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Rolex

Rolex is a brand that is synonymous with luxury. Established in London 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf when he was just 24 years of age, the company initially specialised in the distribution of timepieces. At that time, wristwatches were rare, and certainly did not keep good time. His intention was to therefore develop this technology and create a watch which was not only stylish, but also reliable.

By 1910, Rolex was already officially recognised as being the first wristwatch to receive the Swiss Certificate of Chronometric Precision. Fast forward 115 years later, Rolex is the most recognised watchmaker in the world. From the invention of the “Oyster” - the first waterproof watch in 1926, to the world’s first self-winding watch and developing the first Datejust (whereby the date and the time were displayed).

In 1945, Rolex continued to make waves in technological inventiveness. The 1950s saw the development of pioneering watches such as The Explorer and The Submariner, watches that continue soar in popularity and feature regularly in our auctions.

Did you know...

Fellows has sold many Rolex watches over the years which have soared above their auction estimates.

In 2020, Fellows sold a Rolex Military Submariner for £174,800, breaking the record for the highest price achieved for a watch in the 145-year history of the company.