# Do some Rolex watches contain a battery?



## podd (15 Dec 2006)

Not that I know anything about Rolex watches, but I just happened to be speaking to someone the other day and the subject of wristwatches came up.

He said some *genuine* Rolex watches (not fake) are sometimes powered by a battery. Is this true, as I always thought Rolex watches were expensive because of the hand-made mechanical movement, and therefore they never contained a battery. Maybe I'm wrong...


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## delgirl (15 Dec 2006)

AFAIK they are all mechanical.  

You can go to  to see how they are made.


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## podd (18 Dec 2006)

Just for the record I e-mailed a very expensive jewellers which stock Rolex watches and they informed that Rolex have produced some battery operated watches...which is quite surprising...


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## DaveD (19 Dec 2006)

podd said:


> Not that I know anything about Rolex watches, but I just happened to be speaking to someone the other day and the subject of wristwatches came up.
> 
> He said some *genuine* Rolex watches (not fake) are sometimes powered by a battery. Is this true, as I always thought Rolex watches were expensive because of the hand-made mechanical movement, and therefore they never contained a battery. Maybe I'm wrong...



Some do contain batteries, have a look at the second hand, if it "ticks", as in moves once every second then its a battery watch, if the hand sweeps smoothly around the face then its a mechanical watch (its actually moving several times per second, depending on the mechanism, but looks continuous). Rolex do make some high quality quartz battery watches as well as their mechanical ones, however none are actually handmade, Rolex are the most mass produced, machine made "premium" watches in the world, a triumph of marketing over substance. If you're going to spend that amount of money on a watch then go to a good quality jewellers and have a look at the alternatives, Weirs have a good selection as do Paul Sheeran's off Grafton Street, both in Dublin.

Of course if its a Rolex you want then go for it, but don't buy one online, it won't be covered by warranty and their are too many fakes about.


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