montre automatique contre la concurrence ?

Rolex a protégé son innovation de la montre automatique en prenant des brevets très sérieux qui ont protégé la technologie jusqu'à 10 ans après son introduction, donnant à Rolex une avance considérable sur ses concurrents.

Quel exploit Rolex a-t-elle associé à la montre Explorer en 1953 ?

En 1953, Rolex a associé la montre Explorer à l'exploit de la conquête de l'Everest par Edmund Hillary et Tensing Norgay, ce qui a considérablement renforcé la notoriété de la montre et de la marque.

Comment la marque Rolex gère-t-elle sa confidentialité et sa protection contre la concurrence ?

Rolex gère sa confidentialité et sa protection contre la concurrence grâce à son statut de fondation, qui lui permet de ne pas divulguer d'informations financières ou stratégiques, lui donnant un avantage sur ses concurrents.

Quel est le principal concurrent de Rolex et comment essaie-t-il de rivaliser ?

Le principal concurrent de Rolex est Omega, qui a également créé des montres associées à des exploits, comme la Speedmaster choisie par la NASA pour ses astronautes. Omega essaie de rivaliser en utilisant des stratégies marketing similaires et en introduisant des montres emblématiques.

Quel est l'impact de la contrefaçon sur la marque Rolex ?

La contrefaçon représente un risque significatif pour Rolex, car elle peut dévaloriser la marque et tromper les consommateurs. Le marché des fausses montres Rolex est tellement répandu qu'il pose souvent la question de l'authenticité lors de l'achat d'une montre Rolex.

Comment la valeur des montres Rolex évolue-t-elle au fil du temps ?

La valeur de certaines montres Rolex peut augmenter jusqu'à 5% par mois, rendant ces montres non seulement des objets de collection mais aussi des investissements potentiels qui peuvent atteindre des prix très élevés lors des enchères.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 La montée en puissance de Rolex

À New York, sur Madison Ave, une enchère exceptionnelle s'ouvre à 70 000 $ pour une montre de plongée en acier, le modèle Milgauss de Rolex, autrefois un échec, mais désormais très prisé, témoignant de l'engouement mondial pour les montres de collection, en particulier les Rolex. L'histoire de Rolex est intimement liée à celle de son fondateur Hans Wilsdorf, un orphelin allemand qui révolutionna le monde de l'horlogerie en déplaçant la montre de la poche au poignet. Avec son flair pour l'excellence et une série d'innovations audacieuses, Wilsdorf a propulsé Rolex au-devant de la scène horlogère, en commençant par le pari risqué mais finalement victorieux des montres-bracelets pour hommes.

05:03

🛠️ Innovations et révolutions de Rolex

Rolex, sous la direction visionnaire de Hans Wilsdorf, a lancé plusieurs innovations révolutionnaires qui ont solidifié sa réputation. Parmi celles-ci, la montre Oyster en 1926, la première montre étanche au monde, et le développement d'un mouvement de montre automatique, libérant les utilisateurs de la nécessité de remonter leur montre quotidiennement. Ces avancées technologiques ont non seulement établi de nouveaux standards dans l'industrie horlogère mais ont également renforcé le positionnement de Rolex en tant que leader du marché. La marque a su exploiter ces innovations dans des campagnes de marketing efficaces, associant ses montres à des exploits d'endurance et d'aventure, comme la traversée de la Manche par Mercedes Gleitze et l'ascension de l'Everest par Edmund Hillary et Tensing Norgay, amplifiant ainsi sa renommée mondiale.

10:04

🌍 Rolex et son impact culturel et sociétal

L'impact de Rolex dépasse largement le cadre de l'horlogerie, touchant des sphères culturelles et sociétales variées. La marque s'est associée à des figures emblématiques et des événements historiques, devenant un symbole de réussite et d'aventure. De l'exploration des profondeurs marines avec Jacques Piccard à la conquête spatiale, Rolex a su se positionner comme la montre de l'exploit. En parallèle, la stratégie de communication de Rolex, axée sur le secret et l'exclusivité, a renforcé son aura de mystère et de luxe, faisant de la marque une cible privilégiée pour les contrefacteurs, tout en alimentant son statut de légende dans l'univers horloger.

