What makes a Rolex a Rolex?

[DJ2020]

Originally Posted by train-time

It also seemed to me to ring familiar to Patek's marketing of exclusivity, but when you really think about it, come on.... a million pieces a year vs. 60,000... really. Patek is the definition of exclusivity. I don't recall ever seeing one on anyone out in the wild... ever, and nobody that I personally know has one, but with a million Rolexes hitting the market every year, everybody and their uncle has one.

Rolex is really pushing the image to be on the same plane as Patek. Rolex is way too common and are everywhere, it's that not exclusive. I'm amazed at the continual stream of posts from people that feel so fortunate to have "gotten the call" from their AD to be the chosen one, what for one of a million watches produced during the year and to be awarded the opportunity to fork out outrageous amounts of money and feel privileged to get the chance to do so. I lost the excitement not too long after the AD's started playing the all the availability games.

It's a nice Ad in the WSJ and I hope for them that they can continue to string it along, but with a million pieces a year, it's got to end at some time. Perception is everything!

Ah, the truth has finally been written!

[seabreeze60]

Originally Posted by train-time

It also seemed to me to ring familiar to Patek's marketing of exclusivity, but when you really think about it, come on.... a million pieces a year vs. 60,000... really. Patek is the definition of exclusivity. I don't recall ever seeing one on anyone out in the wild... ever, and nobody that I personally know has one, but with a million Rolexes hitting the market every year, everybody and their uncle has one.

Rolex is really pushing the image to be on the same plane as Patek. Rolex is way too common and are everywhere, it's that not exclusive. I'm amazed at the continual stream of posts from people that feel so fortunate to have "gotten the call" from their AD to be the chosen one, what for one of a million watches produced during the year and to be awarded the opportunity to fork out outrageous amounts of money and feel privileged to get the chance to do so. I lost the excitement not too long after the AD's started playing the all the availability games.

It's a nice Ad in the WSJ and I hope for them that they can continue to string it along, but with a million pieces a year, it's got to end at some time. Perception is everything!

Thanks for the post!

My guess is that the global demand for Rolex is probably 20-40 times the size of Patek. Therefore the pricing

Patek is a great watch but no better than a Rolex, technically

[DJ2020]

I wonder how many Patek owners post that they have five years to send it in for warranty repair WHEN it starts to run slow. Certainly not making it anywhere near the 10 year service interval for many of the 3200 series. Technological advances are where Grand Seiko and Omega lives. Rolex lagging behind in this in my opinion.

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by Jack T

That’s only part of it.



There’s also the arrogance of thinking they know what people think; or that they can determine what people think.



Not the same company as when I got in to this hobby almost 20 years ago, not the same watches, either.

Yes... hopefully this will turn them around and save the downward financial spiral they're in.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by train-time

It also seemed to me to ring familiar to Patek's marketing of exclusivity, but when you really think about it, come on.... a million pieces a year vs. 60,000... really. Patek is the definition of exclusivity. I don't recall ever seeing one on anyone out in the wild... ever, and nobody that I personally know has one, but with a million Rolexes hitting the market every year, everybody and their uncle has one.

Rolex is really pushing the image to be on the same plane as Patek. Rolex is way too common and are everywhere, it's that not exclusive. I'm amazed at the continual stream of posts from people that feel so fortunate to have "gotten the call" from their AD to be the chosen one, what for one of a million watches produced during the year and to be awarded the opportunity to fork out outrageous amounts of money and feel privileged to get the chance to do so. I lost the excitement not too long after the AD's started playing the all the availability games.

It's a nice Ad in the WSJ and I hope for them that they can continue to string it along, but with a million pieces a year, it's got to end at some time. Perception is everything!

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think it's a subtle opposite of Patek. Patek's marketing is all about the watch. The watch is what endures, and each successive owner is merely its guardian. Rolex is all about the owner (and their ego): the watch becomes an extension of them. And if something as impressive as a Rolex can become an extension of them, then they, too, must be super impressive.

[wuyeah]

Originally Posted by Jack T

That’s only part of it.

There’s also the arrogance of thinking they know what people think; or that they can determine what people think.

Not the same company as when I got in to this hobby almost 20 years ago, not the same watches, either.

Yeah. But not gonna care what they think. They never care about what we think or what we want is the proof lol. it is just the Rolex way.

[RichardBartlett]

Originally Posted by INC

Rolex is not about watches, but a lifestyle and a feeling.

Those who have it know this because they feel it. Those who don't have it, want to solve the "secret" all the time. But there's nothing to guess about. It's really simple, buy one, even a used one, wear it and enjoy life!

