The Official Registration of the Trademark “Rolex”

The trademark “Rolex” was officially registered on July 2, 1908, marking a foundational moment in the history of luxury timepieces. This event represented the formal legal recognition of a brand that would become synonymous with precision, innovation, and prestige in the global horological industry. The registration was filed by Hans Wilsdorf, a German-born entrepreneur, who co-founded the company with Alfred Davis in London in 1905 under the name "Wilsdorf & Davis." The name “Rolex” was later created to be short, easy to pronounce in multiple languages, and visually balanced on a watch dial. The 1908 registration enabled Wilsdorf to protect the brand name legally, giving it exclusivity in an increasingly competitive market. At a time when many watchmakers were producing components separately and assembling them under various brand names, Wilsdorf’s vision was to establish a unified brand that guaranteed quality and innovation. The trademark's official recognition not only provided legal security but also signaled the company's transition toward becoming a vertically integrated manufacturer. Following the registration, Rolex pursued significant advancements in watchmaking. It became the first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision from the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne in 1910. In 1915, due to wartime taxation in the United Kingdom, Wilsdorf relocated the company’s headquarters to Geneva, Switzerland—today’s global center for luxury watchmaking—and officially changed the company name to Rolex SA in 1920. The trademark’s registration catalyzed Rolex's emergence as an industry leader, laying the groundwork for numerous innovations including the waterproof Oyster case in 1926 and the self-winding Perpetual rotor in 1931. These developments not only defined the brand's technological contributions but also reshaped consumer expectations of wristwatches in the 20th century.