Not Everyone is a Fan of the Cyclops
As the "King" of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex is known for many things--automatic "perpetual" movements, two-tone "jubilee" bracelets, fluted bezels, and outrageous waitlists.
But one trademark of theirs isn't so celebrated--the Cyclops. As the image above explains, the Cyclops lens is one of the most "distinctive" Rolex features.
Now, there's no argument there. The real question is if this is an admirable distinction.
For those of you who never studied Greek mythology, the Cyclops is named after the infamous one-eyed monster. For practical purposes, the Cyclops lens sits on the watch crystal in order to magnify the date. This is simple enough, but to be honest, it kinds of ruins the look of the watch.
Just look at this Submariner without a Cyclops. It's simply gorgeous. Perfectly symmetrical.
Like many others, I've come to admire Rolex models that do not have the Cyclops. Chief among them are the Oyster Perpetual and of course the Daytona (pictured below).
Many of the more pragmatic types will argue that the date function is an important, useful feature--and they're right. But in the case of Rolex, the Cyclops lens just ruins it.
And after all, doesn't a life of leisure entitle you to not knowing what day it is? One could argue...
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