15:10

🛡️ La lutte contre la contrefaçon

Rolex fait face à une menace croissante : la contrefaçon. La qualité et la renommée de ses montres en font des cibles privilégiées pour les imitations, engendrant un marché parallèle difficile à contrôler. Les experts et les passionnés s'emploient à démêler le vrai du faux, un défi rendu complexe par la sophistication croissante des contrefaçons. Cette situation soulève des questions sur l'authenticité et la valeur, affectant la perception de la marque. Malgré cela, Rolex continue de bénéficier d'une demande élevée et d'un statut prestigieux, soutenus par une histoire riche en innovations et en exploits.

20:12

🔎 Authenticité et valeur chez Rolex

L'authenticité d'une Rolex est cruciale pour sa valeur, un fait souligné lors des rassemblements de collectionneurs où l'originalité de chaque composant est méticuleusement examinée. La présence de pièces non authentiques, même mineures, peut drastiquement réduire la valeur d'une montre. Cette quête d'authenticité reflète l'importance du détail et de l'histoire dans l'évaluation d'une Rolex, faisant écho à l'héritage de la marque en matière de précision et d'excellence. La passion et l'engagement des collectionneurs pour ces montres illustrent bien l'estime dans laquelle Rolex est tenue à travers le monde.

Keywords

💡Enchère

Une enchère est une vente où le prix des articles est déterminé par des offres successives des acheteurs potentiels. Dans le script, les enchères sont centrales car elles illustrent la valeur élevée et le désir collectif pour les montres Rolex, comme indiqué par la vente d'une montre à 160 000 dollars. Cela montre l'intérêt des collectionneurs et la valeur perçue des montres Rolex.

💡Milgauss

Le Milgauss est un modèle de montre de la marque Rolex, connu pour sa capacité à résister aux champs magnétiques. Dans le contexte du script, le Milgauss représente un produit qui a initialement échoué sur le marché mais est devenu très recherché plus tard, symbolisant la transformation des perceptions et des valeurs au fil du temps.

💡Collectionneur

Un collectionneur est une personne qui accumule des objets spécifiques, souvent pour leur valeur esthétique, historique ou financière. Le script mentionne des collectionneurs de montres Rolex, soulignant leur passion et leur volonté de dépenser des sommes considérables pour acquérir des modèles rares ou historiques.

💡Rolex

Rolex est une marque suisse de montres de luxe, connue pour sa qualité, sa durabilité et son prestige. Le script traite de l'histoire de Rolex, de son évolution et de son statut de symbole de richesse et de réussite, illustré par les montres portées par des célébrités et des personnalités influentes.

💡Montre-bracelet

Une montre-bracelet est une montre conçue pour être portée au poignet, attachée par un bracelet ou une sangle. Le script décrit comment Rolex a révolutionné l'industrie en se concentrant sur la production de montres-bracelets pour hommes, marquant un changement culturel et technologique majeur.

💡Étanche

Étanche se réfère à la capacité d'un objet à résister à la pénétration de l'eau. Dans le script, la caractéristique étanche des montres Rolex, notamment le modèle Oyster, démontre l'innovation technique de la marque et son engagement à produire des montres durables et fiables.

💡Innovation

L'innovation est l'introduction de nouvelles idées, de produits ou de méthodes. Le script met en évidence l'innovation constante de Rolex dans la conception de montres, comme le développement du premier mouvement automatique, renforçant son statut de leader dans l'industrie horlogère.

💡Contrefaçon

La contrefaçon est la fabrication ou la vente de biens copiés illégalement, souvent de qualité inférieure. Le script aborde le problème des fausses montres Rolex, soulignant les défis auxquels la marque est confrontée en matière de protection de ses produits et de sa réputation.

💡Exploit

Un exploit est une réalisation remarquable qui requiert du courage ou de l'habileté. Le script utilise le terme pour décrire les montres Rolex associées à des aventures historiques, comme l'ascension de l'Everest, illustrant leur fiabilité et leur performance dans des conditions extrêmes.

