Rolex is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Rolex is a Swiss luxury watch manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis on 15-21 July 1905 as Wilsdorf & Davis, it was renamed "Rolex" in 1908. The company specialises in watches manufactured to be sold to customers with a high income.
Rolex has been owned by the Wilsdorf family since its founding, when it was called "W&D", but after the founder's death in 1960 his wife Eva Kemeny (née Merzbacher) became Chairwoman of the Board; their son Hans Wilsdorf Jr., who had been running the company for many years already, was appointed managing director at age 29 and succeeded his mother in 1976 as Chairman of the Board; he held this position until he died on 7 January 1980 at age 66.
One of the most well-known luxury watch brands in the world, Rolex is also the largest single luxury watch brand, producing about 2,000 watches per day. The company is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation and was founded in London after its founder saw a need for quality timepieces that could withstand harsh conditions. At first, he produced Swiss movements for other companies and eventually began to produce his own watches under his own name: Rolex.
The company logo of Rolex is a crown (though you might recognize it from elsewhere).
The company is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a family private trust.
As a family private trust, the company is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. The foundation was established by Hans Wilsdorf's children in 1960 to hold and administer all of Rolex's shares.
The Rolex watch brand has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a small-time watch repair shop in London's Hatton Garden area. It has grown into one of the largest single luxury watch brands in Switzerland today, producing about 2,000 watches per day.
The most expensive Rolex to ever sell at auction had belonged to Paul Newman.
The Paul Newman Daytona, a Rolex wristwatch that was once owned by actor Paul Newman, sold at auction in 2017 for $17.8 million. The watch had been a gift from his wife Joanne Woodward and was sold by Phillips Auction House in New York City to an anonymous bidder.
The sale price is the most ever paid for a timepiece at auction and makes it one of the most expensive Rolex watches ever sold. The watch has become so famous that it’s known simply as “the Paul Newman” or “the legendary watch” among collectors who want to own one of their own but may not be able to afford its value on the open market (a second-hand example can cost up to $3 million pre-owned Rolex,
The company logo of Rolex is a crown.
The company logo of Rolex is a crown. The crown represents Rolex's reputation as the "King of Watches," and also symbolizes the company's roots in horology. In addition to its use on watches and clocks, it has been used by many watchmakers as a symbol of prestige since at least 1866.
The company is owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a family private trust.