founder of rolex including rolex men’s watches and rolex women’s watches

Hans Wilsdorf was born in Bavaria, Germany. He was a visionary and pioneering master watchmaker. He started working in a watchmaking company in Switzerland at the age of 19 and gradually developed a deep understanding of watchmaking. In 1905, Hans Wilsdorf moved to London and cooperated with the Englishman Alfred Davis to establish the Wilsdorf and Davis company, specializing in selling watches. In 1908, he created the Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches brands and registered the Rolex trademark in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Renowned for its innovation and high quality, Rolex has become one of the most famous luxury watch brands in the world.

Hans was a watchmaker born in Germany and worked in Switzerland.

Born in 1881 in Kulmbach County, Bavaria, Germany. Later he worked in a Swiss watch factory.

  1905
Hans Wilsdorf

The history of Rolex is inextricably linked to its visionary and pioneering founder, Hans Wilsdorf. In 1905, at the age of 24, he opened a company specializing in timepiece distribution in London. He even fantasized about wearing the watch on his wrist. Although the accuracy of watches at that time was insufficient, Hans Wilsdorf could foresee that watches could not only display elegant style, but also be accurate and reliable at the same time.To convince the public that his innovative timepieces were equally accurate, he equipped them with a small, cheapest Rolex precision movement produced by a watchmaking company in Biel, Switzerland.

1908

Wilsdorf created the Rolex men’s and Rolex women’s brands and sold his watches. During World War I, he left England for Switzerland due to wartime increases in import duties on luxury goods.

1908

five clever letters

He said: “I tried almost every letter combination and ended up with hundreds of names, but none of them satisfied me. One morning, as I was riding in the upper deck of a stagecoach passing through Cheapside Street in London, I felt like I heard an elf’s voice whispering ‘Rolex women’s’ in my ear.”

1910

Pursuing precision performance

Rolex initially focused on improving the quality of the cheapest Rolex movements, eventually succeeding through its aggressive exploration of precision in chronometers. In 1910, Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches became the first watches to receive Swiss timepiece certificates from the official watch rating center in Biel, Switzerland.


1914

“A” Class Precision Timepiece Certificate

Four years later, in 1914, the British Kew Observatory issued an “A” certificate to Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches. At that time, this level was generally available only for marine chronometers. Since then, Rolex watches have become the symbol of precision timepieces.

1919

Geneva

Rolex watch Including men’s watches and rolex women’s watches in moved to Geneva, an international city famous for its watchmaking craftsmanship. The company “Montres Rolex S.A.” was registered locally in 1920.

1920

Wilsdorf established the Rolex Men’s and Rolex Women’s Watch Company in Biel, Switzerland. During the Second World War, Royal Air Force pilots purchased Rolex watches to replace ordinary inferior watches with super clone watches to set the time.

1944

after the death of Wilsdorf’s wife, he established the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. He sold all his shares in Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches, ensuring that the company’s proceeds would go to charity.

1946

Wilsdorf established the Rolex subsidiary D’Amour Watch Company to produce high-quality, cheapest rolex men’s watches and rolex women’s watches

The story of Rolex men’s watches and rolex women’s watches and straw hats

In 1905, in a small town in Bavaria, everyone knew a watchmaker named Field. Because his watches are so good, his next step is to develop a new type of watch that is waterproof and automatic. The news was known to a watch dealer named Hans Wilsdorf in the same city, so he hurriedly found Field. Surprised by Field’s watch skills, Hans Wilsdorf said: “Mr. Field, I would like to hire you to be the technical director of my company. How about it?” Hans Wilsdorf met Field Without saying a word for a long time, he said that as long as Field paid a price, he was willing to buy Field’s technology for developing watches. “No!” Field refused: “I will not be affected by the immediate interests and give up my pursuit. My ideal is to develop the best and cheapest watch in the world.

Hans Wilsdorf did not expect that Field’s ideas were so close to those of Hans Wilsdorf. If Field insists on refusing to work in Hans Wilsdorf’s company or sell the technology to make watches, then once Field develops that watch before Hans Wilsdorf, Hans Wilsdorf will Stove’s company will be threatened like never before. what to do? The only way out for the company is to develop that watch before Field and register it as soon as possible. However, Field was obviously technically superior, and it was not easy to develop that watch before him. Just when he was running out of ideas, Hans Wilsdorf suddenly got the news: While Field was developing watches, he was also engaged in the straw hat business. Hans Wilsdorf immediately asked his assistant to order a straw hat from Field. Hans Wilsdorf’s assistant asked inexplicably: “What you want is his watchmaking skills. You don’t order his watches, but you want to order his straw hats. I don’t understand what you mean.

