Article

Rolex is, without a doubt, a superstar brand. Perhaps the most obvious of them all. In this white paper, you will learn the many reasons why the luxury brand Rolex remains so consistently untouchable and successful in a segment characterized by cyclicality, over-staging, and interchangeability.

History: The brand has been exceptional from the very beginning

Rolex was founded in London in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, a visionary businessman who not only took the wristwatch seriously, but redefined it. While others were still relying on pocket watches, Wilsdorf believed in the future of the precise, portable timepiece. As early as 1910, a Rolex became the world's first wristwatch to receive an official chronometer certificate.

This was followed in 1926 by the "Oyster," the first waterproof wristwatch—a breakthrough in technology and confidence. In 1931, Rolex developed the Perpetual rotor, the automatic winding system that remains the industry standard to this day. And in 1953, the Submariner ushered in the era of professional tool watches – a model that has remained virtually unchanged since then, yet has been continuously refined.

Since 1945, Rolex has been owned by the non-profit Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. This allows the brand to think in terms of generations rather than quarters. This stability is also reflected in its management: Rolex has had only six CEOs in over 100 years. One of them was the founder himself.

What began as a technological vision became the strongest watch brand in the world. Not only through marketing, but through principles, precision, and control.