Rolex
Swiss watches of the highest class - the company Rolex
For many people, the name Rolex is synonymous with luxury watches. The Geneva-based company is known for producing highly precise and at the same time very robust timepieces in an exclusive and sometimes very extravagant design. With its pioneering developments, the watch manufacturer has repeatedly attracted attention in the past and has inspired fans all over the world with its various products. When you choose a watch model from Rolex, you are usually choosing a timepiece that will accompany you for a lifetime.
The history of the company
The Rolex company was founded in London in 1905 by the German watchmaker Hans Wilsdorf. The original purpose of the company was to import watches from Switzerland to Great Britain and then resell them there. At that time, it was common practice to stamp the name of the seller rather than the manufacturer on the watches. The term Rolex had no deeper meaning for Wilsdorf. However, it was important to him that the name could be pronounced the same in every language. Rolex first caused a major stir when the company was the first watch manufacturer to start putting its name directly on the watch face. A short time later, a five-pointed crown was added to the lettering, although its appearance continued to change slightly up until the 1950s. Since the mid-1950s, however, this symbol has remained the same and, together with the Rolex lettering, forms the watch manufacturer's logo. Because Great Britain introduced high import taxes on watches a few years after the company was founded, it moved to Biel-Bienne in 1915 and shortly thereafter to Geneva.
Breakthrough with a waterproof watch
Rolex finally gained worldwide attention with the development of a waterproof watch called the "Oyster". This was worn in high profile by a young British woman who attempted to swim across the English Channel. Although the attempt failed, the watch suffered no damage despite spending eight hours in the ice-cold water. This action gave Rolex an immense boost, and even today the company tries to promote its products with eye-catching advertising campaigns - often with the support of well-known celebrities.
Rolex today
Rolex's management is now in the hands of Jean-Frédéric Dufour as CEO and Bertrand Gros as Chairman of the Board of Directors. In 2006, the company employed 5,800 people and generated sales of around three billion Swiss francs. If you buy a Rolex watch today, you are buying a model that has been around since the 1950s. Over the years, the watches have only undergone technical innovations, but their appearance has only changed slightly. The philosophy behind this is that timelessly beautiful watches can still look the same today as they did 50 years ago and will still look the same in 50 years. The Rolex collection currently includes the Datejust , Day-Date , Daytona , Explorers , Explorer II , Sea Dweller , Sky Dweller , Submariner , Yacht Master , Yacht Master II , Oyster Perpetual , GMT Master II , Air King , Milgauss , Cellini as well as Find Pearlmaster.
