Moderator Patrick_y celebrates Rolex's achievement in creating the most Advanced Movement In The World!  

When we use the word "Advanced" in the watch space, it is usually defined as pioneering construction methods or pioneering materials.  This is not to be confused with "Complicated" which mean watches with functions that show more than the hours and minutes.  Seconds, dates, day displays are all complications.  Silicon parts would be "advancements."  

The 7135 is an extremely advanced movement for a mass produced movement.  It is a significant risk to introduce so many new parts on a watch all at once; as it means you have multiple failure points.  Historically most watch companies have introduced new technologies piece by piece and in gradual steps.  

The 7135 is endowed with multiple new advancements!  Syloxi is new in such an application (Rolex has technically introduced Syloxi back in 2014, but it's not the same).  The ceramic balance staff holder is new and further reduces friction.  The new double-wheel escapement has never been pioneered en masse before.  Five Hertz beat rate is also unusual for a Rolex time-only watch.  Eighteen to thirty-two new patents are directly attributed to the Land Dweller!  

Looking at the advanced watch companies with experimental technology; the Ulysses Nardin Freak had the double wheel escapement, some Freaks even had lab-grown diamond escapement parts, but none of the other attributes; no Patek Philippe Advanced Research piece has something like the 7135; perhaps the 10 Hz Breguet (Reference 7727) comes close, but no Breguet has incorporated so many of these technologies in one watch (the Breguet 10 Hz has silicon hair springs, magnetic pivots, and high beat, but not a double wheel escapement).  Some independents like Leberer, Frodsham, Journe's Optimum, have double wheel escapements but don't have other attributes the Rolex possesses.  And none of these are produced in scale by the thousands and tens of thousands per annum.  

All these features are very impressive.  But, what are the benefits?  Mainly expect to see impressive performance benefits; greater accuracy, faster shock recovery, across a wider temperature range (minor point since most watches aren't subjected to extreme temperatures), and very long service intervals.  Rolex didn't mention a service interval in the press release, but I would expect a very long interval.  The watch is rated by Rolex to have a -2/+2 second per day accuracy (the Rolex "Superlative" standard).  The watch is also rated by the COSC to meet COSC standards.  Accuracy guaranteed for five years from date of sale.  

It seems this Rolex 7135 movement is the most ADVANCED movement in the world!  Big congrats to Rolex!!!  While the average customer may not notice the technical details, it's still a tremendous achievement.  I look forward to the comments in the years to come, and in the decades to come, we will see if the service interval really is significantly lengthened.  

The ceramic balance staff holder is definitely a major advancement.  The smoothness of the ceramic is necessary to eliminate friction.  The ceramic itself is laser cut and laser polished for smoothness.  


Rolex has put in a double wheel escapement.  In silicon.  No less than seven patents are registered for this escapement wheel system.  

Big bravo to Rolex!