The history of watches is overflowing with stories. But, this is also a history peppered with myths from time to time. One such myth is of Mercedes Gleitze, Rolex, and the English Channel.
On October 7, 1927, Mercedes Gleitze, a 26 year old London typist, swam twenty-one miles across the English Channel. It was her eighth attempt. She entered the water in Gris Nez, France at 2:55 a.m. and exited at 6:10 p.m. between South Foreland and St. Margaret’s Bay, England. She was the twelfth to complete the accomplishment, but only the third woman and first Englishwoman. However, much to the contrary of a very popular belief, Gleitze did not wear a Rolex Oyster during the feat.
No, Gleitze did not prove the water resistance of the Rolex Oyster case when she successfully swam across the English Channel. The story is much different than what it’s been reduced to over the years. But first – a quick note on another interesting Rolex myth. The Rolex Oyster was arguably not the first waterproof watch and Rolex was not the first company to make a waterproof watch. But, they are probably the most famous so most equate the Rolex Oyster as the first waterproof watch in 1926. However, around 1917, the Tavannes Watch Co. created the “Submarine” watch at the request of two British submarine commanders. This was the first waterproof watch and is so noted in a short extract from in the “Horological Journal” of the British Horological Institute from December of 1917.
But back to story at hand – after Gleitze’s swim across on October 7, she ran into some trouble. It began when she reached the other side. The water temperatures in October were not forgiving. She collapsed on shore and fell unconscious for almost two hours. Just four days later, it was reported another woman, Mona McLennan, swam the channel in just 13 hours and 10 minutes. Two successful swims in such a short period of time aroused the public’s suspicion and McLennan soon recanted her claim.
The scrutiny also enveloped Gleitze but she defied the critics and simply agreed to swim the channel again on October 21. The increased media attention garnered the attention of others, namely Hans Wilsdorf. He jumped on the marketing opportunity for Rolex and offered Gleitze a gold Rolex Oyster wrist watch to be worn during the swim in exchange for her testimonial on the performance of the watch.
There is little information on the exact specifications of the watch Rolex gave to Gleitze. It is known that Rolex had at least four models of the Oyster at the time with the following variations: a cushion or octagonal shaped case; in 9k or 18k gold or sterling silver; and Arabic or Roman numeral dials. The cases consisted of three pieces with the bezel and back screwing into a ring within the body of the case, effectively creating a hermetic seal along with the screw-down crown. Interestingly, the Oyster name is thought to have been inspired by an actual oyster which Wilsdorf had difficulty opening at dinner.
Rolex movements of this period were made by Aegler in Bienne, Switzerland. The particular movement used in the Oyster eventually became known as the 10½ Hunter. The 15 jewel movements also underwent timing tests and bore different markings based on their performance. The best ten percent were designated as “Ultra Prima”, which was usually reflected on the dial and movement. The remainder were split between “Extra Prima” and “Prima”, each slightly less accurate.
Gleitze agreed and entered the water again on October 21, 1927 at 4:21 a.m. to a much larger crowd of spectators and press. Notably, the watch was not on her wrist – it was worn on a ribbon around her neck. Also, the water was colder still than her prior swim, ranging between 51 and 58 degrees Fahrenheit. She fought unbearable pain and numbness due to the cold for more than fourteen miles over the course of ten hours and twenty-four minutes.
She eventually began to slip in and out of a coma-like state and at 2:25 p.m. the crew of the accompanying boat hoisted her aboard, much to her disappointment. Despite not completing the swim, the crowd was thoroughly impressed with her skill and endurance. Nearly all doubts as to the veracity of her prior swim were cleared and Gleitze was celebrated for her earlier feat.
The Rolex Oyster watch worn by Gleitze also proved to be exceptional. By letter dated October 25, 1927, Gleitz shared her experience with Wilsdorf:
“You will like to hear that the Rolex Oyster watch I carried on my Channel swim proved itself a reliable and accurate timekeeping companion even though it was subjected to complete immersion for hours in sea water at a temp of not more than 58 and often as low as 51. This is to say nothing about the sustained buffeting it must have received. Not even the quick change to the high temp of the boat cabin when I was lifted from the water seemed to affect the even tenour of its movement. The newspaper man was astonished and I, of course, am delighted with it…”
Wilsdorf also shared in the delight. So much so, that on November 24, 1927, he took out a full front page ad in the Daily Mail to launch the Rolex Oyster in the United Kingdom. Rolex also made Gleitze an official brand ambassador and continued to prominently feature her in advertising for many years to come. There is even speculation that the infamous Mercedes hour hand is a nod to her.
Even though Gleitze didn’t reach her goal on October 21, 1927, her “vindication swim”, as it came to be known, was an overall success for her. She continued to swim across treacherous straits around the world, gaining athletic and philanthropic fame along the way. Likewise, it was also a success for Rolex. It firmly established a worldwide reputation for the Rolex Oyster as the premier waterproof wrist watch. It also laid the foundation for Rolex to continue building a brand known for its innovation, quality, and adventurous spirit. More than ninety years later, Rolex still uses the Oyster name on nearly all of its watches. Over the course of such a long time though, historic moments like these can sometimes become more like fiction than fact.