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Trade marks with an "R": Rodenstock and Roeckl

Rodenstock – pioneer in the field of optics

The Munich-based Rodenstock Group is a global eye health company and manufacturer of spectacle lenses and frames. Founded in 1877, the company employs around 4,900 staff worldwide and has sales offices and distribution partners in more than 85 countries. Rodenstock has production sites at 14 locations in 13 countries.

In 1878, Josef Rodenstock and his brother Michael founded the company “Optisches Institut G. Rodenstock” in Würzburg and established the company headquarters in Munich, in 1898, when the company expanded significantly. Rodenstock was already producing measuring instruments in addition to spectacle lenses and frames. Rodenstock spectacles were individually adapted in contrast to the products of other dealers: Thanks to this novelty, Josef Rodenstock was appointed court optician of the German Emperor.

After the First World War, Rodenstock applied for numerous groundbreaking patents in the field of optics and, in 1968, became the pioneer of spectacle lenses in Europe with the first self-tinting lenses ColorMatic. Even today, Rodenstock’s spirit of innovation is still alive: The latest inventions include the ImpressionIST service terminal, which determines all parameters for perfect spectacles, the Ergo spectacle lenses, which are specially adapted to the requirements of everyday office life, and the world innovation from 2011: the eye lens technology (EyeLT), which makes it possible to exploit 100% of one’s individual vision potential.

In 1991, Rodenstock introduced the prominent “R” as its logo and trade mark. The logo consists of a stylized uppercase letter “R”. Below the “R” is the trade mark name in uppercase letters. The trade mark “R” is lasered onto the right lens of the spectacles for the customer.

By the way: The Rodenstock trade mark does not only stand for innovative, lightweight, functional visual aids, but also for fashionable chic: For example, Ro

Roeckl - gloves for Empress Sisi

The Munich trade mark Roeckl has stood for leather goods, especially gloves, in the high-end segment since 1839. The success was based on a tanning process developed by company founder Jakob Roeckl to produce very fine leather. The very high build quality – a Roeckl glove still consists of 24 individual parts sewn by hand with over 2,000 stitches – earned Roeckl the title of “Royal Bavarian Court Purveyor”. Both King Ludwig II and the later Empress Sisi wore gloves made by him.

About 30 years after the master glove maker Jakob Roeckl opened a store and workshop in downtown Munich in 1839, his son Christian Roeckl set up a large factory building (today: Roecklplatz) on the then southern outskirts of Munich and operated sales outlets in Berlin, Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Cologne and Bremen; a few years later the company even exported its goods to America. After the Second World War, the company rebuilt its leather and glove production and branch network. In the 1960s, the foundation stone was laid for the introduction of Roeckl sports gloves with the development of the “patented cut” for gloves. In 2003, they were handed over as an independent company to Stefan Roeckl junior within the course of the succession of generations. In the same year, Annette Roeckl took over the sole management of Roeckl Handschuhe und Accessoires GmbH & Co. KG. Since then, she has managed the company in the sixth generation and further expanded, above all, the accessories lines: scarves, knitwear, bags and small leather goods.

The logo of the company consists of the family name and a stylized hand, which symbolises gloves and handicraft. The company’s products are sold in its stores in Germany and Austria as well as in leather shops, upmarket fashion shops and the accessories departments of fashion houses.

Pictures: DPMAregister, Picture 4: DPMA

Last updated: 23 January 2024