Rolex Watche

1. Rolex is 'NOT' a Swiss brand

This is perhaps the biggest truth bomb of all—Rolex originated in London. As Switzerland is the best watchmaking place in the world, so it makes perfect sense to claim that the best watchmaker in the world, Rolex, is from Switzerland. Also, the fact that it says 'Swiss Made' on the dial perfectly backs up the idea.

But if you look through the records, Rolex was founded by German founder Hans Wilsdorf in 1905. He moved to England in 1903 to create something of his own, and during the First World War in 1919, when Wilsdorf faced chain issues with his Swiss movements, he made the pivotal decision to relocate to Geneva, Switzerland. The brand 'Rolex' was registered in Switzerland in 1920.

2. A crisis almost DESTROYED Rolex

One of the most fundamental aspects of a Rolex watch is the mechanical movement running inside. Made of gears, springs and a collection of wheels, the mechanical movement is the beating heart of a Rolex. But it wasn't always the same. In 1969, when Seiko introduced the Astron, the first commercially available Quartz watch, it marked the end of an era for Swiss watchmaking. It was called the 'Quartz Crisis'.

Rolex was forced to create a battery-powered watch and continued producing Quartz models until 2001 when a renewed interest in mechanical timepieces brought the business back to Rolex as it was always meant to be.

3. Rolex's most CONTROVERSIAL model

Since its inception, Rolex has done many things that raised eyebrows, both in surprise and dismay. One such incident happened in 2004 when Rolex released its most controversial watch, the SACO, a version of Daytona that no one could ever expect from the Maison. Covered in a black and orange leopard print with a leopard print strap, 36 baguette-cut cognac sapphires on the bezel and diamonds playfully placed on the lugs, this watch took eye-catching to a whole new level.

The fun fact is that despite its questionable looks, this Daytona now sells for an exorbitant price and has become an incredible investment. As the saying goes, anything that deviates from the normal becomes iconic.

4. The formula behind Rolex's SUCCESS

Rolex entered the watch game nearly half a century late compared to its competitors like Omega but managed to triumph over all to achieve great success. The secret, you ask? In 1914, Rolex submitted its first wristwatch for Chronometer Accuracy Certification, utilising a small movement that was first crafted for a ladies' pendant watch. While it didn't break any records, Rolex definitely designed and created the first Chronometer-certified wristwatch.

After a few years, specifically, after the world understood the convenience of a wristwatch during World War I, Rolex started creating applications for other sectors, such as scientists, divers, explorers, and pilots. It seems the brand always knew what it had to do, and it did!

Related: 10 Unknown Rolex Facts That Need Your Attention

5. Rolex CHEATED to succeed

Well, yes, there are a lot of things for which people credit Rolex, but it's not always the case. Rolex's founder, Hans Wilsdorf, was a witty marketing man who knew how to turn his vision into reality. Take the model 'Submariner,' for instance. Almost a decade before it was born, an English brand named Brook & Son had already used the name 'Submarine' in a waterproof watch. Its only mistake was that it did not trademark it. 

Then there's the self-winding movement, the Perpetual, which Rolex proudly boasts of inventing. But in reality, the first wristwatch to feature the perpetual movement, a Harwood, came almost five years before Rolex claimed it. Wilsdorf was even asked to apologise publicly to Mr. John Harwood, the inventor of the first self-winding wristwatch, for this deed.

6. SECRET meaning of Rolex

The brand's founder wanted a name that sounded expensive but was also easy for people to pronounce in whatever language they spoke. Davies concluded that the name needed to be five letters long, and after experimenting with various combinations, he found one that looked appealing on the watch's dial. Hans Wilsdorf picked the name 'Rolex' because it sounds like the noise a watch makes when it's being wound.