* All Rolex watches are guaranteed original and always pre-owned. All watches purchased from Grand Central Watch are warranted for 24 months and have been fully serviced by our expert watchmakers. *
About the Brand
Founded in 1905, Rolex has since grown to be one of the most iconic, recognizable, and luxurious watch brands in the world. Seeking to succeed independently from the jewelers he had been collaborating with in London, Hans Wilsdorf relocated to Switzerland in 1908. There, the brand's iconic name “Rolex” came to be — supposedly because Wilsdorf thought it was easy to pronounce and sounded like a watch being wound.
Obsessed with precision and accuracy, Wilsdorf worked hard to fit his timepieces with quality movements that would surpass the test of time. After gaining some popularity, Rolex relocated once again — this time to a watchmaker's town in Geneva. In 1926 they released the Oyster case, the world’s first water-resistant case, complete with an airtight, screw-down crown. In 1931 Rolex patented a self-winding mechanism called a Perpetual rotor — and the Oyster Perpetual was born. This caliber of innovation and creativity paved Rolex's trajectory to the prestigious, industry-leading brand they are today. A number of Rolex references — like the Daytona, Submariner, Datejust, and GMT Master — are among the most sought-after vintage watches of all time. To date, Rolex is the largest manufacturer of certified Swiss-made chronometers. Both their new and vintage watches — many of which increase in value as they age — are considered a mark of prestige, a good investment, and one of the best watches in the world.
