Rolex

A forum member sent me a picture of some Rolex-related buildings (Figure 1) and asked if I had any information about the picture; I really did not have any knowledge of the picture but with a little digging it happens the picture was used in a 1938-1939 Rolex advertisement (Figure 2) that for whatever reason graced the back-cover of the May 1997 Horological Journal...the index page (Figure 3) of the Horological Journal reads...

Back Cover: An interesting ROLEX advertisement published in the 1938 edition of La Classification Horlogere compiled by A F Jobin. The heading gives the impression that the ROLEX WATCH COMPANY was established in 1878 — some three years before the founder, Hans Wilsdorf, was born. The illustrations show the AEGLER factory at various times. The last, dated 1926, also shows the ROLEX name. The two companies appear to have merged by 1915 (see figure 8 page 161).

The "figure 8 page 161" refers to a five-page article by Dennis Harris called: "Early Rolex Trademarks" which is a wonderful surprise as I have never seen the article; two pages from the article are enclosed (Figures 4-5). Mr. Harris' article and research may be of interest to fans of Rolex history.

Figure 1 (submitted by Mr. X)

Figure 2 (back-cover of the Horological Journal May 1997)

Figure 3 (index page of the Horological Journal May 1997)

Figure 4 and Figure 5 (Horological Journal May 1997, page 160 and page 163)

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