Rolex Is Owned by a Charity

Rolex sells an estimated ten billion Swiss francs' worth of watches a year, and none of the profit goes to an investor. Since 1960 the company has belonged to the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a charity in Geneva set up by Rolex's childless founder. This is how that one decision explains the waiting list, the empty display cases, the Bucherer deal, and the hundreds of millions of francs the foundation now gives away every year. The Business of Watches is our series on the money and power behind the brands. CHAPTERS 0:00 Nobody to pay 0:37 The orphan 1:37 Water and a swimmer 2:34 The will 3:35 Nobody to answer to 4:37 The waiting list 5:54 Where the money goes 7:27 A state within a state 8:34 Why you wait SOURCES Fondation Hans Wilsdorf, la fondation https://www.hanswilsdorf.ch/la-fondation SRF (16 Sep 2025): Mächtige Stiftung in Genf, hierhin fliessen die Rolex-Millionen https://www.srf.ch/news/wirtschaft/ma... Bilanz (11 Oct 2023): So sieht die Stiftung hinter Rolex aus https://www.bilanz.ch/watches/so-sieh... NZZ (4 Sep 2023): Where does Rolex's money go? https://www.nzz.ch/english/rolex-earn... Le Temps / Geneva Solutions (27 Jan 2026): Hans Wilsdorf Foundation funnels millions into Geneva university research https://genevasolutions.news/science-... Coronet (2 Sep 2025), reporting a Blick interview with Marc Maugué https://www.coronet.org/new-1minute-r... Tribune de Genève (2 Feb 2018): Wilsdorf, plus qu'un mécène, une vraie machine à cash https://www.tdg.ch/geneve/actu-genevo... Blick (15 Jun 2014): interview with Rolex president Bertrand Gros https://www.blick.ch/wirtschaft/chef-... Morgan Stanley / LuxeConsult estimates of Rolex sales, via Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolex WatchTime (Aug 2023): Rolex acquires Bucherer https://www.watchtime.com/wristwatch-... Swissinfo (2022): Rolex plans new factory and 2,000 jobs in Switzerland https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business... Hans Wilsdorf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Wi... ; Hans Wilsdorf Foundation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Wi... ; Mercedes Gleitze https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede... FOOTAGE AND PHOTOS Rolex sales and profit figures are outside estimates; Rolex publishes none. Modern Rolex models shown are examples and are not tied to any specific story in the film. Photos (via Wikimedia Commons): Window reflections, Rolex headquarters, Geneva-01, MHM55, CC BY-SA 4.0; Kulmbach Luftbild-20240907-RM-160517, Reinhold Möller Ermell, CC BY-SA 4.0; Hans Wilsdorf, unknown author, Public domain; Rolex Oyster del 1926, il primo orologio impermeabile della storia, Clyde94, CC BY-SA 4.0; Entrainement de Miss Gleitze (CNews) - btv1b53201204n, Agence Rol. Agence photographique (commanditaire) Central News (Agence photograp, Public domain; Kanaalzwemmen, SFA022004956, unknown author, Public domain; Entrainement de Miss Gleitze (CNews) - btv1b532012053, Agence Rol. Agence photographique (commanditaire) Central News (Agence photograp, Public domain; Hans Wilsdorf, fondatore di Rolex e Tudor, Clyde94, CC BY-SA 4.0; Tombe de la famille Wilsdorf, cimetière des Rois, Genève, Yann Forget, CC BY-SA 4.0; Window reflections, Rolex headquarters, Geneva-05, MHM55, CC BY-SA 4.0; IWC Mark XV, サフィル, CC BY-SA 4.0; Rolex Bienne 03, Oblic, CC BY-SA 2.5; Rolex Bienne 01, Oblic, CC BY-SA 2.5; Bulle-Centre, Roland Zumbuehl, CC BY-SA 3.0; Pont-Hans-Wilsdorf-4, Alexey M., CC BY-SA 4.0; Pont Hans-Wilsdorf 1, Hoff1980, CC BY-SA 3.0; Université de Genève - Uni Mail @ Genève (50686735427), Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0; Stade-de-Genève-aerial, Alexey M., CC BY-SA 4.0; Stade de Genève-nuit-1, MHM55, CC BY-SA 4.0; Rolex Submariner Professional, Dr.K., CC BY-SA 3.0 Stock video via Pexels (Pexels licence). MUSIC Event Horizon - The Grey Room / Density & Time; From Here on In - Everet Almond; Laniakea - The Grey Room / Density & Time (YouTube Audio Library) Hour & Hammer is not affiliated with any watch brand or auction house. #watches #rolex #luxurywatches