OCTOBER 16, 2024

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Nicholas Foulkes, @n_foulkes, I challenge you to the debate stage! Live streamed around the world. Your officially authorized Rolex Submariner book, published October 2024, is a travesty and you are nothing more than a two bit hack author! On page 92 of this rag, you published "Launched in 1926, the Oyster was the world's first waterproof wristwatch thanks to its Oyster case". NOTHING could be further from the TRUTH! Hans Wilsdorf lied to the world in 1927 on the front page of the Daily Mail and you towed the Rolex company line, shameful. You published patently false information in your book that I completely and utterly debunked years ago. People like you are the worst sort, an enemy of horological history, not a custodian of it. You have continued down the path of taking credit away from the TRUE genius in this story in favor of your master in Geneva. Did the Rolex marketing department ghost write this book for you? American Charles Depollier's Waltham Depollier "Field & Marine" Waterproof Watch, that featured a screw down crown, was tested by the U.S. Army Engineering & Research Division for waterproof ability in 1918. It PASSED their waterproof tests with flying colors. The same can't be said about the U.S. Navy Rolex Submariner testing conducted in 1958, 40 years later. I located and published the official 1918 U.S. government documents in my latest book, about Charles Depollier. These documents prove, beyond any doubt, that Depollier had an independently tested successful waterproof wristwatch, WITH a screw down crown, 8 YEARS before Rolex. Before Rolex even moved to Switzerland! I can think of a few horological venues that would love to host a spirited debate on this subject, it would be standing room only I imagine. If your position on this subject is that strong lets meet on the debate stage, is early 2025 good for you? Or you can publicly recant the patently false information in your book on social media, saving yourself from the humiliation I will level upon you in person. We expected far better from the former President of the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Geneve!

Sincerely, Stan Czubernat

 

By the way Mr. Foulkes, just in about the past two weeks articles have been published in the New York Times, Hodinkee, Time & Tide and Perezcope stripping Rolex of their self proclaimed title of being the "first waterproof wristwatch" in favor of Charles Depollier. And only two months ago the official Rolex Wikipedia page stripped Rolex of this prestigious title, now citing Charles Depollier, citation 65.

 

So, do you want to recant or do you want to meet on the debate stage Sir?