francois borgel – WatchesAndMoreCO

📅 Friday, August 7, 2026

While Rolex is often credited with popularizing the waterproof wristwatch with its Oyster case in 1926, the very first truly waterproof timepiece was a pocket watch created by François Borgel in 1890. His patented screw-down case design, featuring a threaded bezel, case back, and crown, was revolutionary and predated Rolex’s innovation by decades. This early design laid crucial groundwork for the development of robust watches capable of withstanding the elements, long before wristwatches became commonplace.

Borgel continued refining the idea, eventually patenting a three-piece screw case in 1903 whose construction—with threaded components securing the case—anticipated principles that would later become important in waterproof wristwatch design. Borgel cases were subsequently used with movements from respected Swiss manufacturers, making his work an important chapter in the evolution from delicate pocket watches to rugged wristwatches capable of surviving demanding environments.

Then, in 1926, Rolex’s Oyster would take the concept of a sealed wristwatch to another level and, crucially, turn water resistance into something the public could understand and trust. But the road to the Oyster didn’t begin overnight: watchmakers and specialist case makers had been attacking the problem for decades.

💡 Did You Know?

Borgel’s contribution wasn’t primarily the watch movement—it was the case. That actually gives us a killer visual direction for the W&M infographic: an exploded Borgel pocket-watch case, showing how the components screwed together, followed by an evolutionary timeline leading toward the waterproof wristwatch.

Category: Watch History

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to keep these watch facts accurate, but the world of horology is full of myths, disputed stories, and fascinating trivia. Consider these facts a starting point for discovery rather than the final word. If you have corrections or additional insights, let us know—we’re always happy to keep the record ticking in the right direction.

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