A piece of human history of adventure, on your wrist.
1905 | LONDON, UK | Hans Wilsdorf

Like the crown mark engraved on its dial, Rolex is known as the king of the watchmaking world. Its predecessor was Wilsdorf & Davis, a watch sales company founded in London by 24-year-old German Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Davis.

In the early 20th century, wristwatches were considered less accurate and less practical than pocket watches. Wilsdorf believed that he could gain market recognition by improving the accuracy of wristwatches to the same level as pocket watches, and he dedicated himself to their development and quality control. At the same time, in 1908, he devised the brand name ROLEX, which was memorable and aesthetically pleasing, and began to use it for his wristwatches.

In 1910, their efforts bore fruit, and they became the first wristwatch to receive an official chronometer certificate from the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute. In 1914, their high accuracy was recognized in Britain, and they received the "Class A certificate," which had previously only been awarded to chronometers for navigation. As a result, the name ROLEX became known throughout Europe, and in 1915, the company changed its name to ROLEX Watch Company. Soon after, they moved their headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland, the center of the watch industry.

Then, in 1926, they released the Oyster, the world's first waterproof wristwatch with a completely sealed case. Furthermore, in 1931, they introduced the Perpetual movement, the world's first automatic winding movement, and in 1945, the Datejust, continuing their unparalleled development.

While developing those groundbreaking watches, Rolex has also developed and supplied watches for adventurers, racers, divers, and others who challenge harsh environments, and has refined their performance by incorporating their feedback.

The photo shows the Submariner, the world's first watch to achieve 100m water resistance. With its rotating bezel that allows you to tell the time spent diving, its highly visible black dial design, and luminous indexes that allow you to check the time even in the deep sea where no light reaches, it became a model that served as a benchmark for many diver's watches released afterward.

But that's not all. From the Oyster that kept running even while swimming across the English Channel for over 10 hours, to the Explorer that commemorates the achievements of mountaineers who conquered Mount Everest, to the Sea-Dweller that can withstand the pressure of the deep sea, to the GMT-Master for pilots, and the Cosmograph for endurance racers, Rolex has always been there for adventurers. And it has continued to evolve its precision and functionality.

Wearing a Rolex watch is tantamount to wearing the history of human adventure. That's how great a brand Rolex is.