Why do you not prefer Rolex?

sgtpry

Thank you, if you look at it from 1 meter away, it won't look like a Rolex 😁

Optimizer13

Thanks for sharing!!!

"Leader brands tend to reemphasize their No 1. status, winner takes all etc, which will inevitably come across as an "arrogant" posture which some might find distasteful and yet others will adore...QED the "TRUMP" vibe thing."

Can you explain this a bit more? What I do feel is they don't really take you seriously if you look like you're not gonna buy a watch...but this is kinda true in many high end stores...

gatorcpa

I think Rolex makes the best watch case in the business. However, some of the company's customer relations and marketing kind of rub me the wrong way. Also, they have chosen not to support collectors of vintage Rolex watches by having cut-offs dates for factory service, without at least affording most independent watchmakers the ability to obtain genuine Rolex parts when needed.

I'd be lying if I said that I liked the attitude of some (particularly modern) Rolex owners. That's not the fault of the watch or the company that made it.
gatorcpa

kurtj29

As an engineer I really appreciate the way Rolex attempts to be a total vertical manufacturer of their watches. They attempt to do everything in house. I love that. I own an Explorer II Polar 216570 and love it. Mine says hi from the top of Haleakala this Wednesday morning. Waiting on a 6:13 sunrise. BTW - it's a tank, wore it snorkeling and playing in the surf, never worried about it.

watchknut

Why can't we all get along?

U ulackfocus

Starting a thread about hating Rolex in the Rolex Forum? 😲

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I'll relate why I no longer own any Rolexes. Let me preface this by saying I think they are one of the best inhouse values in Swiss watches along with JLC. However, NOBODY ever asked me if any of my Audemars Piguets, my Vacheron Constantin, or any other brand of watch I owned was fake. Rolex though? It's like a God dammed genetic response to say "Is that real?". Even one of my old bosses who knew I was a watch collector and knew what my income was so it was easy to figure I could afford a simple DateJust still asked that question, as if he couldn't help himself from saying it. 🤦 🙄

Riviera Paradise

EDITED. This post was a response to the original thread title "Why Do You Hate Rolex". The OP changed the thread title several hours / posts later.

I suppose the OP started the thread to discuss why some "hate" the Rolex BRAND, which could also be interpreted as "hating" not the BRAND but "hating" its more fanatical brand followers i.e the Rolex hardcore FAN-BASE.

I don´t think anyone actually "hates" the whole Rolex PRODUCT range and certainly you can´t "hate" Rolex THE COMPANY for having achieved continued success in the luxury watch / luxury segment by normal business practices and pursuit of excellence. As a business the Rolex COMPANY certainly deserves recognition and applause.

Like it or not Rolex are of course market leaders and THE reference luxury watch brand for the vast majority of people.This means that they will inevitably attract a certain consumer profile who value the luxury brand leader for its status symbol vibe / association with wealth (won´t start the "bag thing" again here @Longbow😀 but Louis Vuitton does attract a similar profile I believe). These are often insecure people who have not had access to "culture" / general education etc and who often become obnoxious after acquiring some degree of wealth...not exactly the sort of FAN-BASE most OmegaForums members would admire😀

Another factor that also comes into play is that Leader brands tend to reemphasize their No 1. status, winner takes all etc, which will inevitably come across as an "arrogant" posture which some might find distasteful and yet others will adore...QED the "TRUMP" vibe thing.

So this then leads to the following paradox...you can actually like a given Rolex PRODUCT, but you don´t want to be associated with the perceived arrogant Rolex FAN-BASE, as you consider yourself to be a more discerning, sophisticated individual.

So you start the "I hate" Rolex thing and purchase Omega / JLC as alternative watch brands in a similar price range to Rolex. If you do this (and I have been down this road), you are actually demonstrating your insecurity in terms of worrying excessively about third party opinions ref. the time piece on your wrist.

I believe I have got over the "I hate Rolex" phase and I can now safely state the following...I admire Rolex THE COMPANY and the following Rolex PRODUCTS in their current product range:
The 42mm Explorer 2 (I own and am wearing right now), the "corrected' 2016 Explorer 1 (on this year´s shopping list), the new OP 39mm and the 40mm Platinum Day-Date. I consider many of these products to be best in class in their respective segments.

I do not admire the "perceived" Rolex FAN-BASE, even though there are many Rolex fans (many in this forum, for example) who do not fall into the obnoxious Rolex FAN-BASE categorization outlined above.

I admire the Omega FAN-BASE (generally more relaxed, less competitive etc.), the Omega PRODUCTS (I own five "modern" Omegas) as well as the Omega COMPANY.

BTW the fact the OP lives somewhere (perhaps Monaco?) were Rolex is considered a "daily beater", is clearly not a representative view of the wider global market. Cheers.