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本帖最后由 checkin 于 2010-9-3 13:55 编辑
Why It's Okay to Hate Rolex by James Dowling
Posted by James M. Dowling on February 10, 1998 at 22:24:33:TIMEZONE
謝謝豬豬大人中文化 
這是一個自由社會，你可以選擇愛或恨任何人或事物。不過我想說的是只要做點調研就有可能說服勞力士最熱忱的批評者（或擁護者），多一點點的容忍或許不是壞事。讓我們先看看事實然後將注意力移到觀念上。
不管怎麼說，我們了解勞力士發明了腕錶。當然在勞力士公司於1905年進入市場前有其他公司製作和銷售這些東西。不過沒有任何一家公司在這個新領域裡像勞力士那樣投入這麼多精力。其中一個原因是這些老牌公司覺得沒有必要作出改變；他們向製作懷錶的廠方和機器作出了巨大投資。所以為何他們要改變。勞力士當時什麼都沒有，沒有歷史，沒有工廠，而更為重要的沒有傳統。所以勞力士而言它必須成為發明者；而他們選擇發明的東西就是腕錶。
毫無疑問勞力士發明了防水腕錶；再次說明在勞力士公司的其它技術創新中，他們不是該理念的始祖。不過他們卻令該理念變成事實，旋入式表蓋不外是一個經典而有簡單的理念，維爾斯多夫擁有那樣的智慧去理解它的簡單性並且讓這個理念成為公司的成功奠基。
自動上鍊機制亦然，勞力士清晰看到了市場的方向，也了解同行前任所犯過的錯誤並乾淨利落的將它們避開。雖然在勞力士推出自動機芯後的65年裡出現許多其他自動機芯系統，現在所有自動腕錶大部分都採用一個勞力士理念的版本。
除了以上所提及的理由，我個人認為勞力士所做最大的進步是為其少數最終幾乎所有款式做天文台認證。在勞力士沒有確定該做法之前，所有的手錶製造商都說自己的手錶如何精準；但勞力士公司是史上第一家讓一家獨立機構去證明其產品的精準度。在電子手錶面世以前，腕錶的精確度於手錶價格直接掛鉤；如果人們要知道他們的腕錶異常精準，勞力士提供了這樣的保障。
時至今日我們都用過工具腕錶的概念，那就是腕錶是為某一個領域或愛好而設計；如：潛水錶，航海表，飛行員表等等。勞力士也是此概念的發明者。潛航者，GMT Master和Milgauss都是這方面的先驅。
較行業提前很多就開始做防水和防震，勞力士成為愛好運動人士的自然選擇。從這個起點他們開始為運動家製作手錶；把工具表理念在向前推進一點。腕錶如探險家一和二是為登山者和洞穴探索者而設計，兩款皆為簡單時計但帶有清晰刻度和堅實的外殼。再一次勞力士創造了一個市場並為其而定義。
勞力士公司是所有瑞士鐘錶公司中最為服用創造性的；這也包括上面所提到的所用創新的理念；而勞力士從來都放眼未來。在其90多年的歷史中發明了上千個專利。
勞力士是目前歐洲最自足的公司；他們製作所有的機芯（計時機芯除外），所有外殼，所有鏈帶及所有的水晶鏡面。由於他們可以沒有顧慮的追求長遠目標，所以他們自營幾乎全部的分銷商和沒有其他的股東（所用股份都有兩個家族慈善基金管理）。
毫無疑問他們是瑞士最大的手錶廠家。年產量達800，000只，仍然全部賣清。他們不依賴任何單一市場，可以說這是他們蠔式世界！！！（不好意思）
或許他們唯一的問題是他們成為自己成功的受害者。雖然他們沒有改變過設計理念；大眾對他們的看法有所改變了。雖然勞力士因運動腕錶而成名並繼續製作相比其他款式更多的運動手錶；許多人現在聽到勞力士會聯想到其鑲滿鑽石的DD。不過這不是他們公司的錯。
勞力士擁有瑞士鐘錶公司中最長的持續單一股東的歷史；有史以來由兩個家族持有（以及他們的繼承信託基金）。這整個過程中只有過兩個執行長（第三個在1997年上任）。這些都是多年來有利於勞力士公司不受阻撓的發展之原因。
許多人都會抱怨一隻全新勞力士腕錶價格不菲；不過他們忘記兩件事情。第一勞力士設法賣出它所製作的每一隻腕錶（很明顯有一些人不覺得太貴）。第二，沒有任何購買者受到任何強迫；這是一個人們的自我意願和自發的花錢行為。最終，自由買賣的市場高於一切。
談到勞力士腕錶時很難不提及它們的二手價值；簡單的說勞力士（新或二手）相比其他瑞士品牌腕錶更為保值。所有款式從無日曆的Sub到President可以隨時在世界任何地方以很好的價位賣出。還有如果買了一隻二手勞，很有可能戴了2，3年後再以相同價格出手。基本等於免費佩戴。
其中購買勞力士的原因為它是最好的品牌之一，不過有一樣事情毫無疑問很多人不曾想到： 通過銷售達到的大部分利潤會用到公益事業上。就如上面提及，公司由兩個家族基金管理。較大的（維爾斯多夫家族基金）只為其剩餘家族成員保留固定金額而捐贈其他大部分利潤到慈善團體；其中包括其所在城市的一家高中和位於日內瓦的腕錶製作學校。這還令人想到如果不是因為勞力士的客觀利潤，或許今天沒有Frank Muller；因為Muller是在日內瓦的鐘錶製作學校成才的。
就如我在開篇時說過，你可以討厭勞力士不過你也要給予它應得的尊敬。
英文原文:
It's a free world, you can love or hate any one or any thing that you choose. However the point that I would like to make is that a little research might convince even the most ardent critic of Rolex (or of the folks who wear them) that in this case a little tolerance might be no bad thing. Let us first look at the facts and then turn our view upon the perception.
