Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Hans Wilsdorf Founder Of Rolex 1946 Rolex Jubilee Magazine Ad




Hans Wilsdorf
Founder Of Rolex
1946 Rolex Jubilee Magazine Ad

The Supremacy Of The Wristlet Watch

This Rolex Magazine advertisement from 1946 offers fascinating insight into the history of the Founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf. Basically, in this ad, Rolex tells the story of how Hans Wilsdorf invested everything he had in the belief that the wrist-watch would overtake the pocket-watch. 

It is absolutely fascinating to learn how inspired Rolex Founder, Hans Wilsdorf was, by the American inventor, Thomas Edison. Thomas Edison is one of my heroes, as he was one of the most innovative businessmen and inventors in history!!! My favorite Thomas Edison quote is:

"There is a way to do it better—find it!!!" 
—Thomas Edison




I would also like to point out that the Rolex magazine ad from 1946 at the top of this story articulates and confirms perfectly a myth that has been correctly perpetuated for at least a decade. In other words, many, many people have passed along this story about how men wearing 'wristlets' was so unfashionable, and considered to be effeminate. This ad is super-profound as it spells out and thus confirms the story perfectly, word-for-word. It is also worth pointing out that Hans Wilsdorf was not only alive when this was published, but likely provided the ghost-writing behind it!









The Original 1945 Rolex Pre-Datejust
The Design Ethos Of Every Modern Rolex

It is amazing how timeless the original Rolex Date from 1945 is!!! Notice it lacks the Datejust designation on the dial and has no cyclops-lens on the crystal. This model was an absolute game-changer in every way, and I believe this watch represents the absolute design ethos of every modern Rolex. This includes the modern Datejust, Day-Date, Submariner, GMT-Master, Daytona, Explorer, Air-King–you name it, it all began with this harbinger.


...Everything Considered Classic Today Was Once Considered To Me Modern...



This was the first watch in the world to ad a date-window complication and Rolex introduced the Jubilee Bracelet in 1945 on this model. The reason it's named the Jubilee Bracelet is the 40th anniversary (in marriage parlance/nomenclature) is typically referred to as The Ruby Jubilee, just as the 25th is referred to as The Silver Anniversary and the 50 Anniversary is referred to as The Golden Anniversary. I also believe it was the first Rolex watch to feature solid end links.





Thomas Edison

Founder Of General Electric

As we saw in the 1945 Rolex advertisement at the top of this story, Rolex founder, Hans Wilsdorf was extremely inspired by Thomas Edison's amazing career achievements.

Thomas Edison is considered by many to be the greatest inventor of all-time. He invented the modern electric light bulb, the record-player, stock-ticker tape, the motion picture camera, Mechanical Vote Recorder, as well as the battery for an electric car!!! Edison was also the first person to electrify a city, which was New York.

Thomas Edison held 1,093 U.S. Patents in his name, as well as international patents in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. 


The Thomas Edison documentary goes into great detail on many of Edison's amazing lifetime achievements: