Journey of Rolex: Nothing to Everything!

Rolex is a well-known watch manufacturer. Dreaming about possessing this watch is a common trait among watch enthusiasts.

Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis founded it. On March 22, 1881, Hans was born in Kulmbach, Germany. Sadly, his parents passed away when he was just 12 years old. He attended a boarding school to study.

When he was 19 years old, he started working in the watch industry. His career began with the watchmaker Cuno Korten. It was his responsibility to breathe into pocket watches to ensure accurate time. He was given comprehensive information regarding the clock's design and manufactured there. He later joined a premium watch manufacturer in London in 1903. 

Beginnings of Rolex

Hans Wilsford established his own business in 1905 with the aid of his nephew Alfred Davis, who provided funding. They founded the Wilsdorf & Davis Company in London together.

At first, they sold the watch to other jewelry retailers, who branded it with their name and put it on the market. They then imported the essential components for the watch, put them together into a new watch, and sold it to them.

They started producing for themselves three years later as the company expanded.

Registration for Rolex

Rolex was registered in 1908, and Wilsdorf and Davis opened a new office in Switzerland the same year. Additionally, he shut down his London office in 1919 due to the excessive taxes the British government levied.

The First World War resulted in the imposition of numerous taxes. Rolex relocated its global headquarters there, where it is still located today.

The business was initially known as Montres Rolex SA before becoming Rolex SA in 1920.

They had the enormous advantage of establishing a central office in Switzerland since skilled people were readily available and because of the country's continued neutrality. Rolex rose to prominence in the watch business over time.

Amazing Story

Wilsdorf & Davis Company was the name that Hans Wilsdorf sought to replace with a five-letter word. As a result, he started searching for a new name and tried several letter combinations. As a result, many names were suggested, but none of them pleased him.

Hans Wilsdorf was traveling in London on the upper deck of an omnibus that had been yanked from a tree one fine morning when a genie whispered a Rolex in his ear.

Rolex is a new term that is catchy but has no inherent meaning. It wasn't anyone's name either.

Hans Wilsdorf chose the Rolex name to represent his company and the watch because he believed it was simple to pronounce in any language and sounded like a timepiece. Rolex is also a tiny word, making it simple to print on a watch.

Getting the Crown

Hans adored the British Empire; thus, he decided on the Crown as the Rolex logo.

Many people at the time could proudly display their love of The Crown on their Rolex watch.

A Rolex sister brand is Tudor. It bears Tudor's surname in honor of the family that governed England from 1485 to 1603 AD.

First of All

Rolex is the first watch to introduce a water-resistant chronometer, mechanical movements, and the GMT complication, among many other fantastic features. The first watchmaker to obtain wrist clock chronometer certification was Rolex in 1910. And subsequently, in 1914, King's Observatory awarded them a Class One Precision Certificate.

The measurement of its clocks in marine grade chronometers determines its quality. The chronometer test puts clocks through various strains, including hot and cold conditions. It evaluates second-hand performance, accuracy, and other factors. These have received formal certification from the Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute.

The first GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) complication in the world was a pilot watch made by Rolex in 1950. There is a unique additional hour hand on this watch.

First and Foremost

Rolex pioneered the inclusion of attributes like dependability, toughness, and precision in a wristwatch. Wrist watches were not very dependable before the invention of Rolex. The clock had to be adjusted by the wearer by looking at other timepieces.

First Water-Resistant Watch in the World

Hans debuted the Rolex Oyster, the first water-resistant watch, in 1926. Hans has always wished to create a watch that can withstand environmental forces.

Interesting Marketing Strategy

Rolex used a creative marketing technique to demonstrate the total water resistance of its timepieces.

Thus, in 1927, Hans personally gave a Royal Oyster watch to English swimmer Mercedes Gleitze who crossed the English Channel. The watch continued to function correctly even after 10 hours of nonstop swimming. The achievement was then mentioned in a full-page advertisement by Rolex that appeared on the front page of the Daily Mail.

First Watch With Automatic Date

The Rolex Date, which debuted in 1956, was the first timepiece to have the date and bar updated automatically. In the watch sector, Rolex has achieved exceptional success. The standards set by Rolex judge modern wristwatches.

Use of 904L Stainless Steel

The Rolex was the first timepiece to use 904L stainless steel in 1985. Steel that has been hardened and polished, 904L stainless steel resists corrosion.

Quality Comes First

Each watch is put through a 15-day test by Rolex at the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute to ensure it meets the high standards for quality before being sold.

Can Handle Harsh Environmental Conditions

When Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people to ascend Mount Everest in 1953, they did so while wearing Rolex wristwatches. The Rolex watch displayed the exact time without a single second of error, even at this height.

Similarly, a Rolex Dipsy clock was unveiled in 1960 in the Mariana Trench at a depth of 11,000 meters in the Pacific Ocean in cooperation with a submarine called the Batiskaf Trieste. Even with such water pressure, the Rolex watch continued to function correctly.

Rolex took part in James Cameron's Dipsy Challenge on March 26, 2012, a collaboration between National Geographic and well-known movies, including Titanic and Avatar. The watch was kept out of the submarine even then, and it passed the test quickly.

The Reason for Success

Due to its creation of the first wristwatch in history with precise movements and the addition of water resistance, as well as its effective marketing and easy-to-remember brand name, Rolex rose to become one of the most well-known and prosperous watch companies in the world. At the time, Rolex was the only watch manufacturer, and its timepieces were both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Because Rolex watches were so well-known, they were featured in several motion pictures. They were worn by famous performers like James Bond, Roger Federer, and Tiger Woods. On Forbes' list of the Most Valuable Brands, Rolex came in at 78 with 9.1 billion.