为什么劳力士手表这么贵？：英语精读讲义

Ask most people around the world 語法

问问世界上大多数人

to name the finest brand of wristwatch in the world

说出世界上最好的腕表品牌，

and the answer will usually be Rolex.

答案通常会是劳力士。

A status symbol, 短語搭配

作为身份的象征，

Rolex is one of the world's most loved luxury brands,

劳力士是全球最受喜爱的奢侈品牌之一，

worn by everyone from Winston Churchill to James Bond. 語法

从温斯顿·丘吉尔到詹姆斯·邦德等名人都曾佩戴。

This brand is one of the most recognizable and sought-after brands worldwide. 用詞

这个品牌是全球知名度和追捧度最高的品牌之一。

The most expensive Rolex sold at auction fetched over $17 million. 用詞

拍卖会上最贵的一块劳力士拍出了超过 1700 万美元的高价。

But why are they so expensive?

但它们为什么这么贵？

Is it purely clever branding

纯粹是巧妙的品牌营销，

or are there valuable parts inside these iconic watches of incredible worth?

还是这些价值不菲的标志性腕表内部有着珍贵的零件？

Or is the value of these watches

抑或是这些腕表的价值

owed to the rich and historic journey of the brand? 短語搭配

归功于该品牌丰富而悠久的历史旅程？

In today's episode of the Infographic Show,

在今天的《Infographic Show》节目中，

we will look at the history of the company

我们将回顾这家公司的历史，

and figure out why is Rolex so expensive. 講解

探究为什么劳力士如此昂贵。

So first of all, 表達脈絡

首先，

just how much does a Rolex cost? 語法

一块劳力士到底多少钱？

Prices for a mechanical Rolex watch start at around 3,250 pounds

机械劳力士腕表的起价约为 3250 英镑

for the Oyster ladies watch

例如蚝式（Oyster）女表，

and the James Bond Submariner will cost you as much as 5,000 pounds. 短語搭配

而詹姆斯·邦德的潜航者型（Submariner）则要花费多达 5000 英镑。

A cult Daytona costs around 8,250 pounds.

备受追捧的迪通拿（Daytona）售价约 8250 英镑。

Moving up the range, 表達脈絡

档次往上走，

a platinum ice blue diamonds Daytona costs over 50,000 pounds.

铂金冰蓝钻迪通拿售价超过 50,000 英镑。

In 1955,

1955 年，

the GMT Master was born.

格林尼治型（GMT Master）诞生。

This timepiece was designed for Pan Am pilots,

这款腕表专为泛美航空飞行员设计，

allowing them to see the time and day in different parts of the world.

让他们可以随时查看世界不同地区的时间和日期。

This model with a rotating dial retails at 5,600 pounds. 用詞

这款带有旋转表盘的型号零售价为 5600 英镑。

Thus, while being expensive,

因此，尽管价格昂贵，

Rolex offers a wide range of models that most people could afford

劳力士提供了各种各样的款式，大多数人都能买得起，

if they were to save up or land a high-paying job. 講解

前提是他们攒够钱或者找到一份高薪工作。

Despite their high cost,

尽管成本高昂，

Rolex watches are obtainable to most consumers.

大多数消费者还是能买到劳力士腕表。

And once you own one,

一旦你拥有一块，

you feel like you have arrived. 習語

你就会觉得自己功成名就了。

Rolex began when Hans Wilsdorf founded a watch distribution company in London.

劳力士的故事始于汉斯·威尔斯多夫在伦敦创立了一家钟表分销公司。

At the time,

当时，

wristwatches were imprecise,

腕表还不够精准，

but Wilsdorf had a dream of making a watch that was not only precise, 語法

但威尔斯多夫有一个梦想，要制造一款不仅精准

but also elegant.

而且优雅的腕表。

He used small movements manufactured by a watchmaking firm based in Bienne, Switzerland.

他使用了由瑞士比尔一家制表公司生产的小型机芯。

He came up with the name Rolex as it was short, 短語動詞

他想出了“Rolex”这个名字，因为它很简短，

thus able to fit on the timepiece,

适合印在表盘上，

and was easy to pronounce in any language.

而且在任何语言中都容易发音。

The firm concentrated on the quality of the movements

这家公司专注于机芯的质量，

and its quest for chronometric precision eventually led to a successful product.

其对天文台精准度的追求最终带来了一款成功的产品。

In 1910,

1910 年，

a Rolex wristwatch was the first of its kind to receive the Swiss certificate of precision 短語搭配

一块劳力士腕表成为首个获得瑞士官方精密计时测试组织

by the official watch rating center in Bienne.

