Rolex COPIES Depollier, Again

ROLEX COPIES DEPOLLIER AGAIN!!!

Once again a Charles Depollier innovation was copied by Rolex, this time Depollier did it 83 YEARS BEFORE Rolex! In 2001 Rolex began putting a security measure on their watch crystals to combat counterfeiting. They laser etched the "crown" logo onto the crystal. But, Charles Depollier started doing this all the way back in April of 1918, 105 YEARS AGO, but not through the use of a laser obviously, it was stamped.

In October of 1917 Depollier registered the trademark name "KHAKI" for his line of technologically advanced line military trench watches. This was one of the GREATEST names ever conceived for a wrist watch, just ask Hamilton as they use it today. MANY companies attempted to illegally use Depollier's trademarked name "KHAKI" and started calling their watches "Khaki Watches", it was rampant.

So, Depollier came up with a way to ensure confidence with buyers, he wanted them to know that they were in fact purchasing a genuine Depollier "KHAKI" wrist watch. His idea was freaking genius! He stamped "KHAKI. REG. USA." directly onto the crystal as a security measure, it was right next to the crown. Depollier also put the "KHAKI. REG. USA." stamp on the flat side of his winding crowns AND on his trademarked Khaki Straps Claps.

How many Charles Depollier horological innovations has Rolex copied now?

The list is getting rather long! 

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Reply
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Rolex is very good at copying the innovation of others and passing it along as their own through mass marketing and charging a premium for it 🤣 I still want an Air-King though

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I love these history lessons 👏

Thank you for sharing.

Rolex has certainly been standing on the shoulders of giants 😏

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To be fair Bausch + Lomb have been engraving their BL on lenses for ages.

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Is it copying when the technology used far supercedes that of the original, and when the patent is no longer valid?

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Stroud_Green

Is it copying when the technology used far supercedes that of the original, and when the patent is no longer valid?

Not at all. I think the main issue is Rolex passing off the concept as an original idea of their own.

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Donster_125

Not at all. I think the main issue is Rolex passing off the concept as an original idea of their own.

I guess the answer to that is that every single form of tech that we have today only exists because of something that was invented years, or even centuries ago. There is very little "true innovation".

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I don't think HOW it was done is important here. I think the innovation of the crystal being marked with the manufacturers trademarked logo as a security measure against counterfeiting, fraud and infringement 105 years ago was genius. This innovation would not be seen again for another 83 years when Rolex reproduced Charles Depollier's idea from 1918 for the exact same purpose.

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Would love to see one with the stamped crystal. Wonder how they actually "stamped" it? Seems like it would occlude the dial. I wonder why no one else bothered to do it in the meantime? So many questions, interesting topic.

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I did see one with the KHAKI stamped crystal about 10+ years ago at a NAWCC watch show. It was pretty degraded. Depollier military watch crystals were somewhat flexible, made of a special material, but not plastic. Could have been done in the molding process as the crystals were being produced, my best guess.

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LRFAntiqueWatches

I don't think HOW it was done is important here. I think the innovation of the crystal being marked with the manufacturers trademarked logo as a security measure against counterfeiting, fraud and infringement 105 years ago was genius. This innovation would not be seen again for another 83 years when Rolex reproduced Charles Depollier's idea from 1918 for the exact same purpose.

But isn't it the how that makes it proprietary to Rolex?

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Posted for transparency

OP is the author, so… available for the price of $79.99 if you want to read more.

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I’m not defending Rolex, but to be devils advocate, they didn’t really copy anything here. They were inspired by the same problem, and fashioned a similar solution. I mean if Rolex actually stamped KHAKI REG. USA on the crystal then maybe you could say they copied Depollier, but naw, can’t see it mate, sorry.

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TheSharperTheBetter

I’m not defending Rolex, but to be devils advocate, they didn’t really copy anything here. They were inspired by the same problem, and fashioned a similar solution. I mean if Rolex actually stamped KHAKI REG. USA on the crystal then maybe you could say they copied Depollier, but naw, can’t see it mate, sorry.

These books need to sell though… help a man out