Bezels

This is our famous fluted bezel. A brilliant creation in many regards. Presented on our Oyster in 1926, it is remarkable first and foremost for its original design, which enabled it to be screwed tightly to the case, thus completing the waterproofness of the watch.

Since 1953, however, it has been fixed on the watch by friction-fitting. One may wonder, then, why we keep it and even sharpen its distinctive geometry? The answer is simple. While it once was merely an element among others repelling dust and water, it now lives to uniquely reflect even the slightest ray of light. Exclusively fashioned in 18 ct gold or 950 platinum, we have enhanced its fluting and finish with no less passion than that we devoted to its functional purpose. Whether at a glance or in mere reflection, all instantly recognize it as our distinctive signature feature.

This is a two-colour Cerachrom bezel insert. It is bicolour, yet monobloc. Introduced in 2013 on the GMT-Master II, this exclusive contrasting composition was born from exceptional technical prowess.

To display two distinct colours on a single block of high-technology mass-tinted ceramic, we had to develop our own industrial processes. A final firing at a very high temperature, known as sintering, seals the perfect chromatic union and creates a global signature: one insert, two colours, and as many combinations that have become emblematic.

This is our unidirectional rotatable bezel. All our diving watches are equipped with it. Its 60-minute graduation allows divers to measure their immersion time at a single glance before returning to the surface.

A precious click keeps it from rotating in the wrong direction, giving its wearers the security they need. On its Cerachrom bezel insert, which is impervious to corrosion, the luminescent capsule, found at the “zero” position on the minute scale, remains visible even in the deep. All these distinctive elements point in the same direction: to build the confidence needed to keep moving onwards.

This is the bidirectional rotatable bezel of our Yacht-Master. Crafted from gold, platinum or RLX titanium, it also features a Cerachrom insert on certain models.

Its 60-minute graduation enables the wearer to read time intervals – for example, the sailing time between two buoys during a regatta. Its knurled edge provides a secure grip, while the trigonal spring ensures smooth and precise rotation in either direction. This bezel makes the Yacht-Master a steadfast companion at sea, where charting a clear trajectory is crucial.

This is our tachymetric scale, introduced in 1963 with the Cosmograph Daytona. Inscribed on the bezel, whether made from precious metals or in high-tech ceramic, it identifies the iconic model at a mere glance.

Could it be because of its most unfamiliar graduation? It runs in descending order, from 400 to 60, with units placed further and further apart… Though arrestingly cryptic, this irregularity allows for an immediate measure of speed, over a set distance, with remarkable precision. Start, then stop the chronograph, and the result can be read instantly. It’s simple. It’s fast. It’s to be used as you race towards your next achievement, to measure the breadth of your own performance.

This is the Oyster Perpetual Sky-Dweller’s Ring Command system. Presented in 2012, this patented innovation creates a synergy between the bezel, the winding crown and the calibre of the watch. By turning the bidirectional fluted bezel, the wearer can easily select a function to set, before adjusting it using the winding crown.

At 12 o’clock, the neutral position. At 11 o’clock, the calendar. At 10 o’clock, the local time and at 9 o’clock, the reference time. No matter the time of day or night, setting it is an easy task. Even when it comes to adjusting the annual calendar, Saros, exclusive to the Sky-Dweller. With a simple move, the Ring Command system gives one the means to accommodate all complex variables of any journey to the rhythm of their own life. From one layover to the other and one time zone to the next. Always setting off towards new horizons.