Hans Wilsdorf said with a smile: “If the price of a straw hat exceeds the value of a watch, will Field still go to great lengths to develop a watch?” Sure enough, after receiving the order from the straw hat, Field decided to Put aside the development of watches for the time being, and rush to make straw hats first. In this way, Hans Wilsdorf won time to register and market the watch he developed as quickly as possible. He named the watch with waterproof and automatic functions “Rolex”

When Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches quickly occupied the entire market and became world brands, Hans Wilsdorf pointed to the straw hat in his backyard and told Field that it was his work. Field, who suddenly realized this, regretted it too late.

The history of Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches is inextricably linked to their founder, Hans Wilsdorf.

Hans Wilsdorf had the foresight to foresee future changes. Convinced that water resistance would make watches popular, he launched the Rolex Oyster for men and the Rolex Oyster for women in 1926. Noting the importance of record-setting and discovery, he tested his watches in extreme environments with the help of 20th-century athletes and explorers. Rolex’s innovative inventions have left a glorious footprint in the history of global watchmaking, witnessing its founder’s long-lasting pursuit of excellence.

We had to find a way to create a waterproof watch. Oyster watches accompany outstanding people, inspiring and changing the world

Hans Wilsdorf

They strive to push the boundaries of human knowledge. They are explorers, scientists, polar explorers, athletes, artists or leaders. Their achievements have left a glorious mark on history and opened up new horizons. Since the launch of the first Oyster watch, Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches have been with them, jointly upholding commitments, adhering to standards, and striving for perfection. Since 1926, many different Oyster watches have fully demonstrated the constant pursuit of excellence.We want to be number one, and Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches should be considered unique and the best!

At the beginning of the 20th century, pocket watches were the most commonly used practical timekeeping tools.

Hans Wilsdorf began his career in 1900, initially working for a watch company in La Chaux-de-Fonds. He is keenly aware that people’s lifestyles are constantly changing, especially the increasing popularity of sports and outdoor adventures. The visionary who would become the founder of Rolex men’s watches and Rolex women’s watches in the next few years discovered that pocket watches were hidden among layers of clothing and were unable to meet the new needs brought about by new trends. With the vision of an entrepreneur, he decided to create timepieces that could be worn on the wrist. These cheapest Rolex watches are reliable and accurate and will become companions of dynamic modern life. One of the main challenges faced by Hans Wilsdorf was to find a way to protect the watch from the intrusion of dust and moisture, which could lead to poor internal functioning or oxidation of the case. In a letter in 1914, he expressed his intentions to the local company Aegler in Biel, which later became the Rolex watch manufacturer: “We must find a way to create a waterproof watch.”

We had to find a way to create a waterproof watch.

Hans Wilsdorf, 1945

One of the main challenges faced by Hans Wilsdorf was to find a way to protect the watch from the intrusion of dust and moisture, which could lead to poor internal functioning or oxidation of the case. In a letter in 1914, he expressed his intentions to the local company Aegler in Biel, which later became the Rolex watch manufacturer: “We must find a way to create a waterproof watch.”

1922

Rolex watches for men and Rolex watches for women introduce the Submarine watch. This watch is equipped with an additional outer case on the hinge, and its outer ring and crystal are screwed tightly into the case, making the outer case waterproof. To wind the watch or set the time, the outer case must be opened to gain access to the crown. Hans Wilsdorf was committed to creating a completely waterproof and easy-to-use watch case, and the Submarine watch was his first step on this path.

Four years later, in 1926, the cheapest Rolex Oyster case was patented. This patented technology tightly screws the outer ring, bottom cover and winding crown to the middle case, ensuring that the case is tightly sealed and protecting the interior of the watch from harmful external factors. Hans Wilsdorf named them “Rolex Oyster Watch” and “Rolex Oyster Case” because “the watch can be submerged in water for a long time like an oyster without any damage to the parts.” “. This invention was a major breakthrough in the history of watchmaking.

In order to promote the many outstanding qualities of Rolex Oyster watches, Hans Wilsdorf decided to promote the watches in innovative ways. He learned that Mercedes Gleitze, a young secretary from Brighton, England, was preparing to swim across the English Channel. If the plan is successful, she will become the first British woman in history to achieve this significant achievement. So Hans Wilsdorf asked her to wear a Rolex Oyster watch while crossing the Channel to prove that the watch was completely waterproof. After Gillies swam hard in the icy water and successfully crossed over, a reporter from The Times reported: “She was wearing a small gold watch… and the watch still kept time as usual.”

The Rolex Oyster for Men and the Rolex Oyster for Women feature a sealed Oyster case, the world’s first waterproof watch

Rolex Oyster cases for men and women, revolutionary design

The sealed Oyster case is a classic symbol of Rolex watches. Patented in 1926, the Oyster case consists of an outer ring, bottom cover and winding crown that are screwed to the middle case. With the development of diving materials and technology, these components have been continuously upgraded to further enhance the waterproof performance of the watch and meet the needs of divers, allowing them to dive into deeper waters.

