No Glue, No Compromise: Inside Rolex Dial Craftsmanship

Here’s the issue I’ve been dealing with this morning.

My brother brought me his Technomarine watch and asked if I could replace its battery. At first, I did exactly that - swapped out the battery - even though it had been replaced only a few months ago and should normally last at least two years. However, after installing the new battery, the hands still wouldn’t move. That’s when I discovered the real problem: the decorative moon trim on the dial had come loose and was jamming the hands.

This kind of issue would never happen with a Rolex. Rolex doesn’t glue decorative elements to the dial. Instead, every component - whether diamond holders, Roman numerals, or Arabic numerals - is secured using precision mounting posts that pass through the dial. This meticulous approach ensures that dial indices and decorative pieces almost never come loose or interfere with the movement.

Is it more complicated? Absolutely. But this is why we admire Rolex craftsmanship: they never cut corners. Their dials are flawless - no glue, no shortcuts. Even under the highest magnification, you won’t find a trace of adhesive because it’s simply never used. And those dial parts? They stay put, even if the watch takes a hard fall. I’ve seen severely damaged Rolex dials where every single piece remained firmly attached.