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15-DEC-2025 | Rolex’s “Lost Empires” Ad

Author

Dan Bogachek
December 15, 2025

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Rolex’s “Lost Empires” Ad

Another from the series which built this legendary brand in the 20th century.

If you were looking for lost empires here tomorrow you’d wear a Rolex

When a man’s life depends on his watch, the chances are he wears a Rolex.

It’s a big, tough, working watch.

The Oyster case is carved out of a solid block of hardened Swedish stainless steel or gold. And safe inside those solid walls is a 26-jewel self-winding officially certified Swiss chronometer.

Because so much of the work is done by hand it takes us more than a year to build a Rolex.

The men, who have been risking their lives diving for archaelogical treasure in the Yucatan*, feel it was time well spent.

The Rolex they wear is the Submariner, individually tested and guaranteed to a depth of 660 feet, provided case, crown and crystal are intact. $225 with matching bracelet.

*Photographed at the sacrificial well in Chichen Itza for Expeditions Unlimited, Inc. 🏁

  • We’ve got “you” right in the hook.

  • Usually we see the “how” first and the benefit as the effect of that “how” come afterwards — e.g. “we’re do X in a special way, and it’s because that’s the only way you can achieve Y.” But here, because the claim comes first (“big, tough working watch”). The “how” actually gets to 1) reinforce the point and double-counts in a way, and 2) move the narrative forward. And the “safe inside those walls” tidbit is a subtle triple-down!

  • The heavy lifter: juxtaposition with identity. Diving has the association of danger and glamour, divers are daring and adventurous — all of that rubs off on Rolex.