In what year was Rolex founded?

Rolex was founded in 1905.

That date refers to Hans Wilsdorf’s establishment of a London company specializing in watch distribution. Wilsdorf believed wristwatches could become both elegant and precise, and he equipped them with small Swiss-made movements. The business was originally known as Wilsdorf & Davis, formed with Alfred Davis.

The name Rolex appeared later. Wilsdorf registered “Rolex” as a trademark in 1908, and the company moved its operations to Geneva in 1919. Montres Rolex S.A. was registered there in 1920. These later milestones sometimes cause quizzes to list 1908 or 1920, but the standard founding year for Rolex is 1905.

The young company soon built its reputation through technical achievements. A Rolex wristwatch received Switzerland’s first official chronometer certificate for a wristwatch in 1910, followed by a Class A precision certificate from Britain’s Kew Observatory in 1914. The Oyster waterproof watch arrived in 1926.