The rich History of Rolex: From Origins to Iconic Status... The late Donald de Carle, in his book Complicated Watches And Their Repair (first published in 1956), generally sticks with the detached attitude of a professional writing for other professionals, but he allows himself to adopt an almost Yoda-like tone when discussing the repair of chiming watches, saying among other things that no other complications more demand a "calm, cool, and collected" History and Timeline of Rolex Founder - Hans Wilsdorf | Bob's... The Story of Hans Wilsdorf - The Watch Club by SwissWatchExpo Rolex History - 1905-1919 | Rolex® The man behind the crown - Hans Wilsdorf - Perpetual - rolex History of Rolex: Founder, Key Milestones, And Today Replica Watch Find the right Rolex or Grand Seiko to add to your collection, or maybe one of each, at the Hodinkee Shop.

Hans Wilsdorf & Rolex Timeline Hans Eberhard Wilhelm Wilsdorf was born in 1881 in Bavaria as the second son to Anna and Ferdinand Wilsdorf. However, by the age of 12, Hans Wilsdorf was an orphan and he was sent to boarding school, where he received a solid education. His interest in language turned out to be pivotal and his ability to speak French and English, along with his nat... The caliber 801 skeleton has been in development for more than a year, and the hard work resulted in a fresh take on the 801 movement that allows us to easily admire its architecture. When skeletonizing a movement it is easy to go too far and end up with a watch that is difficult to read, or is very fragile due to the amount of metal removed from the mainplate and bridges. The history of Rolex is inextricably linked to the visionary spirit of Hans Wilsdorf , its founder. In 1905, at the age of 24, Hans Wilsdorf founded a company in London specializing in the distribution of timepieces. He began to dream of a watch worn on the wrist. Alfred Davis and his brother-in-law Hans Wilsdorf founded Wilsdorf and Davis, the company that would eventually become Rolex SA, in London in 1905. [14] Wilsdorf and Davis's main commercial activity at the time involved importing Hermann Aegler's Swiss movements to England and placing them in watch cases made by Dennison and others. In three short years, Wilsdorf & Davis became a top player in British watch commerce; so the two men thought it’d be best to come up with a brand name to stamp on the dials of the watches they exported. This idea ran contrary to the customs of the industry at the time, which was to have the name of the importer on the dials and/or movements. Yet ag... By 1914, Hans Wilsdorf’s headquarters in London had more than 60 employees on the payroll and it was the export center of every market to which the company exported. However, in 1915, the British government imposed a 33.3% customs duty on watches. Therefore, Hans Wilsdorf had to move the export operations to his Bienne Switzerland offices, which ha...

Dec 17, 2025 · Explore the history of Rolex , from Hans Wilsdorf’s early wristwatch vision to the Oyster, Perpetual rotor, and modern era. A clear timeline and key facts. Oct 18, 2024 · Rolex was founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf , a visionary entrepreneur of German descent, and his brother-in-law, Alfred Davis, in London. Initially known as “Wilsdorf & Davis,†the company specialized in the distribution of timepieces. Apr 24, 2024 · Driven by an insatiable passion for horology and a keen eye for innovation, Hans Wilsdorf ’s journey led him to establish Rolex in 1905, forever altering the landscape of the watchmaking industry. In 1944, tragedy struck the Rolex founder when his beloved wife Florence passed away. He established the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation the following year and handed his 100% ownership stake in Rolex to the foundation. The Hans Wilsdorf Foundation maintains ownership and control of Rolex until today, and it discreetly donates a large portion of its incom... With the blueprint for waterproof automatic chronometers under his belt, it was off to the races for Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex. Following the success of Mercedes Gleitze’s real-world use of the Oyster, Hans Wilsdorf sought out other high-profile opportunities to test Rolex watches in extreme environments. In return for supplying Rolex watches, Hans W... Hans Wilsdorf , the founder of Rolex, was not just a visionary entrepreneur whose stream of inventions, such as the first waterproof wristwatch, changed the world.