Rolex The Impossible Collection

We work according to criteria that cannot be measured by any instrument other than those we manufacture ourselves.

¿ Hans Wilsdorf

For more than a century, Rolex stands apart as the most coveted and most legendary brand of watches in the world. A Rolex connotes many things: the quintessence of the luxury timepiece, a tool of power for movers and shakers, the symbol of passage into adulthood. New labels pop up, styles come and go, but the brand at the top never changes. Ever the record setter¿the Daytona that had belonged to Paul Newman was auctioned by Phillips in New York in October 2017 for $17.8 million¿it comes as no surprise that Rolex is the most collected watch label in the world. This second edition volume includes never-before-seen images of the world's rarest timepieces.

Selected by specialist Fabienne Reybaud, each of the exceptional Rolex watch models in this beautiful handcrafted Ultimate Collection volume showcase the most valuable and technically innovative models the luxury watchmaker has produced, including watches never seen in print before: From the first wristwatch dating to the early 1900s and the first Oyster Perpetual from 1931, to an Explorer worn during Sir Edmund Hillary¿s expedition to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953 and the Submariner worn by actor George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty¿s Secret Service, they are sure to astonish collectors the world over. 

Complimentary white gloves and signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection

About the author

Since 1989, Fabienne Reybaud has been an esteemed editor specializing in the luxury field. She was head of the jewelry and watches department of the French daily newspaper Le Figaro for twenty-five years and is now an independent journalist, writing for leading national publications such as Paris Match and Numéro. Reybaud is the author of several books, including Watches: The Ultimate GuideChanel: Jewelry and Watches (Assouline, 2020), Tambour by Louis Vuitton (Thames & Hudson, 2022) and Jewelry Guide: The Ultimate Compendium (Assouline, 2022).