Oyster case structure
1926
01.
outer ring
The prototype Oyster case uses a triangular fluted outer ring, which can be screwed to the middle case with the help of Rolex’s special tools. Over the years since then, the structure of the Oyster case has been continuously improved, making it even more solid and reliable. The technologically innovative case can be equipped with a rotating outer ring, which is particularly important for diving watches.
02.

Crown

The crown of the prototype Oyster case can be screwed onto the middle case. In 1953, Rolex launched the double-buckle winding crown, using a patented system with a double-layer seal. In 1970, Rolex further innovated the production process and introduced the three-buckle winding crown, which used an additional sealing area to enhance the waterproof performance of Rolex watches. Rolex watches developed specifically for diving use this three-buckle winding crown.

03.

bottom cover

The Oyster case uses a finely grooved bottom cover that can be screwed onto the middle case to completely seal the case. This structure is still used today. The back cover of existing diving watches is made of Oystersteel or 18K gold, depending on the model or style of the watch.

Shallow sea diving
In response to changes in lifestyle, Rolex invented a waterproof watch case. Afterwards, the brand turned to designing and developing watches that could meet the needs of emerging deep-sea professional divers. In 1953, Rolex launched the Submariner, the first diving watch waterproof to a depth of 100 meters (330 feet). The Submariner’s rotating outer ring is equipped with a scale ring, which allows divers to control the underwater time and helps calculate the storage amount of breathing gas. The new screw-in winding crown has two sealing areas and is equipped with a double locking system, which improves the security of the Oyster case.

In 1970, Rolex further innovated the production process and added a third sealing area, and the three-buckle winding crown was born. The hands and hour markers are coated with luminous material, making it easier for divers to read the time underwater in the dark. Rolex continued to innovate waterproof technology, increasing the waterproof depth of the Submariner from 200 meters (660 feet) in 1954 to 300 meters (1,000 feet) in 1989. The Date model was launched in 1969, and its water resistance was increased to 300 meters (1,000 feet) in 1979.

Rolex is one of the first brands to engage in adventure and exploration with extraordinary people. Hans Wilsdorf believed that this was a complementary method of cooperation, and began to use the natural environment as a laboratory to test the performance of watches, and equipped Oyster watches for outstanding people’s adventure activities. In order to test the reliability of the watch, Rolex invited professional divers to wear the watch to carry out diving tasks, and then collected their comments and suggestions on the watch, thereby making many improvements in ergonomics and technology. This collaborative feedback process became an essential part of Rolex’s research and development process.

Rolex men’s watches and rolex women’s watches teamed up with French underwater photographer, engineer and explorer Dimitri Rebikoff to test the Submariner. During the five-month watch testing process, Rybkov carried out 132 diving tests, with diving depths ranging from 12 to 60 meters. He gave the watch a high evaluation in his report: “The overall condition of the watch is satisfactory. The materials used can not only withstand extremely severe and dangerous diving environments, but are also indispensable devices for diving using independent equipment.”

Rolex also participates in some underwater scientific research projects and expeditions, allowing it to test the performance of its watches in real life. In 1960, Rolex participated in an expedition led by Swiss oceanographer Jacques Piccard and US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh. The father of Jacques is the Swiss physicist and explorer Auguste Piccard, who began working with Rolex in the early 1950s. On January 23, Picard and Walsh piloted the deep-sea submarine Trieste designed by Auguste and dived into the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, reaching the deepest point in the known world.

Tightly attached to the outside of the submarine is a deep-sea special edition Rolex experimental watch, which accompanied the two divers to 10,916 meters (35,814 feet) under the sea. The domed crystal mirror of this prototype model allows the watch to withstand the huge water pressure of the deep sea. About eight and a half hours after diving to the bottom of the sea, the Trieste resurfaced, and the watch still kept accurate time, proving that the technology used by Rolex in the design process was indeed effective. Decades later, there would be another similar epoch-making great adventure.

sea-dweller watch

In the 1960s, technological advances allowed people to dive to greater depths for longer periods of time, such as the new “saturation” diving method designed for divers working in undersea infrastructure. Saturation diving uses a special mixture of breathing gases containing large amounts of helium, allowing divers to stay at the bottom of the sea for days or even weeks without the toxic effects of the huge water pressure of the deep sea on the human body. In addition, saturation diving allows the diver to work in an environment where the pressure is equal to the pressure in water at the same working depth.

Divers live in pressurized or hyperbaric chambers on the ocean floor for days or weeks, leaving only when needed to dive. This also means they only have to undergo decompression once at the end of the dive mission. Decompression can take several days, depending on the time spent underwater and the depth of the working water.

