Hands On Horology 2025 - Early Bird Tickets Live

James Dowling

James has been collecting watches for forty years and writing about them for almost as long. His next book, 'Rolex Legend', is published by Octopus in the UK on September 25 and by Simon & Schuster in the US on November 11. His recent pronouncement that quartz timekeeping was the most important horological advance of the 20th Century has seen him ostracised from almost all polite watch circles. But still he persists.

Articles by James Dowling

James has been collecting watches for forty years and writing about them for almost as long. His next book, 'Rolex Legend', is published by Octopus in the UK on September 25 and by Simon & Schuster in the US on November 11. His recent pronouncement that quartz timekeeping was the most important horological advance of the 20th Century has seen him ostracised from almost all polite watch circles. But still he persists.

Who Owns Rolex and What Is the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation?

Culture Who Owns Rolex and What Is the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation?

Why Communist Leaders Wore Rolex: From Che Guevara to Ceauşescu

Culture Why Communist Leaders Wore Rolex: From Che Guevara to Ceauşescu

What Does ‘Jubilee’ Mean to Rolex?

Culture What Does ‘Jubilee’ Mean to Rolex?

Rolex 6150 Explorer: The First Royal Navy Military Rolex

Culture Rolex 6150 Explorer: The First Royal Navy Military Rolex

100 Years of the Rolex Oyster

Culture 100 Years of the Rolex Oyster

Why Was Rolex Founded in London, Not Switzerland?

Culture Why Was Rolex Founded in London, Not Switzerland?

Dust and Water: Did Rolex Invent Waterproof Watches by Accident?

Opinion Dust and Water: Did Rolex Invent Waterproof Watches by Accident?

The Frodsham Connection: Are Rolex’s 2025 Innovations Actually New?

Culture The Frodsham Connection: Are Rolex’s 2025 Innovations Actually New?

Why We Will (Probably) See Rolex Return to Quartz

Opinion Why We Will (Probably) See Rolex Return to Quartz

Mark McCormack: The Man Who Changed Rolex Forever

Opinion Mark McCormack: The Man Who Changed Rolex Forever

You Should Own a 36mm Watch (Especially a Rolex)

Opinion You Should Own a 36mm Watch (Especially a Rolex)

Why Can’t Rolex Get Reissues Right?

Culture Why Can’t Rolex Get Reissues Right?

Disaster to Triumph: Why Three of Rolex’s Vintage Icons Were Originally Total Failures

Opinion Disaster to Triumph: Why Three of Rolex’s Vintage Icons Were Originally Total Failures

The Forgotten History of Rolex’s Mysterious French-Made Cases

In Focus The Forgotten History of Rolex’s Mysterious French-Made Cases

The Truth Behind the Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 6542’s Radioactive Bezel

In Focus The Truth Behind the Rolex GMT-Master Ref. 6542’s Radioactive Bezel

How Rolex Accidently Invented the Panerai Radiomir

In Focus How Rolex Accidently Invented the Panerai Radiomir

The Early History of the Rolex Explorer and its Unusual References

In Focus The Early History of the Rolex Explorer and its Unusual References

MisterRolex’s Introduction to Rolex Customisation

In Focus MisterRolex’s Introduction to Rolex Customisation

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