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From A to Z, what keeps Rolex ticking

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Degen Pener
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Oct 20, 2017

Rolex’s history of innovation is so long and its list of iconic models so lengthy that an entire nomenclature has sprung up around the storied 112-year-old brand.
Think you know Rolex?

See if you recognize all of these terms that every true Rolex lover knows, from trademarked names for proprietary materials to fan-generated nicknames for some of its most beloved pieces.

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Air-King Originated in the 1940s to honor the pioneers of flight and the Oyster's role in the epic story of aviation. Long the entry-level offering in the Rolex line, this model was reintroduced with a vintage-inspired logo last year.British Royal Air Force
Bao Dai The most expensive vintage Rolex ever sold at auction. Fetched $5.06 million in May at a Phillips auction. Named after its former owner, the last emperor of Vietnam.Getty Images
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Cyclops The signature lens on a Rolex sapphire case, which magnifies the date, enhancing readability.Rolex
DaytonaThe brand's iconic chronograph, introduced in 1963, was designed to meet the demands of professional racing drivers. One of the two most highly collectible vintage Rolexes (along with the Submariner), often selling in the six figures. There is a two-year waiting list for the 2016 version in steel with a black ceramic bezel. Rolex
Everose Rolex's proprietary, colorfast pink-gold alloy, composed of gold, platinum and copper. Manufactured at its in-house foundry in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland. The brand also makes its own high-performance steel (called 904L) and a special ceramic for some of its bezels dubbed Cerachrom.Rolex
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Fluted bezel Classic grooved design motif available exclusively on gold bezels in the Datejust, Day-Date and Sky-Dweller collections.Rolex
GMT-Master Dual-time-zone watch. Launched in 1954, this timepiece became the official watch of several airlines, among them Pan Am. Superseded by the GMT-Master II in 2005. The line's distinctive color combinations over the years have spawned a host of nicknames, including Pepsi (blue and red), Pussy Galore (a nod to the blue-and-red bakelite bezel worn by the Bond girl in "Goldfinger"), Coca-Cola (black and red), Batman (black and blue), Root Beer (brown and gold) and Fat Lady (coined for a version with a slightly thicker case). PAN AM
Hulk Nickname for an all-green Submariner released in 2010. Bob's Watches
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Ice blue Distinctive pale hue used for dials exclusively on platinum models.Rolex
Jubilee One of four metal bracelet styles. The other three are Oyster, President and Pearlmaster. The Julibee has five links going across the bracelet and is always fitted with a Crownclasp, the house's concealed closure system.Rolex
Kermit Nickname for the 50th-anniversary Submariner, released in 2003 with a green bezel and black-and-white dial.Rolex
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Lady Datejust The brand's diminutive 28-millimeter-diameter women's collection, which debuted in the late 1950s.Rolex
Mercedes hand Three-pointed star design, first introduced in the mid-1950s, that appears on the hour hand of Rolex's Explorer, GMT-Master II, Submariner, Sea-Dweller and Yacht-Master sport collections. While it resembles the famed German automaker's logo, there's no known connection. Likely was an evolution of what are known as cathedral hands (hands with tips reminiscent of church windows).Rolex
Norgay A longstanding supporter of mountain exploration, Rolex supplied the first successful climb of Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary.Rolex
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Oyster Perpetual Collection that celebrates Rolex's history of major watchmaking innovations. The Oyster watch, created in 1926, was the world's first waterproof timepiece. Perpetual refers to the company's 1931 invention of the first self-winding wristwatch with a 360-degree rotor. Rolex
Paul Newman Nickname for a rare Daytona watch worn by the movie star, which features Art Deco-style numerals on the dial. Newman's own Daytona, whose whereabouts were long unknown, will be auctioned by Phillips on Oct. 26. Getty Images
Quartz Only two quartz battery-powered watches have been produced by the company: the Rolex Quartz, introduced in 1970, and the Oysterquartz, unveiled in 1977. Rolex has since ceased production of quartz watches.Rolex
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RolesorName patented in 1933 for the brand's two-tone metal watches with bezel, winding crown and center bracelet links in gold and outer bracelet links in steel.Rolex
Submariner Iconic dive watch highly prized by collectors. Worn by Sean Connery in the first James Bond film, 1962's "Dr. No." Some models are known by the names Double Red, Single Red and Great White to denote variations in the colors of the lettering on the dial, which can add greatly to their value.Everett Collection
Tropical Dial Dials on vintage Explorers, Submariners and GMT-Masters that have faded to brown due to sun exposure. A recent obsession of patina-loving Rolex collectors. Bob's Watches
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Underwater A leader in waterproof technology for decades, Rolex was worn by the first woman to swim the English channel in 1927, as well as by director James Cameron when he descended nearly 7 miles into the Mariana Trench in 2012.Bob's Watches
Vonn As in World Cup alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, one of the brand's many testimonees (its term for brand ambassadors). Rolex's deep roster encompasses the worlds of golf (Annika SÖrenstam, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods), cinema (James Cameron), tennis (Roger Federer, Angelique Kerber), classical music (Gustavo Dudamel, Yuja Wang), auto racing (Sir Jackie Stewart), equestrianism (Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall) and exploration (biologist Sylvia Earle).Getty Images
Wilsdorf Family name of Rolex co-founder Hans Wilsdorf. The company was originally called Wilsdorf and Davis (after Hans' brother-in-law Alfred Davis) and based in England. It moved to Switzerland in 1919. To this day, the company is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private foundation.Rolex
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X-factor Company lore has it that the name Rolex has no meaning. It was dreamed up by Wilsdorf, who wanted a short name that could be said in any language. Rolex
Yacht-Master IIWatch introduced in 1992 to appeal to boating enthusiasts. The Yacht-Master II adds a regatta chronograph function.Rolex
Z-blue Color of the metallic blue dial on Rolex's Milgauss watch (designed to resist magnetic fields), released in 2014.Rolex
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