News Harry Borer, the Director of Rolex for more than 30 years, was awarded the honorary citizenship of the City of Biel.
On 20 April, a ceremony organised by the City of Biel in honour of Harry Borer was held in the historic building that formerly housed «Rolex II». «What have I done to receive such compliments and such an honour? I ask myself the question. For my part, I’ve simply done my job. I’m the same as everyone». It was with these self-effacing words that Harry Borer addressed a gathering of around sixty hand-picked guests. At the helm of Rolex from 1967 to 2001, he made the firm what it is today: a standard bearer of watchmaking renowned worldwide for its high-quality timepieces.
Time for a little history! In 1878, the Biel based watchmaker Jean Aegler – great grandfather of Harry Borer – set up the private business «Jean Aegler» with his wife Marie. At the beginning of the 20th century he collaborated with Hans Wilsdorf, then a watch retailer established in London. In 1920, Hans Wilsdorf founded «Montres Rolex SA» in Geneva. Thereafter the Biel firm, meanwhile renamed «Aegler SA, Rolex Watch & Co», supplied all its movements to Geneva, which busied itself with watch exteriors, marketing and distribution.
Harry Borer was born in 1927 into a family whose grandfather, father and mother worked for Rolex. In the 1930s, Harry Borer’s father designed the first automatic movement, the forerunner of the Rolex Perpetual. In 1944, this engineer and designer took over at the head of the firm. Meanwhile, Harry Borer studied at the University of Bern where he acquired the title Dr. Rer. Pol. (Doctor of Political Science) at the Faculty of Law and Economics in Bern. He completed his education with studies in business administration and economics. In 1967, following the death of his father, Harry Borer took over the running of Rolex. His aim then was to make the manufactory a fully-integrated producer of movements, capable itself of creating all strategic components of the watch calibre.
A true son of Biel, he also invested large sums of money in foundations and institutions of benefit to the general public. In 1984, following the death of his daughter from leukaemia, he set up the Béatrice Borer Foundation, and also the Vinetum Research Fund. In 2001, he turned the operational management of the firm over to his daughter Franziska and made his son Daniel the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Finally in 2004, Rolex Biel was taken over by Rolex Geneva. Today, Rolex Biel continues to expand and next autumn will open a new building in Les Champs-de-Boujean, the very place where all of the firm’s entities were gradually reunited from 1984.
Conscious of the great merits of this devoted citizen, Biel decided to make him a freeman of the city. Humble and reserved, Harry Borer initially refused the honour but finally agreed to accept this well-deserved distinction.
For this modest man, Rolex represents a lifetime’s achievement. Alongside his work in the industry, he has always attached great importance to the wellbeing of his employees and their good working conditions. The City of Biel is also greatly in his debt for his discreet but nonetheless very generous investments in the medical, cultural and social fields.
May 14, 2012