（位于比尔）颁发精密计时证书的腕表。

In 1914,

1914 年，

Kew Observatory in Great Britain awarded Rolex with a class A certificate.

英国基尤天文台授予劳力士 A 级证书。

At that time,

在当时，

such a certification had only been awarded for marine chronometers.

这种认证仅颁发给航海天文钟。

From this point onwards, 表達脈絡

从那时起，

Rolex was a brand name associated with quality products.

劳力士就成为了与高品质产品相关的品牌代名词。

In 1919,

1919 年，

Rolex shifted its headquarters to Geneva.

劳力士将其总部迁至日内瓦。

By 1926,

到 1926 年，

Rolex had launched the Oyster.

劳力士推出了蚝式（Oyster）腕表。

This was the first waterproof wristwatch

这是第一款防水腕表，

with a sealed case to protect the inner movements.

拥有密封表壳以保护内部机芯。

The next year,

第二年，

an English swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze wore the Oyster watch

一位名叫梅塞德斯·格雷茨的英国游泳运动员佩戴着蚝式腕表

while swimming across the English Channel.

横渡了英吉利海峡。

The watch survived the 10-hour journey

这块手表在 10 小时的旅程中完好无损，

and remained in good working order on the other side. 短語搭配

到达对岸时依然保持良好的运行状态。

This is an example of the company's excellent early branding and marketing strategies.

这是该公司早期出色的品牌和营销策略的一个例子。

In 1933,

1933 年，

a team of explorers flew over Everest,

一支探险队飞越珠穆朗玛峰，

all wearing Rolexes.

所有人都佩戴着劳力士。

In September of 1935,

1935 年 9 月，

Sir Malcolm Campbell

麦尔柯姆·坎贝尔爵士

set a land speed record of over 300 miles an hour. 短語搭配

创下了时速超过 300 英里的陆地速度纪录。

And what was he wearing on his wrist?

他的手腕上戴着什么？

Yes,

没错，

a Rolex.

一块劳力士。

Sir Edmund Hillary climbed Everest wearing a Rolex.

埃德蒙·希拉里爵士也是戴着劳力士登顶珠峰的。

By this time,

到这时，

Rolex was well established as the wristwatch worn by high achievers. 短語搭配

劳力士已经牢固确立了作为成功人士腕表的地位。

This was the watch for winners,

这是属于赢家、

record breakers and adventurers.

破纪录者和冒险家的腕表。

In the year 2000,

2000 年，

the 4130 chronograph movement was developed and put together by Rolex.

4130 计时机芯由劳力士研发并组装。

It was an admirable simplistic chronograph made of just 290 components,

这是一款令人赞叹的极简计时机芯，仅由 290 个零件组成，

which is far less than the standard chronograph movement. 語法

远少于标准计时机芯。

Rolex continues to lead the wristwatch market today.

如今，劳力士继续引领腕表市场。

Each watch that leaves the factory in Bienne

每一块离开比尔工厂的腕表

is tested to a high standard. 短語搭配

都要经过高标准的测试。

They are also tested by the independent Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.

它们还要接受独立的瑞士官方天文台检测机构的测试。

Each watch earns the title of Superlative Chronometer.

每一块表都赢得了“超卓天文台精密时计”的称号。

Each Rolex is accurate to minus 2 to plus 2 seconds a day,

每一块劳力士的误差在每天负 2 到正 2 秒之间，

surpassing the stringent standards of minus 4 to plus 6 seconds per day.

超过了每天负 4 到正 6 秒的严苛标准。

The inner movements of the watch are costly to develop

腕表的内部机芯开发成本高昂，

and take both time and money to perfect to the desired level. 語法

并且需要花费时间和金钱才能将其完善到理想水平。

Watch movements are expensive to make.

制造手表机芯非常昂贵。

The parts are small

零件很小，

and have a high failure rate during the manufacturing process. 短語搭配

在制造过程中容易出现高废品率。

These parts need to be put together by hand 短語動詞

这些零件需要手工组装，

and the Swiss have one of the highest labor costs in the world.

而瑞士的劳动力成本是世界上最高的之一。

Also,

此外，

the materials are expensive to acquire.

