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John Chris
路As most of you know no doubt know, Mr. Hans Wilsdorf, a German-born transplant to England, and Mr. Alfred James Davis, founded the Wilsdorf & Davis Watch Co. in London in 1905. In 1908, they registered the trade name "Rolex", and in 1915, when WW1 had made German names anathema to watch-buyers of the British Empire, they changed the name of their company to The Rolex Watch Co., Ltd.
Throughout, they used movements manufactured by the firm of Aegler, S.A. of Biel (Bienne), Switzerland, which Rolex eventually acquired, and which still makes Rolex's movements, though now in-house.
The watch illustrated below has an enamel dial in a sterling silver case (the steel of its day) hallmarked 1914. It is marked inside the caseback both "W&D", for Wilsdorf & Davis, and "Rolex", being the trade name then employed. W&D then distributed throughout Great Britain, Europe and the British Empire (not to the USA), and this one was shipped to Australia where, on December 3, 1915, it was given to A. H. Lawler by his buddies in New South Wales, on his departure for the front. It hosts the 13 ligne 15 jewel (higher grade) Rebberg movement produced for Rolex by Aegler. It still keeps excellent time almost a century later.
A. H. Lawler was a 24-yr-old coal miner who probably thought this was a good way out. He was wrong. He joined the Australia Imperial Force, and took ship from Sidney to Alexandria, to Marseille -- just in time for the Somme Offensive of 1916. This ill-planned and dim-witted strategy accomplished nothing, but there were 20,000 Aussie casualties in a week at the Battle of Pozieres, including Mr. Lawler. He must have left his watch at home with his young widow, and it eventually found its way to me.
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in 1915 - a piece of topography that the Allied Imperial Command though important to capture. The French tried and failed to take it. The British tried and failed to take it. So they sent in the cannon fodder - the Canadians - and those boys took it. Thousands died, of course, and a fat lot of good it did militarily but it was a milestone in the building of the Canadian nation. So for them, for Mr. Lawler, and all who died so bravely in that appalling conflict, SALUT!
Throughout, they used movements manufactured by the firm of Aegler, S.A. of Biel (Bienne), Switzerland, which Rolex eventually acquired, and which still makes Rolex's movements, though now in-house.
The watch illustrated below has an enamel dial in a sterling silver case (the steel of its day) hallmarked 1914. It is marked inside the caseback both "W&D", for Wilsdorf & Davis, and "Rolex", being the trade name then employed. W&D then distributed throughout Great Britain, Europe and the British Empire (not to the USA), and this one was shipped to Australia where, on December 3, 1915, it was given to A. H. Lawler by his buddies in New South Wales, on his departure for the front. It hosts the 13 ligne 15 jewel (higher grade) Rebberg movement produced for Rolex by Aegler. It still keeps excellent time almost a century later.
A. H. Lawler was a 24-yr-old coal miner who probably thought this was a good way out. He was wrong. He joined the Australia Imperial Force, and took ship from Sidney to Alexandria, to Marseille -- just in time for the Somme Offensive of 1916. This ill-planned and dim-witted strategy accomplished nothing, but there were 20,000 Aussie casualties in a week at the Battle of Pozieres, including Mr. Lawler. He must have left his watch at home with his young widow, and it eventually found its way to me.
Today is the anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge in 1915 - a piece of topography that the Allied Imperial Command though important to capture. The French tried and failed to take it. The British tried and failed to take it. So they sent in the cannon fodder - the Canadians - and those boys took it. Thousands died, of course, and a fat lot of good it did militarily but it was a milestone in the building of the Canadian nation. So for them, for Mr. Lawler, and all who died so bravely in that appalling conflict, SALUT!
