Rolex Watches – Born In England!
Rolex pretty much epitomises the modern luxury Swiss watch brand. Throughout the world, Rolex watches are aspirational icons, signifying wealth, style and power. They are famed for being the very best quality and represent all that is distinguished and esteemed about Swiss watches around the world. Therefore, you might think it strange that the Rolex brand, the leading light of the Swiss watch industry, was actually founded and established in London. The Rolex brand was officially born in England.
The Rolex story begins in 1905. Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis were brothers-in-law. Hans had moved to London from Germany, whereas Alfred was British born. The pair decided to go into business together importing Swiss made movements (the inner workings of a watch) and encasing them in London using luxury cases designed and produced locally. They then sold these complete luxury watches onto London’s many international jewellers. The first decade of 20th Century was a good time for British commerce. The empire was still a largely in tact and functioning for Britain’s benefit and the country remained the world’s leading industrial power. There was money to be made in London and Wilsdorf and Davis set about doing this.
In 1915, the pair registered Rolex Limited as a company, having originally registered the name as an official trade mark in 1908. They had opened a permanent office in Switzerland and were planning a significant expansion in their operations. Despite the Swiss office, the company continued to be run out of England, UK, utilising the production model they had started operating with in 1905. Rolex was a solidly British brand, feted by the establishment, from the monarch down.
Rolex continued to operate out of London until 1919. The First World War had precipitated high levels of tax on both luxury imports and precious metal exports. This threatened to effect Rolex’s trade particularly harshly, as they would be taxed on the import of movements and taxed on the export of complete watches (making financial success increasingly difficult). The business was forced to relocate to Switzerland, where it was re-established in Geneva as the The Rolex Watch Company. With this move came a severance from the company’s original British roots. Rolex naturalised as Swiss and went on to achieve full domination of the luxury Swiss watch market across the globe. The British association was lost in time, although there are some people who are aware of the British heritage of the brand.
Post via Swiss Time Machine – Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Omega and other Swiss watch brand specialists. Visit us at www.swisstimemachine.co.uk
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