💡Fondation

Une fondation est une organisation caritative ou une institution établie pour fournir un soutien à une cause spécifique. Le script révèle que Rolex est possédé par une fondation, ce qui souligne une structure d'entreprise unique qui protège la marque et ses intérêts.

Highlights

Exceptional auction of a vintage Rolex watch starting at $70,000.

The Milgauss model's transformation from a market flop to a highly sought-after collectible.

Rolex's status as a symbol of wealth, with collectors owning multiple pieces.

The association of Rolex watches with iconic figures like James Bond and various celebrities.

The innovative transition from pocket watches to wristwatches by Rolex's founder, Hans Wilsdorf.

The introduction of the waterproof Oyster case, a revolutionary advancement in watchmaking.

The creation of the automatic winding watch, setting Rolex apart from competitors.

Rolex's strategic branding by associating with adventurers and record-breaking achievements.

The impact of Rolex's marketing strategies on its brand prestige and sales.

The secretive and tightly controlled manufacturing process of Rolex watches in Geneva.

The unique business structure of Rolex being owned by a foundation, ensuring privacy and competitive advantage.

The challenge of counterfeit Rolex watches flooding the market.

The high stakes of the vintage Rolex market, where authenticity and originality command premium prices.

Rolex’s enduring appeal as a 'safe bet' investment, likened to a universal currency.

The exponential increase in the value of Rolex watches, with some models appreciating by 5% per month.

Transcripts

New York, Madison Ave. Here takes place this morning an exceptional auction.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. I can open the auction easily at $70,000.

$70,000 is the starting price for this Steel diver's watch, the Milgauss model.

When it came out, it flopped. 50 years later, we tear it off.

These auctions are the appointment not to be miss for collectors around the world.

Here, everyone already has a Rolex, if not two.

Do you have two Rolexes on your wrist?

Yes, I like Rolexes. In the morning, I find it hard to choose.

We start at $70,000. Is there an auction in the room?

In a few seconds, the hammer of the auctioneer will make one happy.

75000, 80000, 85000, 90000...

Auctions turn heads.

130000. And with you on the phone? 160000 now. With Etienne?

The price climbs to 160000.

Nope ? No one at 170,000? So it's still 160000 once, 160,000 twice... Knocked down at 160,000.

The old Rolex is sold for $160,000. A little over €100,000,

It's 30 times the price of the cheapest brand new watches, around 3000€.

If the auctions thus burst the ceiling, it is because these watches are also star watches and that they are the stuff of dreams.

This man has a whole collection of them, one one of his favorites is a real spy watch.

How many Rolexes do you have?

I have 200. This is the Big Crown. It's James Bond's watch.

This is exactly the watch that Sean Connery wore in 1962 in James Bond against Dr No.

A winning cocktail that combines chic and action.

And the list of stars never ceases to grow. Bruce Willis, Michael Jackson, Arnold Schwarzenegger,

Maradona, Fidel Castro or Che.

And even the Dalai Lama or Pope John Paul II. To each his own Rolex, the watch of the rich, famous and powerful.

President Nicolas Sarkozy, too, attempted the wrist of stars, even if it means becoming the subject of ridicule.

Not everyone is Sean Connery.

What price are brand lovers ready to invest in order to afford this share of the dream?

How did it become the watch par excellence?

The most copied brand in the world is it threatened by counterfeiting?

This is the story of a watchmaker who, for 100 years, has completely revolutionized the world of watches.

Mr. Rolex, it's him. In fact, the king of the watch is called Hans Wilsdorf, he is German.

Orphaned at twelve, he moved to London in 1903 as a small employee in a watch factory.

Wilsdorf has a genius for watchmaking and a taste for excellence.

With some savings, he founded a small factory which is not yet called Rolex but Wilsdorf & Davis.

At the time, there were many manufacturers, but only one model exists for men.

This one, the pocket watch.

Wilsdorf makes another bet. And if the watch went from the pocket to the handles.

To date, few manufacturers have dared to do this.

The history of Rolex, the Englishman James Dowling, knows her like the back of her hand.

For this specialist, offering wristwatches to men is a revolution, at the beginning of the 20th century.

