Wilsdorf & Davis, initially a watch importer, registered 'Rolex' as a trademark in 1908. The brand was chosen after trial and error, with some believing it was taken from the phrase 'horological Excellence' or because the word sounds like a watch being wound. Wilsdorf began a campaign to get the new company name on the watches he exported, and the relationship between Rolex and Aegler started the same year. In 1910, one of Rolex's models won a First Class Chronometer Certificate from the rating office in Bienne, Switzerland, and in 1914, another piece became the first ever wristwatch to be granted a Class A Chronometer Certificate from the Kew Observatory in England.
WWII led to the rebranding of Wilsdorf & Davis as Rolex in 1915. The British government imposed a 33.3% tax on luxury goods, forcing Rolex to relocate to Bienne. Despite the war, wristwatches proved their utility, with trench watches produced using Aegler's small movements for wearability. By the end of the war, wristwatches became a utilitarian accessory for men.
During WWII, Switzerland retained its neutrality, leading to the Swiss watch industry being ahead of other nations. Rolex came of age in the 1950s by launching iconic watches like the Explorer, Submariner, GMT-Master, Day-Date, and Milgauss. The quartz crisis of the 1970s and 80s forced the company to change tactics but ultimately repositioned itself as the purveyor of the ultimate luxury lifestyle. Today, the Rolex brand is synonymous with refinement, opulence, and personal accomplishment.
