Hans Wilsdorf

Hans Wilsdorf ( born March 22, 1881 in Kulmbach, † July 6, 1960 in Geneva ) was a German - British entrepreneur and watchmaker. He was the founder of Rolex watches AG.

Life

Hans Wilsdorf grew up in Kulmbach. At age 12 he became a full orphans. After training, he left Germany in 1900 to work in La Chaux -de-Fonds in Switzerland in an import / export business as an employee. Three years later he went to London and was in watches import worked.

After he ordered there with success pocket watches with watch makers, had received from the Observatory in Neuchatel for this one Accuracy testimony and then exported to England, he decided in 1905 to become self-employed in London. He founded together with the housing Bauer Davis watches wholesale Wilsdorf & Davis. In 1908 he left the brand name ROLEX Enter. In 1914 Wilsdorf moved the company headquarters to Biel, which helped him to avoid high import duties during the First World War. On January 17, 1920, Hans Wilsdorf in Geneva as the sole owner and the company Montres Rolex SA entered in the Swiss Commercial Register. In 1931 Wilsdorf developed the self-winding rotor, which became a prototype for automatic watches.

His marriage to his wife remained childless. After his wife's death he transferred his business capital in the nonprofit Hans Wilsdorf Foundation ( Fondation Hans Wilsdorf ). On July 6, 1960, he died at his summer residence Escale Fleurie in Geneva.