At the turn of the 20th century , a visionary entrepreneur based in London was on the verge of success . His aim ? To introduce the watchmaking world of the day to an as-yet-unknown dial signature : Rolex . A new name , invented in 1908 , it would become one of the world ’ s most respected brands in the space of a few decades . As Hans Wilsdorf recounted in his memoirs of the early days of his company , the opposition he faced seemed insurmountable at first .
The entrepreneur started out with very little , but he did possess invaluable qualities : vision , perseverance and an extraordinary ability to work . An orphan at the age of 12 , with nothing other than his determination to help him overcome challenges , Hans Wilsdorf went on to invent the world ’ s first waterproof self-winding wristwatch with a Perpetual rotor – a watch that has become a benchmark in terms of quality and prestige .
“ Too complicated , too fragile , ill-adapted ” – the wristwatch was met with scepticism . Yet , relying on his firmly-held beliefs , Hans Wilsdorf managed to achieve his bold objective of establishing the Rolex watch – the Oyster Perpetual – as the archetype of the waterproof timepiece : precise , robust and able to withstand all conditions . But he was not simply a visionary who endowed Rolex watches with their fundamental technical and aesthetic characteristics . His constant quest for perfection was accompanied by a profound generosity and unshakeable faith in human potential .
Uniting expertise An integrated and independent company , Rolex has manufacturing resources that encompass a wide range of skills and knowledge . Watchmakers , engineers , designers and other specialists work closely together from the design to the manufacturing of the
“ The opposition I encountered seemed insuperable .”
watches . Rolex ’ s company culture is based above all on human values , which place both expertise and soft skills at the heart of the brand ’ s different activities .
Rolex is host to a variety of professions , brought to life by employees who are experts in their fields . The company has complete control over its essential components , from the casting of gold alloys to machining , finishing and assembly of the movement , case , dial and bracelet elements , as well as gem-setting . Its know-how is also made available right across the world thanks to an exceptional after-sales service network .
To ensure the brand ’ s expertise exists into the future , Rolex has its own unique Training Centre . Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and the development of its employees , the centre , located in Geneva , provides training to employees and instructs apprentices . The company aims to pass on to younger generations its pride in its skills and mastery of its knowledge .
A watch unlike the rest The Oyster Perpetual collection was built on the success of the original Oyster model , patented by Rolex and launched in 1926 . As the world ’ s first waterproof wristwatch , it played a pioneering role in the development of the modern timepiece . Over the years , the Oyster became the proud bearer of many other innovations – such as self-winding by means of the Perpetual rotor ( 1931 ) – that defined the identity of the models in the collection and forged Rolex ’ s reputation for excellence , of which chronometric precision and reli- ability are among the cornerstones .
The Oyster gradually evolved into a collection of watches that integrated new functions and innovative technologies . All the models share fundamental features and a strong visual identity . Today the collection consists of 12 ranges , split into two categories : Classic watches such as the Datejust and the Day-Date , and Professional watches , including the Explorer and the GMT-Master II .
As the pioneer of the wristwatch , the company is at the origin of numerous major innovations in the watchmaking industry and has filed over 500 patents in the course of its history .
Hans Wilsdorf , 1945
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