And an MI5 report from 1943 said: “Wilsdorf and his wife are majority shareholders, and he is suspected of espionage on behalf of the enemy.”
A spokesperson for Rolex told The Telegraph that the company was “well aware” of the material in the National Archives and that it had hired respected historian Dr Marc Perrenoud to investigate further.
They added: “Given the sensitivity of these allegations, we have already commissioned an independent, authoritative team of historians who are carrying out research into the exact role of Hans Wilsdorf during this period.
“This research has been entrusted to Dr Marc Perrenoud, a Swiss historian renowned for his work on contemporary history, especially regarding Switzerland during the Second World War.
“For this assignment, Dr Perrenoud has assembled a scientific committee comprising distinguished historians from the various countries concerned.
“In the interest of transparency, we will publish Dr Perrenoud’s findings once he has completed his work.”
