Hans Wilsdorf is a master of watchmaking, a German, the visionary and pioneering founder of the Rolex and Tudor watch brands.
In 1881, the founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf, was born in Kulmbach County, Bavaria, Germany, and began as a pearl-cultured business, and later as an agent for a watch and clock factory specializing in export.
In 1905, he founded his own business, called the Wellsdorf & David Company, a company that sold watches but also developed homemade watches.
In 1908, Wilsdorf registered the ROLEX trademark in La Chaldefen, Switzerland.
In 1920, Wilsdorf established the Rolex Watch Company in Biel, Switzerland.
After the death of Wilsdorf's wife in 1944, he founded the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation. He sold all his stake in Rolex, ensuring that the company's revenue would go to charity.
In 1946, Wellsdorf established Rolex's subsidiary, The Camel Watch Company, to produce high-quality, low-cost watches.
In 1960, Wilsdorf died in Geneva.
传奇影星Paul Newman所持的劳力士，是出售最昂贵的腕表。
于2017年10月26日在美国纽约菲利普斯拍卖行以17,752,500美元（折合人民币1.18亿元）的价格卖给私人电话竞拍者。
This watch is for American actor and racing driver Paul. Newman's wife Joanna. Woodward's gift to him is considered by many watchmakers and collectors to be the most iconic watch of the 20th century.
The birth of Rolex seems to be accompanied by a moving love story:
Hans works at a jewelry store in Berlin. One day, a beautiful woman came to the shop, her name was Corinne, from Switzerland, and she wanted to buy a necklace. Unfortunately, the necklace had already been booked. It was clear that Hans had fallen in love with Corinne at first sight, so he stepped forward and persuaded the customer who had booked the necklace to give up and leave it to her. Because of this incident, Hans and Corinne met and fell in love.
Later, Corinne returned to Switzerland. Corinne's stepmother despised Hans, a poor ghost, and demanded that he marry Corinne with a hundred thousand francs.
Just as Hans was worried about the huge sum, a telegram came from his friend in England inviting him to start a watch company together. So he bought a train ticket to London with the dream of starting a business and making a fortune. Before leaving, he wanted to ask Corinne to come to see her one last time, telling her that he would marry her after he made money in his own business.
Their appointment was 4 p.m., but Hans waited until 5 p.m., and Corinne didn't show up. He had to write a letter into the mailbox and hurriedly got on the train and set off.
After two years of hard work, Hans's watch company grew, and he also saved enough 100,000 francs, so he rushed back to Switzerland to marry Corinne. Corinne's stepmother told him that her daughter was married! Hans was devastated.
A year later, Hans received news that Corinne's husband was a playboy, famous for his alcoholism, and often domestic violence against Corinne.
In 1908, Hans came to Switzerland and met Corinne at a cocktail party, which revealed the mystery of the year's non-appointment: it turned out that when Corinne arrived at 4 o'clock that day, Hans was no longer there. After going back, Corinne found that her watch was unconsciously slowed down by 1 hour!
Later, the stepmother forged a letter from Hans to Corinne, saying that he had failed to start a business, and all thoughts were discouraged, asking Corinne not to wait for him. Therefore, Corinne married a wealthy merchant introduced by her stepmother.
Soon after, Hans registered the "Rolex" brand, because the inaccurate watch hurt his love, so Hans put all his energy on the accuracy of the watch.
这或许就是爱情使得劳力士成为全世界最精准的手表。