Alfred Dunhill - Abridged Timeline

Abridged Timeline

• 1893 – Aged 21, Alfred Dunhill takes over his father’s saddlery business and converts it into Dunhill’s Motorities, providing ‘Everything for the car but the motor’.
• 1903 – Alfred Dunhill’s first dashboard clock marks their entry into the timepiece arena.
• 1905 – Alfred Dunhill patents his Windshield Pipe, designed to allow comfortable smoking while driving or cycling.
• 1907 – Having retired from running the Motorities business, Alfred Dunhill opens a pipe, cigar and tobacco store among the men’s clubs of Duke Street, St. James’s, London SW1.
• 1910 – Alfred Dunhill opens a pipe factory near the store.
• 1915 – The trademark White Spot marking is added to Alfred Dunhill’s pipes.
• 1921 – Store opens in New York; Paris store opens three years later.
• 1927 – Alfred Dunhill launches the revolutionary Unique lighter, the first to be operated using just one hand.
• 1928 – Alfred Dunhill begins distributing the Namiki pen company’s maki-e lacquered pens.
• 1936 – The iconic Facet timepiece, based on Alfred Dunhill’s car head-lamp designs, is launched.
• 1941 – Alfred Dunhill’s Duke Street store is bombed during World War II; it was extended and rebuilt in the 1950s and recently renovated.
• 1956 – The Rollagas butane lighter is launched.
• 1963 – Manufacture of Dunhill brand cigarettes starts.
• 1985 – First annual Dunhill Cup golf tournament.
• 2001 – Alfred Dunhill Links Championship supersedes Alfred Dunhill Cup.
• 2005 - Savile Row tailor Richard James, watchmaker Tom Bolt, casual-wear designer Nick Ashley and leather-smith Bill Amberg are brought on board to help revitalise the brand.
• 2007 - First 'Home' of Alfred Dunhill opens in Tokyo, Japan.
• 2008 -
  • Alfred Dunhill announces the appointment of menswear designer Kim Jones as Creative Director, a role Alfred Dunhill has not offered before.
  • Second 'Home of Alfred Dunhill opens in London, UK, in Bourdon House.
  • Third 'Home of Alfred Dunhill opens in Shanghai, China, in The Twin Villas.
• 2010 - Fourth 'Home of Alfred Dunhill' opens in Hong Kong, China, in Prince's Landmark.
• 2011 - First 'Voice' campaign launched.
• 2012 -
  • 'Trafalgar by Alfred Dunhill is presented in Shanghai, China.
  • 'For The Love' film is released.