Orphaned in childhood, story of man who battled poverty to build Rolex, preferred watch of super rich people

Any connoisseur of luxury watches will agree that Rolex is one of the most luxurious and expensive watches available in the market. The brand is a cult classic and is famous all over the world for more than a century. 

Rolex is one of the world's foremost luxury brands and is known for its excellent make and impeccable quality. Rolex was founded by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in 1905 and since then is a worldwide favourite. 

Know when and how was the brand Rolex established

Born on March 22, 1881, in Kulmbach, Germany, Hans Wilsdorf's father Daniel Ferdinand Wilsdorf was the owner of a hardware store. When Hans was twelve years old, his parents died. After that, he faced great difficulties in life, including experiencing poverty. 

But, Hans' uncles helped him and his siblings have a good education. Hans went to Switzerland after completing his studies and worked there with a pearl merchant. It was later that Hans learned watchmaking.

Hans Wilsdorf's wife's support played a huge role in his success 

Hans Wilsdorf reached London in 1903 to start a new life. He spent lakhs of rupees to buy himself an expensive property but was robbed, leading him to work in a watch company. At this time, it seemed Hans Wilsdorf's troubles are far from over. 

Hans Wilsdorf's wife played a huge hand in his success as he received British citizenship in London with help of his wife. During this time, he dreamed of making a unique wristwatch. However, Hans did not have enough capital. In London, he met Alfred Davis, a businessman who liked his idea and decided to invest in Hans's plans.

Initially, Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis launched the pocket watch. Within three years, the brand began to gain recognition across the UK. After some time, Hans decided to change the name of the brand. Hans coined the word 'Rolex' as he thought that it was easy to pronounce and could be remembered.

Rolex is recognised worldwide now 

It was in 1910 that Rolex produced its first wristwatch which it presented to the Watch Observation Bureau. The purpose of this was to test the accuracy of the clock which left everyone shocked as Rolex passed the prestigious test. After getting the Swiss Chronometer certificate, it became the first wristwatch in history.

During World War I, soldiers began using the highly convenient Rolex watches. The popularity of this brand grew wildly during the 20th century. It later introduced iconic models such as the Oyster Perpetual, Sea Dweller, Submariner, and Datejust. These tremendous collections have made Rolex one of the most sought-after watch brands in the world.