In the hyperbaric chamber, the watch worn by the diver is gradually filled with helium, whose atoms are so small that they can penetrate the waterproof seal. During the decompression process, the remaining helium in the watch case is accompanied by the risk of forming a pressure difference with the high-pressure chamber. The drop in external pressure prevents the gas from being released from the watch case, which may damage the watch or cause the crystal to fall off the case. In 1967, Rolex patented the helium escape valve. This safety exhaust valve will automatically activate when the internal pressure is too high to remove excess gas.

In the same year, Rolex launched the Sea-Dweller diving watch, which was water-resistant to 610 meters (2,000 feet), which was increased to 1,220 meters (4,000 feet) in 1978. This watch is also equipped with a helium escape valve, making it an ideal tool for saturation divers, as well as deep-sea explorers and pioneers. In 1969, the cooperation between Rolex and the underwater habitation science project “Tektite” came naturally. Four divers participating in the project lived deep under the sea for 58 days, during which they all wore Rolex watches. The next year, Sylvia Earle led a team to participate in the “Tektite II” project, and the scientists on the team were all women. The marine biologist, a Rolex spokesperson since 1982 and a National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence since 1999, spent two weeks working in a semi-submersible habitat while wearing a Rolex watch.

In 1967, Rolex began to cooperate with the Canadian International Hydrodynamics Company (HYCO), which specialized in submarine research and development. The Rolex Sea-Dweller watch is tightly attached to the outside of the HYCO submarine and carries out various tasks together with it. After a dive that lasted about four hours at 411 meters (1,350 feet) under the sea, HYCO sent Rolex their conclusion on the performance of the Sea-Dweller watch: “In all stages of testing, the watch has always performed well.”


In all stages of testing, the watch always performed well.

International Fluid Dynamics Corporation, 1967

In 1971, Rolex reached a partnership with Comex (full name “Compagnie Maritime d’Expertises”). The French marine engineering company based in Marseille agreed to equip its divers with Rolex watches and to provide regular reports on the performance of the watches so that Rolex could further improve their reliability and functionality. In parallel with the offshore research and investigation activities, Comex also implemented tests for the development of new technologies to assist in the cooperation.

These include hyperbaric chamber testing, which recreates the deep-sea pressure environment that poses a major challenge to divers and equipment. In 1988, Comex organized the Hydra VIII expedition, in which six saturation divers dived to 534 meters (1,752 feet), setting a new world open water diving record that remains today. All divers wear Sea-Dweller watches. A few years later, in 1992, Comex launched the Hydra During the 43 days of the mission, he wore a Sea-Dweller watch throughout.

Rolex continues to challenge deep water pressure and relentlessly improves watch performance. In 2008, the brand launched the Rolex Submariner. This watch uses a patented Ringlock system case structure that can withstand pressures up to 3,900 meters (12,800 feet). The Ringlock system consists of a domed blue crystal mirror, a nitrogen alloy steel pressure ring and a titanium alloy bottom cover. The one-way rotating outer ring of the Rolex Submersible is equipped with a 60-minute scale black Cerachrom ceramic word ring, which allows divers to safely control the diving time.

This high-tech ceramic has unique properties. The scale ring made from it is very hard and not easily scratched. The color will not be changed by ultraviolet rays and will last as long as new. This watch specially developed for the deep sea is also equipped with another patented invention, the Chromalight luminous display, which makes the watch clearer and easier to read. The hands, hour markers and beads on the outer ring are all coated with innovative luminous material that emits blue light. Its luminous time is twice that of traditional phosphorescent materials, the light intensity is uniform, and it can glow continuously.

In accordance with the standards for this type of watch, all Rolex dive watches are tested to a depth of their guaranteed water resistance plus 25%. This means that in the laboratory, the Rolex men’s and rolex women’s Submersible will be placed in a high-pressure chamber jointly developed by Rolex and Comex, and will withstand a pressure equivalent to 4,875 meters under the sea (guaranteed waterproof depth is 3,900 meters). Inspired by the Rolex Deepsea Challenge, the brand launched the Rolex Deepsea Challenge experimental diving watch. On March 26, 2012, it was tied to the submarine machinery driven by the famous explorer and director James Cameron. On the arm, dive together to the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean, which was explored by Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh in 1960. This watch is guaranteed waterproof to a depth of 12,000 meters (39,370 feet), bringing together all of Rolex’s innovative technologies in waterproof performance, and successfully withstood the pressure of 15,000 meters underwater during the testing phase. At this depth, the Ringlock system’s central sealing ring bears a pressure equivalent to a weight of 20 tonnes.

1960

Wilsdorf died in Geneva.