Rolex

Hans Wilsdorf founded a company in London in 1905 specializing in the distribution of timepieces, equipped with small, precise movements manufactured by a Swiss watchmaking company in Bienne. In 1908, he registered the Rolex trademark. In 1910, a Rolex watch became the first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision. In 1914, Kew Observatory awarded a Rolex wristwatch a class 'A' precision certificate, previously reserved for marine chronometers. Rolex moved to Geneva in 1919, and Montres Rolex S.A. was registered in 1920. In 1926, Rolex created the Oyster, the first waterproof and dustproof wristwatch. In 1927, Mercedes Gleitze wore an Oyster while swimming the English Channel. In 1931, Rolex invented and patented the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism. The Datejust, the first self-winding wrist chronometer with a date window, launched in 1945. Wilsdorf established the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation in 1945. When he died in 1960, the foundation assumed full ownership.