Watch Journey – Watch Brand Tier List – Rolex

Welcome to the 4th instalment of my watch journey. I skipped the watch brand tier list and analysis last post because it was getting quite lengthy for a weekly story. So I decided to break up the list into weekly updates along with motorcycle posts and other topics – to keep things interesting.  

The watch brand tier list starts of with Rolex. It starts here because I’m starting lowest tier. Yes, that’s right Rolex is at the bottom of the watch brands. 

Rolex watches are expensive due purely to branding. Watch enthusiasts build up the brand and the algorithm then influencers and grey market or online watch ‘professionals’ do the rest. As far as I’m concerned selling watches only makes you a self claimed title of professional in horology but merely a watch seller by occupation.  

Why Rolex is at the bottom of the watch tier list? – Rolex is the Louis Vuitton of the watch world. For those who are into conspicuous consumption or have ‘middle class’ aspirations – than this is the brand of watch for you. It’s the LV bag for the wife/girlfriend and its the Rolex watch for the man. The real wealthy don’t buy into Rolex – it’s a aspirational brand for the masses. It’s also the brand to get you ‘views’ and ‘likes’ on the internet. 

Rolex watches are very common as they make millions of them. Go to a wedding, the Rolex’s natural habitat and there are few matching the shiny table cutlery. Real or fake it doesn’t matter, the point is they are there. Are Rolex watches an investment like all the online used watch sellers repeat? I think Rolex watches do have some value but not via limited numbers or materials that is for sure. The illusion of limited supply and exclusivity or marketing is what others do for the brand. Rolex needs new sales not used watch sales, although they are trying to get that segment of the market too. As a result the influencers are now turning to other brands but still leaving one foot in the Rolex camp since they didn’t diversify quick enough. 

Rolex watches themselves are well made and work well as any other brand. However they look old, ungainly and often simply odd. Arguably because they use the same case design. No-one I know that wears one to the odd special occasion looks good wearing one, arguably not the point. That said I do like one model out of the entire range and that is the Rolex Oyster Perpetual. 

The brand story is oddly not strong enough to justify the price tag. The more I look into Rolex as a business behind the brand it is clear the founders where business men not watch enthusiasts driven by corporate factors. Like relocating to Switzerland as a legal tax dodge and even the fake Mt Everest marketing and ignoring the fact Rolex started off making and rebranding other watch manufacturers. It is also clear the Rolex didn’t invent the waterproof watch the ‘oyster’ case it simply bought the design patent and manufacturing from another company. What other ‘historical’ events where made up? I don’t like revisionist marketing departments. Rolex did invent a few new watch tech at the time and iconic designs over the years but the R&D department has been in hibernation for the last 30 years.  

Are Rolex watches worth buying? Yes for the currently strong brand and perception of it’s owner. However they are not worth the price for manufacturing quality, rarity or design. It is not an ‘investment’ in the true sense of the word.