What he decided to do is to focus production on wristwatches.

At the time, they had just done their appearance but it was reserved for women.

No man wore one. A real man wore a beautiful pocket watch with a thick chain.

This is a first class burial for the pocket watch. The men's wristwatch is a thunderclap,

In the world of watchmaking. And these are the cannon shots that will do the rest.

Then the war of 1914 started.

This is the first war of the industrial age. Of the thousands and thousands of fighters are moving.

It is important to be able to synchronize their actions.

In the trenches it's cold, there is mud, dust.

Everyone wears bulky tunics. He is therefore difficult to use pocket watches.

And officers then adopted the wristwatch. And no one can say these are watches for women anymore.

Wristwatches on the wrist of hairy. An unexpected marketing stunt.

At the time, we still talk about watches Wilsdorf, but it won't last.

In the midst of war, a Germanic name means assured bankruptcy. Wilsdorf therefore renamed his company. It will be called Rolex.

He chooses the term Rolex from the word rolling, "rolling" in English,

And that gave an idea of movement and a watch, that's it.

He also chose Rolex because it was time where companies were going international.

And many companies were choosing names brief 4 to 5 letters that meant nothing,

But which sounded the same in all the languages. Like Kodak, for example.

After the Great War, a second technological revolution,

Will allow Rolex to take a decisive lead over its competitors.

This revolution, James Dowling, wears it on the wrist.

I'm wearing a prototype Rolex Oyster from 1926.

It is a very beautiful watch that can be discovered elegantly when the sleeve rolls up.

She is not m'as-tu-vu, she is not ostentatious.

Oyster, oyster in English. It's the first watch the world to be completely waterproof.

Patented in 1926, it still amazes specialists today.

Paris, sixth arrondissement. Anthony of Macedo knows every cog of this waterproof Rolex.

His store is a bit like a second-hand watch clinic.

For him, no other case is so resistant.

This is the famous Oyster case. And it's really nowadays certainly,

The best system that has been developed for waterproof watches, of course.

I'll put it in the machine.

This machine is an underwater pressure simulator.

A torture chamber for watches.

At the time, in the 1930s, when it came out, among the watchmakers,

There was a display with an aquarium and the watches were showcased in the aquarium.

So it was still quite amazing.

Here we go. There is no water inside, there is no fogging, so the watch is waterproof.

I will show you the same with a watch that is not waterproof.

We're going to put a little pressure, you see the bubbles coming out, so the watch is leaking everywhere, to tell you the truth, so you see...

Once out of the water, the result is final.

There, we see the drops of water inside from the bottom of the case and in motion.

The Rolex is well sealed and not just water resistant.

With the Oyster case, its mechanism is henceforth protected from all attacks.

Dust and humidity harm the proper functioning of a movement.

So putting a movement in a case perfectly waterproof, this one will have a better walk,

The interviews will be much more spaced out.

Dust and water proof, Wilsdorf holds a reliable watch.

And to make it known, he will offer it to an English adventurer, Mercedes Gleitze.

This young secretary is one of the first women to attempt to swim across the English Channel.

We are in October 1927. The young woman swim for 15 hours in freezing water.

She holds the shock, the watch too.

The brand displays its triumph on the front page of the Daily Mail.

It is now synonymous with achievement and sales explode in store.

But already, the indefatigable Wilsdorf is thinking about his next revolution.

A watch without constraint, without mechanism to wind up every day.

He therefore invented a fully automatic watch, a miniature perpetual motion.

Here is the giant version. The principle imagined by Rolex is exactly the same.

One of Rolex's great strengths has been to make a watch that was wound by the kinetic movement.

You have a rotor at the watch, you see, which translates each of your movements into a force multiplied by a cog,

And which goes towards the spring, which avoids having to wind the watch.

It still makes watches much more precise often than hand-wound watches.

You see winding up a watch, that also has its charm.

But automation, yes, it really is a real revolution.

It is a movement designed in an extremely logic. There is nothing superfluous.

For me, it's really a beast of competition.

A beast of competition that will knock out its main competitors Omega, Breguet and Longines for many years.

