he “tool watch” graced the wrists of explorers, mountaineers, pilots and divers as they shattered records of all kinds.

Feats such as expeditions to Mount Everest and descents into the depths in the bathyscaphe Trieste captivated the public’s attention and imagination. Manufacturers recognised the commercial potential of these events and advertised tool watches tailored to those who aspired to emulate the heroes of the moment or, more modestly, just wanted a watch that suited an active lifestyle.

1953: “7 times on Everest”: This Rolex ad, with its limited use of imagery, highlights the fact that the company’s watches had been part of expeditions to the world’s highest peak for 20 years — a style characteristic of Rolex’s communication during this time.

The burgeoning popularity of scuba diving spurred the production of timepieces resistant to water pressure (Rolex, Blancpain). Pilots and air travellers could rely on models boasting dual time zones, world time, and calculation functions (Breitling, Movado, Tissot). There were watches for fishermen (Heuer), hikers (Sandoz) and professionals working near magnetic fields (IWC).

1954: Success at the Geneva and Neuchâtel Observatories’ precision competitions became an important promotional tool. Here, Zenith celebrates a “new and prodigious victory” in Neuchâtel, marking their fifth win in a row.

The majority of these innovations hailed from Switzerland, and relied on automatic movements that boasted superior reliability and more compact dimensions than before. Notable examples included competitions for the world’s thinnest and smallest calibre. Meanwhile, the American (Hamilton) and French (Lip) industries unveiled electric wristwatches, fusing technological progress with distinctive aesthetics. This diverse production landscape necessitated a shift in advertising, which had to engage with increasingly discerning and varied audience segments.

1955: A gloved female hand reaches out towards the Ladymatic, suggesting that Omega’s compact design and automatic movement perfectly meet the needs of the elegant, modern and active woman.

1957: Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms, one of the first mass-produced dive watches, is showcased in an ad that traces its journey from initial tests in 1953 to its adoption by various navies in 1957, and its appearance in the 1956 documentary “The World of Silence”.

1958: The first electric wristwatch not only ensures “amazing accuracy” and “good looks”, it’s also robust. This Hamilton ad features the Spectra, Ventura and Everest models, from left to right.

1959: Inspired by oriental art, this illustration shows a girl testing the Camy waterproof watch under a waterfall, offering a refreshingly original approach to a subject typically discussed in terms of technical features and practicality.

1959: “Living in today’s world” means wearing an ultra-flat, waterproof Arsa automatic. Many manufacturers felt the need to inform the public about the practicality of automatic watches, which were still struggling to gain widespread acceptance, and the progress that had been made.