To all intents and purposes, Rolex invented the wristwatch, as we know it. Sure there were companies making and marketing the things before Rolex burst upon the scene in 1905. But none of them put the effort that Rolex did into this new market. The reason for this is that the older companies could see no reason to change; they had major investments in plant and machinery designed specifically to make pocket watches. So why should they change. Rolex had nothing, no history, no factory and most importantly no tradition. So the only option open to them was that of being an innovator; and the innovation they chose was the wristwatch
Rolex without doubt invented the waterproof wristwatch; again as with all their other advances, they were not the originators of the concept. But they were the people who made it work, the screw down crown was a classically simple concept and Wilsdorf had the genius to see the simplicity and make it work for the company.
Once again with self-winding mechanisms, Rolex saw the way the market was going, saw the mistakes all their predecessors had made and neatly sidestepped them all. Whilst many other competing self winding systems have arisen in the 65 years since Rolex introduced the Auto Rotor system, the vast majority of all automatic watches now use a version of the Rolex concept.
However despite all of the above reasons, my opinion is that the greatest advance Rolex have ever made is their decision to gain chronometer certification for a few and then for almost all their watches. In the days before Rolex instituted this program, every watch manufacturer TALKED about the accuracy of their watches; but Rolex were the first people ever to have the accuracy proved by an independent agency. Before the advent of quartz watches; accuracy was in direct relationship to the cost of the watch; therefore people wanted to know that their watch was really accurate. Rolex gave them that assurance.
Nowadays we are all used to the concept of Tool watches, that is watches designed for a particular job or hobby; you know the sort of thing...diving watches, sailing watches, pilot's watches etc. Well Rolex invented that concept too. The Submariner, the GMT Master and the Milgauss were all pioneers in this field.
Being waterproof and shockproof long before the rest of the watch industry was, Rolex became the natural choice of sports people who needed a watch. From this starting point they then moved to make watches FOR sportsmen; this moved the Tool watch concept on a little further. Watches such as the Explorer 1 and 2 were targeted at climbers and cave explorers, they were simple timepieces but with high visibility dials and very strong cases. Once again they created a market and defined it.
They are, by far, the most innovative of all the Swiss watch companies; as well as all the new ideas mentioned above; Rolex have always pursued a long term development strategy. They have patented more than a thousand advances in horology during their 90+ year history.
Rolex is now the most self-sufficient watch company in Europe; they make all their own movements (apart from chronograph movements), all their cases, all their bracelets and all their crystals. They own most of their distributors and have no shareholders (as all the shares are held by 2 family trusts which have charitable status) because of this they can pursue long term goals without fear.
They are, without doubt, the largest Swiss watchmaker. Producing around 800,000 watches a year, they still sell every watch they make. They are dependent on no single market, one could really say that the world is their OYSTER!!!!!!!! (sorry)
Perhaps the one problem they do have is that they have become a victim of their own success. Whilst the company has not changed its design philosophy; their public perception have changed. Whereas Rolex made its name with sports watches and still makes more of them than any other kind of watch; many people think of diamond encrusted Day-Dates when they hear the name Rolex. However this is not the fault of the company.
Rolex have the longest single continuous ownership of any Swiss watch company; having been owned by the same two families (and its successor trusts) for its entire existence. During this time the company has essentially had only 2 chief executives (the third came to power in 1997). Both of these factors have enabled the company to steer in an uninterrupted course throughout its history.
Many people whine about the cost of a new Rolex; they forget 2 things. Firstly Rolex manage to sell every watch they make (so obviously SOME people do not think they are too expensive). Secondly, no-one was ever forced to buy a Rolex watch; it is a decision people make with their own free will and their own money. In the end, the free market rules everything.
It is difficult to talk about Rolex watches without talking about resale value; in simple terms Rolex (new or used) retain a higher percentage of their cost than any other production Swiss watch. Everything from the no date Submariner all the way to the President can be resold in an instant anywhere in the world, for very good money. Also, if the watch was bought used, it is quite possible to wear a Rolex for 2 or 3 years and sell it for the same price you paid for it. Apart from the cost of the money invested, essentially that makes it a free watch.
One of the reasons to buy a Rolex may well be one of the best, but undoubtedly one that no-one ever thinks of: it is that most of the profits made through the sale of the watches go to good causes. As mentioned above, the company is owned by two family trusts. The larger one (the Wilsdorf family trusts) gives a fixed sum to the remaining members of his family but the majority is given to charitable causes; including a high school in his home town and the watchmakers school in Geneva. This gives rise to the thought that if it were not for the substantial profits made by Rolex, there would probably be no Franck Muller; because it was at the Geneva watchmaker's school that Muller learned his trade.
As I said in the introduction, if you want to hate Rolex; then be my guest but at least I hope when you do you will at least give the devil his due. |
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发表于 2010-9-3 00:53
楼主
呼喚豬豬 
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我也都不懂阿,等豬豬大人.gif)
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发表于 2010-9-3 01:55
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好像有點不太通順哈