Place Vendôme in Paris, the high place of jewelry expertise.

Jean-claude Sabrier is a specialist international antique watch market.

For him, the genius of the Swiss brand, it is the patent of the automatic watch.

That's how she locked everything down.

The strength of Rolex is to have taken, from origin, ten years ahead of its competitors.

Rolex took very serious patents, practically the Rolex patent of 31 protected it until 41.

In 41, there was the war, so it was over. There's no had room for development from its competitors.

Omega only released its first watches in automatic winding only in the 50s.

Rolex had a 20-year lead anyway.

After the Second World War, nothing new in the Rolex cases but Hans Wilsdorf is looking to make a new move.

He invented the Explorer, a watch particularly sturdy cut for adventurers.

He decides to send her to the roof of the world. 1953, mountaineer Edmund Hillary and his teammate Tensing Norgay,

Decide to tackle the conquest of Everest, a world first!

Rolex on the wrist, ice ax in the hand and crampons on the feet, the British team achieved its feat.

The Swiss brand too.

The highest peak in the world, Everest is conquered. The people of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal,

Made a triumphant welcome to the victorious team.

Sherpa Tensing, their compatriot, his fellow climber, New Zealander Hillary,

And the other members of the expedition commanded by the colonel. The first in history, the English conquered Everest!

At the top of Everest, Rolex reached also the peak of his notoriety.

All-out advertising campaign around the explorer.

Convince people to buy mountaineer Hillary's watch.

For the advertiser Jacques Séguéla, this blow advertising is a genuine stroke of genius.

Having affirmed its brand value which is the constant search for the exception,

He will not take, to serve his mark, than celebrities who express,

And because they have in them this permanent search for the exception.

In other words, it's a watch for people who take risks. It's a watch for people who are the assets of life,

And who can dive at any time in the sea or in the clouds.

Shortly after the Roof of the World, the mark will tease the bottom of the seas.

In 1953, the scientist Jacques Piccard dives in a submarine with a prototype watch hanging outside the craft.

3000 meters below, it beats a new depth record this time.

In the process, the brand declines this prototype in a version general public, waterproof to 100 meters, baptized Submariner.

The commercial benefits are immediate. It is still the star model in the catalog today.

In the clouds or in the depths of the abyss, at each time, the Swiss manufacturer plays marketing with precision,

Only one condition, to remain the watch of the exploit.

Nearly 2 billion in turnover, 800,000 watches sold last year,

There are no official figures published by the brand but the estimates are dizzying.

To make these jewels, nearly 6,000 employees work with the utmost discretion.

Who defines this secrecy strategy?

How does it protect itself from competition?

Direction Geneva, the safe city. This is true for banks as much as for watches.

This glass building is the Rolex house, an impregnable citadel.

Prohibited to the public and even more to the cameras.

The curious are not welcome.

I have people who are take a look at the building...

Ok yes, thank you.

- It's a home invasion. - Here it's private so far.

- How far ? - This is the outside.

The cult of secrecy. Even lovers of the brand are turned away.

This is the case of Osvaldo Patrizzi. It was he who put places the first auctions of old Rolexes.

But when he asked for help brand, he found the door closed.

The Swiss watchmaker completely snubbed it.

I like their products, I don't like their way of managing.

But I'm not a Rolex shareholder, I am an outside observer.

Rolex is an exceptional product made by people who know their job well,

But who do not know the art of communicating except with big hits of millions to advertise.

To enter this factory, it is a true James Bond scenario.

Rolex, champion of innovation, overflows also imaginative when it comes to hiding.

Retina prints, fingerprints, access code.

Exceptional security measures for growing the secret but also to protect a treasure.

Indeed, to manufacture these watches, the Swiss brand is the largest consumer of gold after the States.

An empire and a fortune held by owners also very mysterious.

Who are the holders of Rolex shares?

It's a foundation, so there's no a real boss, there are managers,

So there is the Heiniguer family after Wilsdorf, they have taken Rolex in their hands and manage it.

They are the big bosses today but it is not their company.

The company is owned by a foundation. And there, I believe that Wilsdorf saw well.

