Hans Wilsdorf (1881 - 1960) and Rolex

Hans Wilsdorf was born in Kulmbach, Bavaria, in 1881, which is located in the southeastern part of Germany. His parents were the owners of an iron toolmaker, and shortly after their early death, his uncle liquidated the company and sent the children to boarding school. This is where he decided to pursue watchmaking and moved to La Chaux-de-Fonds in 1900, at the age of 19.

In Switzerland was where Hans got a job working at a pocket watch company that exported its products globally, getting his first real world experience in the watch industry. By 1903, however, he had moved to London, importing Swiss watches to the English market for a local company.

Hans then decided to go into business with Alfred Davis, an English casemaker, and launched Wilsdorf & Davis in 1905, seeking to produce high-quality timepieces for affordable prices. Hans would have been 24 years old at the time.

Fast forward a few years to 1908, and Hans Wilsdorf proclaimed, “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.”

Omni bus in London, England - early 20th century / Credit: Adam Smith

He had been searching for the correct name since its inception in 1905, and now he finally had it: “Rolex”.

By 1910, directly from the Official Watch Rating Centre in Switzerland, he obtained a certificate verifying his watches to have proper chronometric precision. This certificate wasn’t for a pocket watch though, it was for a wristwatch.

So how does a small company like Hans Wilsdorf’s grow from a small watch operation into an international enterprise?

The watch that he had created was given a Class A precision certificate by the Observatory at Kew in London. At the time, Class A certificates were reserved for marine chronometers which were the most accurate forms of timekeeping. With this rating, combined with the small movement size packed into a wrist watch, Hans Wilsdorf and Rolex were starting to become well-known.

By 1919, with the Rolex brand growing quickly, Hans decided on Geneva, Switzerland as the company’s new headquarters, due to the high taxation in London after WWI.

In 1931, the famous five-pointed crown was introduced. Rolex’s classic logo.

Rolex’s signature 5-star crown, introduced in 1931. / Credit: Fratello Watches

Hans Wilsdorf proved to be a competent leader, and continuously strove to follow the values of ‘Vision, hope for the future, perseverance, and an extraordinary ability to work’.

Hans Wilsdorf’s famous quote on his approach to business while still early in his career.

By 1926, Rolex had released the Oyster. This was the world’s first waterproof watch, and was bolstered in popularity through Mercedes Gleitze and her swim across the English Channel. Hans Wilsdorf would be around 45 years old at this time.

A few years down the road, with the spirit of innovation strong in the employees of Rolex, they released the Rolex Oyster Perpetual, in 1931. The Oyster Perpetual also included a new key feature - a self-winding mechanism with a free rotor, called the ‘perpetual rotor’. This was invented and patented by Rolex that year.

Oyster ad from the 1920s and Mercedes Gleitze / Credit: Time and Tide Watches

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual released in 1931 – featuring the ‘perpetual rotor’.

During the earlier stages of the 1930s, Hans Wilsdorf started to really focus on the quality. While Rolex had received many accolades already, he believed that quality was a way of showcasing his brands integrity. He was adamant on maintaining Rolex’s image and the prestige it had already won in the watch industry. The high quality of work and the brand’s image would start to be forged together.

By 1945, the Rolex Datejust was released, 40 years after the initial inception of the company. The Rolex Datejust to this day is one of the most recognized watches of all time.

Hans Wilsdorf continued to uphold the values of Rolex until his death in 1960, while placing a large importance on philanthropic efforts as well. He had a strong emphasis on the long-term and didn’t fall for the trick of short-term gratification. The Rolex brand continues to leave behind a sense of continuity.

By: Eric Mulder