If you’ve ever wondered who the very first person to wear a Rolex watch was, you’re not alone. It’s one of those fascinating questions that seems like it should have a clear answer — but in truth, it doesn’t. The story of Rolex’s beginnings is layered, nuanced, and tied to a period of rapid change in the watchmaking world. To uncover the origins of the first Rolex wearer, we need to explore how the brand itself came to be.
The Early Days of Rolex
The Rolex story began in 1905, when Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis founded a company in London called Wilsdorf & Davis. Their goal was to import high-quality Swiss movements and fit them into reliable watch cases, which they then sold to jewellers. These jewellers would often put their own names on the dials, meaning that even the earliest Rolex-made watches weren’t always branded as such.
In 1908, Wilsdorf registered the name Rolex. It was short, easy to pronounce in multiple languages, and distinctive enough to fit neatly on a watch face — a clever piece of marketing foresight. At this time, Rolex was still finding its identity, focusing on precision and reliability rather than luxury or prestige.
It wasn’t until later that Rolex began engraving its own name on the dial and crafting watches entirely under its own brand. This means that pinpointing “the first person to wear a Rolex” depends on how one defines a Rolex watch — by its maker, its branding, or its technical design.
Possible Early Wearers
Because of the lack of formal records, we don’t know who first wore a Rolex in the literal sense. The earliest wearers would have been private customers who bought watches from jewellers supplied by Wilsdorf & Davis. These watches were, in essence, Rolex timepieces — but without the name that would later become world-famous.
When it comes to the first publicly known Rolex wearer, however, there’s a strong contender.
Mercedes Gleitze: The First Famous Rolex Wearer
In 1927, a young British swimmer named Mercedes Gleitze attempted to swim the English Channel. She wore a Rolex Oyster around her neck — the world’s first waterproof wristwatch. The watch survived the entire swim, remaining in perfect working order. Rolex seized upon this achievement, using it in advertisements to prove the reliability of their new Oyster case.
This event made Gleitze the first documented public wearer of a Rolex watch. She wasn’t necessarily the first person ever to own one, but she was the first to be publicly associated with the brand. Her Channel swim marked the moment when Rolex truly began to build its reputation for durability and performance.
Why There’s No Definite “First”
There are a few reasons why no one can name a single “first Rolex wearer” with absolute certainty:
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Incomplete records: In the early 1900s, sales documentation was limited and rarely recorded who bought what.
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Brand evolution: Many early watches made by Wilsdorf & Davis didn’t bear the Rolex name.
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Private ownership: Before Rolex became a household name, its watches were worn by individuals whose stories never made it into public record.
As a result, the true identity of the first Rolex wearer is lost to time — though it’s likely to have been a discerning customer in London who valued precision above all else.
The Legacy of the Unknown Wearer
In many ways, the mystery enhances Rolex’s legend. The brand’s success wasn’t built on one famous individual but on countless people who trusted its craftsmanship before the rest of the world caught on. Mercedes Gleitze’s 1927 swim is often seen as the symbolic beginning of the Rolex myth — but behind her, there were likely dozens of unknown wearers who paved the way.
The first Rolex wearer may remain unnamed, but that anonymity is fitting. It reflects the quiet confidence and understated excellence that the brand would come to embody. Rolex’s story has never been about one person — it’s about the enduring pursuit of precision, innovation, and timeless style.