Entering a new era

In the presence of influential guests Rolex inaugurated the new building at its watch movement production facility in Bienne. After the traditional ribbon cutting, guests and journalists toured the brand's new movement production workshops where the high-value added manual watchmaking know-how is combined with the highly advanced technology.

The new building, product of one of the largest industrial construction projects in recent years in Switzerland, enables the world's leading luxury watchmaker to rationalize production of its watch movements. Movement manufacturing has been brought together on a single ultra-modern 400,000 m3 site – of which the new building occupies 230,000 m3 – over a total area of 92,000 m2. The new building in Bienne marks the culmination of the strategy Rolex adopted over 10 years ago with the aim of integrating production of all the essential components for its watches – from the case to the movement, from the dial to the bracelet – on four purpose-built or remodelled sites, three in Geneva and one in Bienne.

The building's architecture is sleek and rigorous. It provides vast space and good natural daylight thanks to light wells whose design was inspired by the watch movement. The new building was designed and built to strict standards concerning safety, integration into the environment and respect for the natural surroundings, as well as with sustainable development in mind.