87% of Europa Star’s readers successfully answered the website poll regarding Mr. H. W. Oddin-Taylor of London and his Rolex timepiece. To find out more about this amusing episode, here is the full story as printed in Rolex’s advertisement in the African, Near and Middle Eastern edition of Europa Star in 1953. A new poll will be published soon to challenge Europa Star’s professional and informed readers.

What did Mr. H. W. Oddin-Taylor of London do with his Rolex Oyster in Pakistan in 1953?

A. Auction it for charity
B. Drop it into the river
C. Break the crystal playing cricket


See page 154 of Europa Star Issue No.2/2007

Reproduction of the text
Rolex owners can be found in all parts of the world, and Rolex watches are often subjected to test in some exotic places. A letter from a customer once took us, for instance, to Sukkur, Pakistan, where the mile-long Barrage spans the River Indus. This particular customer was standing on the Barrage when he had the misfortune to drop his watch over the parapet.

It fell twenty-seven feet, and disappeared with a twinkle into twenty-three feet of water.

The Barrage divers volunteered to search: it took them two hours of rooting about in thick mud before they brought to the surface the little mud-encrusted object that was the missing Oyster.

Was it damaged? No. Stopped? No. Washed and dried, that Rolex was found to be completely intact and still going.

That was just one Rolex. But it demonstrates the incredibly fine workmanship of the men who made those pin-head parts and set them in place. And it demonstrates, too, the extraordinary efficiency of the Rolex Oyster case – the case that was designed and developed by Rolex, the first, and still the foremost, waterproof case in the world.

And even if you’ll never go to Sukkur, to stand on the Indus Barrage, even if you and your watch lead the quietest of quite lives, don’t think that your watch needs no protection. There are so many enemies – dust and dirt, water, perspiration – and they must be guarded against. But you need have no worry if your watch is the same fine family as this old Indian campaigner, the Rolex that fell from the Indus Barrage.

*This is a true story, taken from a letter written by the customer in question (Mr. H. W. Oddin-Taylor of London, W.1) to the Rolex Watch Company Limited. The original letter may be inspected at the offices of he Rolex Watch Company, Geneva, Switzerland.

The last touch of perfection is added to all Rolex Oysters by this new slimmer hand-finished case.

Defeating human fallibility, the new Phantom Crown is waterproof ever when pulled out for hand setting.

FREE! BLUEPRINT OF SUPREMACY
The fascinating exposé of some of the secrets that make Rolex one of the finest watches in the world. For your free copy, write to the Rolex Watch Co. Ltd., Geneva, Switzerland

Proudly acclaimed at the first really waterproof watch in the world, the Rolex Oyster is still unbeaten and unbeatable. The Oyster case uses the most reliable method of waterproofing – the self-sealing action of one metal upon another – and dust and damp can try in vain to harm the accurate movement. The Rolex Red Seal attached to any Rolex watch is a further proof of perfection. It is a sign used by Rolex to show that the Swiss Government have tested the watch to which it is attached and have awarded it one of their coveted official Timing Certificates, together with the proud title of chronometer.

1953 - THE ROLEX WATCH CO. LTD., GENEVA (II. WILSDORF, GOVERNING DIRECTOR)

Source: Europa Star