The History of Rolex Watches
Arguably one of the world’s most recognised luxury brand names, Rolex has been the choice wristwatch of distinguished gentlemen, sportspeople, politicians and influencers for over a century.
Join us as we take a glimpse into the history of the world’s most iconic watch brands…
Rolex was born in 1908, when Hans Wilsdorf wanted to start manufacturing his own watches after distributing them for three years in hisLondonbranch. Wilsdorf, who started his company aged 24, had gained experience from a large watch exporter inSwitzerland, before working for a watch making firm inLondon.
The name ‘Rolex’ was chosen after Wilsdorf spent some time combining the letters of the alphabet in every possible way, in order to find a name that was short, memorable and easy to pronounce in any European language. It also needed to look fantastic on watch dials. Nothing seemed to fit, until, in his words,
“One morning, while riding on the upper deck of a horse-drawn omnibus along the Cheapside in the City of London, a genie whispered ‘Rolex’ in my ear.”
At the time, wristwatches were not commonly worn – they were unreliable at telling the time, and generally were not considered the masculine option. Hans Wilsdorf wanted to change that. He wanted to develop wristwatches that were reliable, precise and elegant. The quest began for quality movements, which Wilsdorf had manufactured by a Swiss watch-making company inBienne.
In 1910, Wilsdorf’s hard work paid off, when a Rolex watch became the very first wristwatch to be awarded the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision. Later in 1914, Rolex was awarded again – this time with a class “A” precision certificate from Kew Observatory. This prestigious award had only been given to marine chronometers in the past, making it a momentous accreditation for Rolex.
The 1920s saw fashion taking a new turn, with art deco influencing clothing and accessories. Rolex created some stunning watches during this era, encrusted with diamonds and fitted with luxurious silk straps. However, the most memorable Rolex of the 1920s was the Oyster, which was created in 1926 as the world’s first waterproof wristwatch. In 1928 the Rolex Oyster survived the length of theEnglish Channel, on the wrist of English swimmer Mercedes Gleitze!
By this time, Rolex’s name was synonymous with precision, and the watchmaker went on to create more ground-breaking timepieces. The first self-winding mechanism was invented and patented by Rolex in 1931, and in 1945 the Datejust, which shows the date on the dial, was created.
Today, Rolex still prevails as the most reliable timepiece, evoking elegance, luxury and heritage. It’s a watch to be worn, treasured and passed down through the generations.
Want to discover more? We have a wide range of vintage, pre-owned and unworn Rolex watches at our shops inMargateand Ramsgate, which you are more than welcome to view.