Behind the Brand: The History of Rolex

Our Behind the Brand series is designed to teach you all about the history of the world’s most iconic watch brands. We’ll take you on a journey, looking at how these international companies have grown from small watchmakers to the global successes they are today. In this article, we’re looking at one of the most successful and popular watch brands of all time: Rolex.

Arguably the world’s most prominent watchmaking brand, it’s safe to say that most people have heard of Rolex before, whether you’re a timepiece fanatic or you know next to nothing about watches. The brand is known for its classic timeless style and innovation. You’ll also no doubt have seen them on the screen, too, with famous characters such as James Bond often sporting a Rolex. 

But how did it all begin? Here, we’ll take you through Rolex’s history, from who founded the company to fascinating facts about Rolex. Read on to find out more about this world-renowned brand.

When and where was Rolex founded? 

The history of Rolex starts in London, where the watchmaker was founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf (who was just 24 at the time) and Alfred Davis. In the first few years of the business, wristwatches were considered to be unfashionable for men, who usually opted for pocket watches instead. But Wilsdorf and Davis set out to change this, as they wanted to create stylish — and most importantly, reliable — wristwatches for men. 

For the first three years of the company’s history, they sourced movements from a Swiss watchmaker and put them in British-sourced cases, but this wasn’t under the official Rolex brand. It wasn’t until 1908 when Rolex was trademarked that the word suddenly came to Wilsdorf while travelling in a horse-drawn bus. He aimed to give his brand a name that was short, easy to remember, and could be said in any language: Rolex ticked all three boxes. 

After getting an official name, the company went from strength to strength. In 1910 the reliability of the movements in their wristwatches meant that they became the first wristwatch retailer to be given an independently ratified Chronometric Certification, making Rolex the best place to buy a men’s wristwatch at the time. 

While Rolex is a British brand, Davis and Wilsdorf moved the company to Geneva after World War One in 1919. This is because of the heavy post-war taxes which were levied on luxury imports, as well as high export duties on silver and gold. The company is still based in Geneva to this day and is now owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation.

Rolex innovations 

Rolex has been an innovator from day one, being the first well-established wristwatch brand for men. But the brand has been even more innovative as the years have gone on. The watchmakers changed the wristwatch game in 1931 with the creation of the Perpetual Movement. This self-winding movement is powered by kinetic energy when worn by the owner. The movement became so iconic that that it was patented by Rolex and the Rolex Oyster is now more commonly known as the Oyster Perpetual. 

And almost 70 years since the brand was formed, they were still active pioneers in the watchmaking industry. In 1971, they created the first 24-hour hand with the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II. This timepiece was crafted especially for cave explorers so they could tell whether it was morning or night while spending days at a time in deep in dark caves. 

Making a splash 

Rolex has long been a pioneer in watchmaking, crafting some of the most innovative timepieces around. But throughout the entire history of Rolex watches, perhaps the most revolutionary was the Rolex Oyster. This timepiece was the world’s first water-resistant watch. The screw-down crown and hermetically sealed casing of the watch acted as a barrier against both water and dust. 

To publicise the first water-resistant timepiece, Rolex submerged the watch in fish tanks in the windows of their shops to prove to customers that it was the real deal. If this wasn’t enough proof , the fact that the Rolex Oyster was worn by swimmer Mercedes Gleitze in 1927 when attempting to cross the English Channel solidified the brand’s innovative status. Gleitze swam for 10 hours with the watch in the water at all times, and it was in full working order once she got back on land. 

Interested in learning more about watches you can wear underwater? Make sure to check out our blog post on the world of water-resistant watches.

The most popular models 

There are a number of iconic Rolex models which even people who don’t know much about timepieces will have heard of, from the Rolex Daytona to the Explorer. But which one is our favourite? Well, according to Google search data, the most popular model in the UK is the Rolex Submariner, with an impressive 72,000 searches per month. 

The history of the Rolex Submariner goes all the way back to 1953 when it emerged on the market as the first diving watch water-resistant to 100m. The idea to make a diving watch came from the company’s PR Director (and avid diver) René-Paul Jeanneret. The timepiece went through numerous tests while being developed, including being lowered to 120m underwater for an hour. The watch emerged completely unscathed and without leaks, making the timepiece officially a success.

Of course, the Submariner isn’t just popular amongst divers: it’s become one of the most stylish and practical timepieces on the market. There have been many iterations of the watch over the years, with the most recent model increasing the case from 40mm to 41mm. The watch was often sported by James Bond, which you can find out more about with our breakdown of the most iconic watches worn by each James Bond.

Interesting facts about Rolex

With a long and rich history, there are plenty of fascinating facts about the Rolex brand. Here are some of the most interesting facts to note about the company: 

• On Rolex’s Roman numeral dials, the brand use IIII rather than IV, which is known as the “watchmaker’s four”.  

• Each Rolex is handcrafted, so you know you’re getting great quality when you buy one of their timepieces.

• The popular Tudor brand is a sister company of Rolex. 

• In all official images used by Rolex, the time on the watch is always 10:10 and 31 seconds, which is known as “Rolex time”. 

• There are more fake Rolex watches in the world than real ones, so make sure to shop at a legitimate site like H&T to get the real deal!

Famous Rolex wearers

Being possibly the world’s most well-known watchmaker, there are a number of celebrities who have donned a Rolex over the years. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have been Rolex wearers, from the heartthrob Paul Newman in the 1980s to James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, in more recent years. The watch was popular amongst politicians as well, with Winston Churchill seen sporting an Oyster Perpetual Datejust, and JFK being gifted a gold Rolex Day-Date for his birthday — by Marilyn Monroe no less! 

But one of the most iconic Rolex wearers by far was Hollywood actor Steve McQueen. The star became so synonymous with the brand that the Rolex Explorer II is still known by many as the Steve McQueen Rolex. 

If finding out all about Rolex’s history has tempted you to add one to your own timepiece collection, make sure to browse the range on offer at H&T. As well as Rolex watches, we have a fantastic range of timepieces from other popular brands, such as Omega, Cartier, and Tag Heuer. We stock watches for men and women, so make sure to explore our full collection today. 

Want to find out more about your favourite watch brands? Head to our blog for more fascinating timepiece information, including our Behind the Brand Cartier post.