Before Rolex was Rolex it was a small, quality watch suppliers to major London jewellers, run by Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis. Wilsdorf & Davies was founded in 1905 and by 1908 had become one of the leading watch companies in the UK.

The famous trademark name ‘Rolex’ was first coined in 1908, but it wasn’t registered until November 5th 1915. Four years later in 1919 the company officially relocated its head office to Geneva, Switzerland. It was in Geneva in 1925 that the signature crown or coronet trademark was established and began appearing on all Rolex models as a symbol of excellence and quality.

The strength and success of the Rolex brand is very much the legacy of one man: Hans Wilsdorf. Even today the business, which is considered to be among the world’s most valuable brands, with annual revenues exceeding $3billion, still runs under the direction of the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation.