In which city was Rolex originally founded in 1905?

Rolex was originally founded in London in 1905.

The company began as Wilsdorf & Davis, established by German watch entrepreneur Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis. Rather than manufacturing complete watches in England, the firm imported Swiss movements—particularly from Aegler—and fitted them into cases for the British market.

The name Rolex came later. Wilsdorf registered “Rolex” as a trademark in 1908, seeking a short name that was easy to pronounce and would fit neatly on a watch dial. The company moved its base from London to Geneva after World War I, partly because British import taxes made the business more difficult to operate.

That later Swiss identity often causes confusion: Rolex is headquartered in Geneva today, but its corporate predecessor was founded in London. The brand’s first major waterproof success, the Oyster, followed in 1926, helping establish Rolex as a specialist in durable wristwatches.