CHANGE MY MIND: The Modern Rolex brand is garbage

Uniqez · Aug 8, 2019

F83
What? Ok here we go...

- Their watches are exceptional. Fit and finish. Durability. Accuracy. Not the most complicated or luxurious but excellent all around.
- The brand is instantly recognizable globally. More than any other watch by a long margin. You can decide if you like that or not but its a fact
- Re-sale value is basically as good as it gets. A Rolex (especially steel sports) is basically like cash - you can always get your money back
- They are a charitable trust - much of their profits helps underprivileged kids attend school. Not true of any other watch brand.

Ever heard of the Rolex curve? People are into Rolex when they know almost nothing about watches, then decide they don't like them when they learn more about watches, then fall in love again when they learn more deeply about watches. You come full circle. That happened with me. Maybe it will happen with you.

Also, people don't like them - if they can't afford them)

STANDY · Aug 8, 2019

D Decrin
Yeah, I crossed the line with the "garbage" title. If it didn't start with a great watch, Rolex would be nowhere near where they are now. I'm more irritated with how the watches are handled and the modern brand philosophy.

@Decrin you do know you can edit the title 😉

efauser
Bet you're regretting this post, huh? From some of the responses, I would have thought I accidentally logged on to the Rolex Forum. Of course you would have been immediately banned and the thread deleted so be glad you're on OF, where you're free to ask such questions.

Yes word of advice, don’t join Rolex Forum as “ Overpriced Seiko,s” as a Screen Name. 😗 They didn’t like that apparently..... They were quite a serious bunch years ago.....

Archer · Aug 8, 2019

KingCrouchy
"- They are a charitable trust - much of their profits helps underprivileged kids attend school. Not true of any other watch brand."

Just to make this clear, Rolex aren't the white Knights of the Watch World. They are legally a "charitable trust" but their actions don't always follow that pattern, (like most charitable trusts in Switzerland).
Rolex Invests a lot in real estate, and are one of the biggest owner of real estate in Geneva. The founding Family does also take a good chunk, in a way or another. Yes, they do charitable actions from time to time, especially in the City of Geneva, but they are a business after all.

The way Rolex does business, the words "charitable" or "trust" are not part of the vocabulary...

gbesq · Aug 8, 2019

JwRosenthal
Johns Hopkins is the largest employer and land owner in my city (a rat infested, disgusting city in which we all live in hell according to the Cheeto king with the onion loaf on his head- he’s just bitter we wouldn’t let him build a gaudy hotel here). Their contributions to medical science are second to none, their global reputation as a premier hospital is beyond reproach, they are a benefactor to dozens of charitable organizations and are tax excempt as a not-for-profit organization....not for profit my ass. Everyone who lives here knows how they hold the city ransom for their agenda, their methods of forcing eminent domain to acquire property from legal owners not willing to sell...a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

That, unfortunately, is an accurate description of most large nonprofit organizations and, although I regret having to say it, that includes organized religion.

Archer · Aug 8, 2019

Uniqez
Also, people don't like them - if they can't afford them)

I don't like them (pretty much any modern Rolex) and I can certainly afford them.

gbesq · Aug 8, 2019

Archer
I don't like them (pretty much any modern Rolex) and I can certainly afford them.

Rolex makes a good product. I simply don’t find their watches to be attractive. The cyclops on many of their models just ruins the dial for me and I find many other models to be gaudy. Omega has certainly had its fair share of ugly models over the years, but I generally find their styling to be far superior to Rolex.

EricCsN · Aug 8, 2019

Rolex AD don’t want my money. Rolex don’t want my money. My money is good money : a dollar is still a dollar , no more no less. So I have been spending on Non Rolex. Actually I have been spending on Omegas

Rochete · Aug 8, 2019

Archer
I don't like them (pretty much any modern Rolex) and I can certainly afford them.

Same. But that's what Rolex marketing has managed to do: convince the world that it is the watch you must wear to show everyone you have "made it" and, if you don't have one it must possibly only be because you can't afford it. Geniuses.

I don't dislike the sub but it isn't worth the hassle while I can have lots of other watches I really like without Rolex shenanigans. I would rather cut my arm off than being caught with a Daytona around my wrist.

Archer · Aug 8, 2019

Rochete
Same. But that's what Rolex marketing has managed to do: convince the world that it is the watch you must wear to show everyone you have "made it" and, if you don't have one it must possibly only be because you can't afford it. Geniuses.

Yes, and there is a certain segment of the collecting community that just can't believe that you don't actually want what Rolex is selling, so they pull out the old "your just jealous because you can't afford one" line...🤦

gbesq · Aug 8, 2019

When Rolex starts putting out something like this, at a reasonable price, and without a year long waitlist, then maybe I’ll be interested ...