This foundation here it is.

A few offices in an anonymous building. And here as in the factory, silence.

I can't give you any information like that without knowing who you are.

Unfortunately I can't tell you anything.

Rolex is therefore owned by a foundation, it is written in its statutes.

In other words, Rolex is not listed on the stock exchange, it does not appear in the commercial register either.

Originally, Hans Wilsdorf wanted to protect his trademark and his heirs from any attempt at redemption.

Today, according to Eric Pichet, financial analyst at the Paris Stock Exchange, this privileged status is a formidable economic weapon.

The advantage is that you don't give any information to competitors since you know that in France,

When you have a company, even if it is not listed elsewhere, you must file the accounts with the commercial register,

These accounts can be viewed by anyone, including competitors and especially by competitors from elsewhere.

The fact of not giving any information either on the turnover, or on the dividend, or on the strategy,

Puts you completely safe from the indiscretions of competitors. On the other hand, you can consult without problem,

The data that competitors are obliged to, by Swiss or French legislation,

To simply give to their shareholders. This is information that is public,

So you have an advantage there. comparison with others.

You don't say anything about your business and you can watch what others are doing.

Despite all these pitfalls, a brand wins of the field and becomes a threatening competitor.

She's Swiss, too, it's Omega.

The expert Jean-Claude Sabrier observes this war between the two brands.

It is played as far as Place Vendôme, in Paris.

Here is the future Rolex boutique. And you see, it's not by chance, it's place Vendôme, one of the privileged places of Paris.

Are there competitors nearby?

Sure. All watch brands are here. We'll have, 50 meters away you'll see Omega.

And here is the new Omega boutique that has just opened.

To face the brand with the crown, Omega does not hesitate not to use the same good old recipes.

1957, like Rolex, Omega creates its exploit watch.

The Speedmaster. And with this model, it pulls off the coup of the 20th century.

It is she who will be chosen by NASA to equip its astronauts and will become the first watch,

To travel to the moon.

1995, like Rolex, Omega enters the market spying on the wrist of James Bond.

Omega watches by Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig now replace Sean Connery's Submariner.

Every time a new James Bond comes out, the Omega sales jump. Ah yes, it is striking!

Omega is gaining ground every day.

How come they can't catch up with them?

It is not in ten years that we can make up for such a delay.

Omega is a serious contender.

But the real threat, the founder of Rolex had never thought of it. It is counterfeit.

In the brand's perfectly oiled cogs, it's the grain of sand that risks seizing up everything.

Antique watch specialist, Fabrice Guéroux has made copy hunting his hobby.

And fake Rolexes, he hears about them every day.

The first thing someone asks you when you pull out a brand new Rolex,

You go to the restaurant, eat with friends, is it real or fake?

This is the first question we ask you laid. It's the mind-blowing thing!

It is to believe that there are so many on the market in counterfeits than in original watches.

His first Rolex, he bought it on the Internet.

And he went from surprise to surprise.

And suddenly I saw $3000 watches, the same model at 650 from another in immediate purchase,

I said to myself well anyway, there is a problem.

And I actually realized, little by little, that there were a lot of counterfeits on the net.

Finding a fake watch on the Internet couldn't be simpler.

Just type the five letters of the brand in a search engine.

So at the top the official Rolex site so that's normal.

But just below the official site, the sites of counterfeiters.

We are entering Ali Baba's cave of imitations.

More than 450 models. All false.

You can choose by model, Daytona, Submariner, Sea-Dweller,

Yacht-Master, GMT-Master, Explorer 1, Explorer 2, Day-Date, Datejust Man,...

So here it is, at the Submariner level, there are all the prices. There are even models that do not exist, the brown model with a white background.

We choose the Submariner in steel. It's the promo of the week.

$229, 20 times cheaper than the real thing.

To order it online, therefore, we will open an account.

The temptation is great to order a second one. This time, we are targeting collector's watches.

These are watches that sell for between €5 and €100,000,

So let's go see what they propose. You have several models.

We'll go look at the model military which is a Submariner 5517.

It's a very rare watch, very hard to find and which today sells for between ten and 15,000€ depending on the condition of the watch.

