Walking through one of Rolex’s factories, I can’t help but be amazed at the sheer scale of manufacturing, processing, research and assembling that goes into the creation of one watch. It feels like I’m in an automobile assembling plant, with high-tech equipment and dedicated workers taking centrestage. Rolex employs over 6,000 people in Switzerland alone, making it an intricate part of the Swiss economy. It is also a watch brand that has brand recall like no other. To own a Rolex watch is to acquire prestige in the eyes of your covetous neighbours.

We were a group of select few who got the opportunity to visit three of the four Rolex sites in Geneva. Crisp sunny mornings with a hint of fall coming around were an indication of a great trip ahead. This was the first time Rolex was inviting Indian journalists to their factories, and since just like any other luxury Swiss watch brand they like to keep their workings a secret, this trip was something that filled us all with a sense of anticipation and excitement.

The world of Rolex is spread out over four sites: the world headquarters at Acacias, manufacture of the movements at Bienne, casting of the gold bracelets and cases at Plan-les-Ouates and creation of the dials and gem-setting at Chêne-Bourg. Our first stop was Acacias, where the characteristic green found on the brand’s logo stood out among all the other surrounding buildings. Acacias is also where the final assembly of all the watches take place. Parts of the watches come in from the other four sites and skilled employees assemble the pieces together to create a watch, which then undergoes rigorous testing for water-resistance. After all, clamped-down Oyster watches one of the most well-known in the world? I was expecting to see a number of machines doing the assembly work in an automaton-style manner but was pleasantly surprised by the presence of workers in every stage of the process. This trend of using robotics only when absolutely necessary was one that is followed in all Rolex sites. As far as possible, humans are used to create their watches, and machinery comes in only for testing, alloying, transport and other mechanical functions. Quick and nimble hands snap pieces into place. A twist here, a brush there and the final product is ready to be tested, boxed and shipped to retailers worldwide. Even the placement in a box is done by hand, so that you know that your watch was cared for by someone.

The next stop was Plan-les-Ouates, where all I saw, or chose to see was gold! This site houses a foundry where Rolex creates its own alloys like Everose and other gold materials. Hot furnaces poured out liquid gold that fell in pretty droplets. Butch men hammered away at gold bars to create sheets or logs that would then be cut into cases and bracelet links. Here too, the hand of man touched every aspect of the process. More so as a large amount of research has to go into creating the alloy. Where else would you see a PhD holder in Chemistry or Material Science sit side by side with a foundry specialist? More like a lab on steroids than a young person’s vision of a quaint watchmaker’s atelier, this site was by far one of the most interesting. The grapes growing on vines on the terrace helped add to the charm as well.

But of course, the highlight of my trip was the visit to Chêne-Bourg, where Rolex dials are created, along with the entire gem-setting process. This year at Baselworld, we were treated to the new Cosmograph Daytona in a rainbow gemset dial. Here, I got to watch the gemsetters work on the same, with precision and dedication worthy of the Rolex name. Sapphires, diamonds, rubies and other stones were sorted using different criteria and arranged in perfect sequence to be placed and set onto the dial. The sorting process may have been automated but the setting could only be done by hand to produce the desired effect. “Oohs” and “aahs” rippled through the group as we watched the gemsetter gently mould the dial to fit the shiny baguettes. Highly qualified, well-educated and well-trained, the employees of Rolex make it the brand it is today.

The focus on human beings extends into other areas of the brand as well. Apart from the Rolex Learning Centre at the EPFL where students come together in a fluid space to experience learning, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise is another important extension of the brand. Since 1976, Rolex awards individuals from across the world for enterprise in different areas, with a focus on helping society as whole. Each award is given for either a new venture or an ongoing project that is reviewed by a distinguished panel for practicality and possible impact. Individuals in the fields of Applied Technology, Cultural heritage, Environment, Exploration and Discovery and Science and Health can apply, and the numbers show that the number of entrants has been increasing exponentially over the last few years. Every two years, the awards are presented, and this year, they will be held in India. So watch lovers and humanitarians alike have something to look forward to in November. The Rolex Awards provide grants of 100,000 Swiss francs to each of the five laureates chosen. The awardees also get to work on the project with earlier winners and jury members, to help them achieve their goal. It extends Rolex’s philosophy of creating stories through everything it does.