Rolex History

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A Brief History of Rolex:

Rolex SA was founded in London in 1905 by the German Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law, Alfred Davis. Contrary to popular belief, Hans Wilsdorf was neither Swiss, nor a watchmaker. Wilsdorf & Davis was the original name of what later became the Rolex Watch Company. They originally imported Hermann Aegler's Swiss movements to England and placed them in quality cases made by Dennison and others. These early wristwatches were then sold to jewellers, who then put their own names on the dial. The earliest watches from the firm of Wilsdorf and Davis are usually marked "W&D" – inside the caseback only.

Hans Wilsdorf registered the trademark name "Rolex" in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland during 1908. The word was made up, but its origin is obscure. One story, which was never confirmed by Wilsdorf, is that the word "Rolex" came from the French phrase horlogerie exquise, meaning exquisite watch industry.

The Wilsdorf & Davis company moved out of Great Britain in 1912. Wilsdorf wanted his watches to be affordable, but taxes and export duties on the case metals (silver and gold) were driving costs up. From that time to the present, Rolex has been headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, though the company owns facilities in other cities (Bienne, etc) and continents (North America, Asia, Australia, etc).

The company name Rolex was officially registered on 15 November 1915. It is thought this change was part of a drive to popularize wristwatches, which at the time were still considered a novelty largely for women (pocket watches were more common). Wilsdorf was said to desire his watch brand's name to be easily pronounceable in any language. The company name was officially changed to the Rolex Watch Company during 1919. It was later changed to Montres Rolex, SA and finally Rolex, SA.

Rolex SA is private and wholly owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation which was initiated and originally funded by Hans Wilsdorf and the Aegler family. According to foundation documentation, the Rolex SA company can never be sold, nor traded on any stock market.
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. Some Rolex Highlights over the years

1926 Oyster Case
1927 Serial Number On Oyster Case
1931 Oyster Perpetual
1938 Bubble Back
1938 Oyster Bracelet
1945 Jubilee Bracelet (Only on the Datejust originally)
1945 Datejust introduced (Jubilee bracelet only until 1956)
1950 "Mercedes" Hands
1953 Submariner 100m/330ft
1953 Explorer
1954 GMT-Master
1954 Milgauss (discontinued in the '70's, reintroduced in 2007)
1954 Submariner 200m / 660ft
1954 Cyclops on Crystal (optional for the first few years)
1954 Lady's Oyster Perpetual
1956 Day-Date (Became the Rolex Flagship over the Datejust)
1956 President Bracelet
1959 Submariner gets Crown Guards and 40mm Case
1960 Deep Sea Special
1961 Oyster Cosmograph
1962 Cosmograph Daytona (only a few got this "name" to entice racing fans)
1965 Submariner Date
1965 Submariner Date 18 k YG
1967 Sea-Dweller
1971 Explorer II
1972 Hacking Movement
1974 Sapphire Crystal
1976 Oysterquartz
1977 Oysterquartz Day-Date
1977 Quick Set Date Feature
1978 Sea-Dweller 4000
1979 Submariner 300m/1000ft with Sapphire Crystal
1983 GMT-Master II (16760)
1983 Submariner Rolesor (aka Sub TT)
1988 Daytona became automatic with the (Zenith) Cal. 4030 movement
1992 Yachtmaster introduced
1994 Yachtmaster Lady & Mid-Sized aka Boys Size
1999 GMT Master discontinued (16700)
2000 In House Daytona movement launched (4130)
2000 Parachrom Hairspring developed (introduced in 4130 movements)
2001 Laser Etched Coronet In Crystal
2003 Submariner Date LV launched to commemorate 50 Years of the Sub.
2002 Non lugs holes appeared on popular models (sometime in the Y serial release)
2004 Etched ROLEX and serials on the Rehaut ring (Gold models during F/D serial releases)
2004 New Datejust Case
2005 GMT Ceramic Bezel Inserts released in Gold
2006 GMT Ceramic Bezel Inserts in TT
2007 GMT Ceramic Besel Inserts in SS
2007 Milgauss re-released
2008 Deep Sea Sea Dweller released
2008 Sub Date Ceramic Bezel Insert in Gold Released
2008 Yachtmaster II released
2009 Sub Date Ceramic TT released
2010 Sub Date Ceramic in SS released in both LN (black) and LV (green) versions
2011 Explorer ll; 42mm and Orange 24 hr. hand re-introduce
2012 Sky Dweller introduced
2012 Submariner 114060 with ceramic bezel insert
2013 GMT-II Two Color Bezel insert returns in blue/black (116710 BLNR)


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LINKS:
The Rolex Company