So here we go, we're going to order this one too.

Total of our purchases, just over €300 for a pair of Rolex.

In the blink of an eye, the order form is shipped to China, our forger's address.

The contact there in China is called ****.

Fabrice just has to pay the bill by post.

I will pay.

- How soon will we have our parcels? - Ten days.

Six days later, the order is already there. Counterfeiting in fast service.

To unpack the package, Fabrice Guéroux goes to two other collector's watch specialists.

And there, surprise, in the envelope, no traces of watches, but a plastic toy.

We have a toy... a plastic toy.

It smacks of scam.

Original.

A plastic game, they swung! Do you believe it?

But the tomcat is a Trojan horse.

He did not reveal all his secrets.

Ah yes, in fact, you have to press a kind of screw.

- Unbelievable. - Inside the toy.

- There are two ? - Yes, yes two watches.

- Well packaged. - Is that what you ordered?

There is the military.

Appearance is truly the appearance of a Rolex. Look at that, she looks as real as a real one.

It's time for the big comparison. Fake watches versus real Rolexes. Verdict.

Which is true, which is false?

It's quite convincing though.

- Which is true, which is false? - That's the fake one. But they did...

- Yes, afterwards, when we go into detail... - The cutout of the bezel is different.

But the real difference is inside the cases. In the bowels of the copy, a very cheap golden mechanism.

- The movement is 10€. - We feel the poor quality.

A neophyte gets tricked quickly.

Me, today, I buy a watch like that, I put up for sale on the Internet with box and paper,

I put it at 2500€, the person got the impression of having made a deal.

A year later, she'll go to the jeweler saying she stopped or she took the water, she brings it,

He is told, your watch is fake, it's over, it's over.

Next to the vulgar copies, there is a another equally dangerous market for Rolex.

That of adulterated second-hand parts which depreciates the value of the watch.

Return to New York to the high mass of collectors.

Enthusiasts jostle to have their jewels appraised.

Among them, Peter Ratcliff.

He is worried today. He is asking himself if his watch is guaranteed 100% original.

I feel like there's something wrong with the dial of this watch. Has it been retouched?

Can you take a look at it?

Indeed, the dial has been reprinted. Unfortunately for this watch reference, it is the dial that makes the value.

In the condition this watch is in, the value drops between 8 or 12000$.

- No more ? - No more.

can i try to find an authentic dial to replace it?

Yes, you can try. I say that there are some on the market,

But those who have good dial Sea-Dweller has double red line,

Are you going to ask for it between 15 and 20000$.

- Ah yes, just for the dial? - Yes, yes, just for the dial.

A real blow to morale for Peter.

Fortunately, the vulgar copies or authentic hacked watches,

Are not yet an absolute threat to the brand at the crown.

James Dowling is convinced of this.

The world of Rolex is like a small family. Each event is an opportunity for great reunions.

For him, this watch remains a safe bet in the event of a hard blow.

The Rolex is a universal currency. There's an old saying that says,

That if one day you find yourself on the wrong side of the line head on with gold coins or a Rolex in your pocket,

You will always get away with exchanging them against a roof, food or a car.

I open the auction with this lot at $150,000.

In the world of Rolex, a roof is a castle, the food, caviar and the car, necessarily a Rolls.

$190,000, $200,000 now. Awarded!

I bought fourteen watches for a million dollars, the half for business, the other half for my collection.

160,000,170,000, $190,000, sold!

My opinion is that the market is completely nuts.

$200,000 for the Sea Dweller prototype, 200,000 once, twice. Sold for $200,000!

It's me who has the watch and there are some very little. And if anyone is interested,

He will pay whatever amount I ask of him.

In ten years, how much will the last born be torn from of the family, the Deepsea, the watch of extremes,

Waterproof to almost 4000 meters under water.

Where no diver will ever go.

But whatever. Rolex is also dream at more than 7000€ for this model.

A brand auction, it's always the guaranteed jackpot.

We sold for 9.2 million dollars, commissions included.

Nearly 6 million euros today, definitely a lot more next time.

Because the value of some models increases by 5% per month.