Dan S · Aug 8, 2019

JwRosenthal
Johns Hopkins is the largest employer and land owner in my city (a rat infested, disgusting city in which we all live in hell according to the Cheeto king with the onion loaf on his head- he’s just bitter we wouldn’t let him build a gaudy hotel here). Their contributions to medical science are second to none, their global reputation as a premier hospital is beyond reproach, they are a benefactor to dozens of charitable organizations and are tax excempt as a not-for-profit organization....not for profit my ass. Everyone who lives here knows how they hold the city ransom for their agenda, their methods of forcing eminent domain to acquire property from legal owners not willing to sell...a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I thought Michael Bloomberg owned JHU. ::stirthepot::

Uniqez · Aug 8, 2019

Archer
I don't like them (pretty much any modern Rolex) and I can certainly afford them.

Good for you Al. I was actually talking about people who can't afford them, and saying that they don't like it. I don't think, I said there are no people who just don't like the product.

JwRosenthal · Aug 8, 2019

I think Lamborghini and Ferrari make some of the most hideous cars on the planet- and no, I can’t afford them nor would I want them if I could.

BlackTalon · Aug 8, 2019

JwRosenthal
Johns Hopkins is the largest employer and land owner in my city (a rat infested, disgusting city...

Hey, I know where you are 😁 I can't say DC is much better, other then the blight tended to be pushed out a bit from the center of the city. JHU has some sweet plots of real estate, but that also have a lot of space in areas that are not the best. I imagine there is some trade-off w/ Baltimore where they try and do more in the worst areas and in return get rewarded by being able to obtain land along the water, etc.

I don't really have any Rolex content to add, other that Under Armor seems very similar to Rolex. The built on an air of exclusivity initially, and positioned it as more of a high-end brand than the established players (Nike and Adidas). Now they own a ton of property, build hotels, etc. They keep their good priced at premium levels, and people tent to have a love/ hate relationship with them.

Archer · Aug 8, 2019

Uniqez
Good for you Al. I was actually talking about people who can't afford them, and saying that they don't like it. I don't think, I said there are no people who just don't like the product.

It's not good or bad for me. What Rolex does with their modern watches is mostly irrelevant to me.

I didn't indicate that you said or didn't say anything specific. I only related my own feelings as a data point.

One question though - when people say they don't like Rolex, how do you actually know they can't afford them? Are they telling you this directly?

KingCrouchy · Aug 8, 2019

Archer
The way Rolex does business, the words "charitable" or "trust" are not part of the vocabulary...

I totally agree, one of the many reasons I don't own any Rolex, and don't intend to. I was just quoting the naive statement made before me.👍

BlackTalon · Aug 8, 2019

The most successful companies tend to be the ones that market the best, not the ones that make the best product. But surely there are enough 60-year-old Rolexes floating around to illustrate that they do, in fact, make a good product. One's decision to pay current prices are an individual choice. $10,000 - $20,000 is a lot for a watch to many of us, but I'll be at that high end just to have my driveway repaved or a patio installed, and I would get more enjoyment out of a watch (and probably better resale value).

JwRosenthal · Aug 8, 2019

The most expensive watch I have ever purchased was my Navitimer at $2.2k ( my GMT was less than that back when they were stil affordable on the used market). That’s a huge amount of money for me and took time to save it (I don’t buy on credit unless I can pay it off same month). The reality of spending $10k on a watch is foreign to me, but I can think of many I would want to own-other than a Rolex for that kind of money.

F83 · Aug 8, 2019

KingCrouchy
"
Rolex Invests a lot in real estate, and are one of the biggest owner of real estate in Geneva. The founding Family does also take a good chunk, in a way or another. Yes, they do charitable actions from time to time, especially in the City of Geneva, but they are a business after all.

Well I use the language "much of the profits" because I am aware that charitable trusts do play games. They can play games in terms of the salaries they give to different executives - and Rolex in particular is well know for re-investing much of their cash back into the brand both in terms of advertising - as well as such things as having an in-house foundry (something that would never make sense for a normal company).

However - the fact remains they are a trust and they do give out charitable money. That has Swatch group beat.

Archer · Aug 8, 2019

F83
However - the fact remains they are a trust and they do give out charitable money. That has Swatch group beat.

Omega (and many other watch brands) give to charities, sponsor events, etc. so Rolex is not alone in that regard.

If you take the time to look at Swatch Group's annual reports, you will see their charitable efforts outlined.