Who owns the Rolex company since 1960?

Since 1960, the Rolex company has been owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation.

Hans Wilsdorf created the foundation in 1945, following the death of his wife, May. He used it to support charitable and cultural causes in Geneva and to preserve his control over Rolex's future.

When Wilsdorf died on 6 July 1960, his will transferred his Rolex shares to the foundation. As a result, Rolex did not pass to a conventional public corporation, a competing luxury group, or the Wilsdorf family as private heirs. The foundation became the company's sole owner.

This structure helps explain why Rolex is unusually private compared with publicly traded rivals such as Richemont and Swatch Group. Rolex is still a commercial watchmaker, but its ownership is tied to a Swiss foundation whose activities include social assistance, scholarships, culture, and other charitable work.