Rolex SA is a Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as
Wilsdorf and Davis by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered
Rolex as the brand name of its watches in 1908 and became
Rolex Watch Co. Ltd. in 1915. After World War I, the company moved its base of operations to Geneva because of the unfavorable economy in the United Kingdom. In 1920, Hans Wilsdorf registered
Montres Rolex SA in Geneva as the new company name ; it later became
Rolex SA. Since 1960, the company has been owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private family trust.