获取材料的成本也很高。

Rolex uses 904L steel instead of the standard luxury market 316L steel,

劳力士使用 904L 钢，而不是奢侈品市场标准的 316L 钢，

and this adds to the manufacturing cost. 短語動詞

这增加了制造成本。

Rolex had to replace most of its production machines and tools

劳力士不得不更换大部分生产机器和工具

when it made the switch to 904L steel. 短語搭配

以配合向 904L 钢的转换。

The quality of workmanship is normally higher than say an Omega or TAG Heuer. 表達脈絡

它的工艺质量通常高于欧米茄或泰格豪雅等品牌。

Rolex is unable to price its watches at the same level of other brands.

劳力士无法像其他品牌那样给手表定价。

Rolex makes between 800,000 to a million watches each year

劳力士每年制造 80 万到 100 万块手表，

and it does everything itself,

而且所有的工序都是自己完成的，

including the melting of its gold and steel.

包括熔炼黄金和精钢。

It could be said that Rolex watches are reasonably priced 語氣意圖

可以说劳力士腕表定价合理，

because their retail prices are close to their resale values.

因为它们的零售价接近转售价值。

If you were to buy a new Rolex watch and wear it for a year or so 語法

如果你买了一块全新的劳力士，戴了一年左右，

and then sell it to a new buyer,

然后卖给新买家，

you wouldn't lose much money with the transaction.

这笔交易你不会损失太多钱。

Some popular models after a period of 10 to 20 years

某些受欢迎的型号在 10 到 20 年后，

might actually rise in value from their original retail price. 短語搭配

价值实际上可能比最初的零售价还要高。

This appreciation in value is rare with watches,

这种升值在手表界很少见，

but it is in line with Rolex's intelligent marketing and brand value. 短語搭配

但这符合劳力士智慧的营销与品牌价值。

Despite the high price tag of a Rolex wristwatch, 短語搭配

尽管劳力士腕表价格不菲，

you will find it difficult to find another product with the same level of quality. 語法

你很难找到另一款具有同样品质的产品。

Over time,

随着时间的推移，

Rolex has built a reputation based on the length of time and quality of workmanship

劳力士凭借投入到手表中的时间长度和工艺质量建立起了声誉，

that goes into its watches. 短語動詞

而这些都倾注在了它的腕表中。

Mechanical watches not only cost a lot to manufacture,

机械表不仅制造成本高，

but they are also expensive to design.

设计成本也很高。

The movements must be designed and developed

必须为每一款新表设计

for each new timepiece.

和研发机芯。

Rolex spends time developing products

劳力士花时间开发产品，

that will keep ahead of the industry curve.

以便在行业内保持领先地位。

Rolexes are more than just practical objects 短語搭配

劳力士不仅仅是实用物品，

to tell the time with.

只是用来计时的。

They are a fusion of engineering and watchmaking art, 短語搭配

它们是工程与制表艺术的融合，

and their rich heritage adds to the brand value.

其丰富的历史底蕴更增加了品牌价值。

They are highly desirable among collectors.

它们在收藏家中极具吸引力。

The stainless steel Rolex Daytona that once belonged to actor Paul Newman

曾经属于演员保罗·纽曼的那块不锈钢劳力士迪通拿

holds the title of being the most expensive watch ever sold at auction. 短語搭配

保持着拍卖史上最贵手表的头衔。

The Phillips Auction House in New York

纽约的富艺斯拍卖行

sold the timepiece for $17.8 million,

以 1780 万美元售出了这块表，

beating a prior record of $5 million for the Bao Dai Rolex. 語法

打破了之前由“保大”劳力士创下的 500 万美元的纪录。

So when we consider the cost of the Rolex,

因此，当我们考虑劳力士的成本时，

we must consider the development,

必须考虑手表的研发、

workmanship, and materials cost of the watches,

工艺和材料成本，

as well as the brand value that has been established over the years 短語搭配

以及多年来建立起的品牌价值，

by the achievements of Rolex customers.

这也有劳力士客户成就的功劳。

Do you think a Rolex wristwatch is worth the price on the box? 短語搭配

你觉得劳力士腕表值得包装盒上的价格吗？

Is there a better watch out there on the market?

市面上还有更好的手表吗？

Let us know below in the comments section.

请在下方的评论区告诉我们。

Also, be sure to watch our other show called

此外，请务必观看我们的另一个节目，名为

Most Expensive Machines in the World.

《世界上最昂贵的机器》。

Thanks again for watching.

再次感谢观看。

And as always,

一如既往，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

别忘了点赞、分享和订阅。

And see you all next time at the Infographic Show.

我们下期在《Infographic Show》再见。