I seriously hoping this is satire

BUT

Biggest load of tosh I've ever read here. A marketing mans wet dream

If anyone needs a small lump of metal to validate their world I kinda pity them tbf.dummy:

[INC]

Originally Posted by train-time

but with a million Rolexes hitting the market every year, everybody and their uncle has one.

Just a note: As far as I know, the one million watches produced doesn't just mean Rolexes, but mostly Tudors. In addition, only a fraction of this number is produced from the rarer Rolex versions. So in my opininon it may be really true, that for example, a Platona is indeed more difficult to get than an "ordinary" Patek.

[INC]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

If anyone needs a small lump of metal to validate their world I kinda pity them tbf.dummy:

You might even be right in that. However I think it's still better to own "some metal" to make me feel all right than to spend my time here on TRF trying to find the philosopher's stone

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by INC

Just a note: As far as I know, the one million watches produced doesn't just mean Rolexes, but mostly Tudors. In addition, only a fraction of this number is produced from the rarer Rolex versions. So in my opininon it may be really true, that for example, a Platona is indeed more difficult to get than an "ordinary" Patek.

It's by far mostly Rolexes. The (secret) production figure (commonly quoted at around 800,000 for several years now) is gathered from the amount of Chronometer certificates issued to Rolex by COSC, which until recent years didn't issue any certificates to Tudor watches.

[Agamemnon]

It has all the credentials to affirm it.

[INC]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

The (secret) production figure (commonly quoted at around 800,000 for several years now) is gathered from the amount of Chronometer certificates issued to Rolex by COSC, which until recent years didn't issue any certificates to Tudor watches.

I didn't knew about this, thank you for the information.

While I can accept this information, I still think, that there must be a "trick", because to manufacture only ~200.000 Tudors/year seems to me as an extraimly low production number. So based on your information I think, that Rolex asks for the COSC certificate for their Tudor movements too, even if they will NOT include these certificate to the Tudor watches. This way they can easily hide the real production number of Rolexes.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by INC

I didn't knew about this, thank you for the information.

While I can accept this information, I still think, that there must be a "trick", because to manufacture only ~200.000 Tudors/year seems to me as an extraimly low production number. So based on your information I think, that Rolex asks for the COSC certificate for their Tudor movements too, even if they will NOT include these certificate to the Tudor watches. This way they can easily hide the real production number of Rolexes.

Rolex is vastly more popular than Tudor, so it makes sense that there are many times more Rolex produced than Tudor every year. There's really not much doubt that Rolex makes and sells somewhere close to a million watches each year. There are close to 2,000 ADs in the world, so that's less than 2 watches per day, per AD.

[justdate]

I think the hashtag at the end is totally incongruous with the rest of the ad and really cheapens it!

But overall I love their ads, even though they do tend to be a touch pretentious and are best taken with a pinch or salt, but that’s all part of the fun.

[amh]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

I seriously hoping this is satire
BUT
Biggest load of tosh I've ever read here. A marketing mans wet dream

If anyone needs a small lump of metal to validate their world I kinda pity them tbf.dummy:

Don't think it was meant that way.

Rolex is owned by all kinds of people - those who must scrape up enough to afford just one but also billionaires who could afford anything. What drives them both? It's ultimately an emotional purchase. We think we have something nice, durable, trustworthy. Much of it is a feeling.

[INC]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

There's really not much doubt that Rolex makes and sells somewhere close to a million watches each year. There are close to 2,000 ADs in the world, so that's less than 2 watches per day, per AD.

I think you are right. However, I still find the numbers strange.

On the one hand, it seems to me that being a Rolex AD is the best business in the world. On the other hand, I see a huge business risk if an AD is not able to sell the expensive models because they does not get them. This follows that even if an AD could sell dozens of watches a day, it would still not make as much profit as someone who can sell the really expensive, rare versions. And when there are no watches for sale, it is extremely difficult to maintain an AD.

"It's a strange game professor Falken"

[PenDelicate]

Originally Posted by RichardBartlett

I seriously hoping this is satire

BUT

Biggest load of tosh I've ever read here. A marketing mans wet dream

If anyone needs a small lump of metal to validate their world I kinda pity them tbf.dummy:

My "small lump of metal" makes me feel good every time I glance at it.

If another brand produced a "small lump of metal" that made me feel better, I'd give them my money instead.

No other brand does.

[seabreeze60]

Originally Posted by amh

Don't think it was meant that way.

Rolex is owned by all kinds of people - those who must scrape up enough to afford just one but also billionaires who could afford anything. What drives them both? It's ultimately an emotional purchase. We think we have something nice, durable, trustworthy. Much of it is a feeling.

When I purchased my last Rolex from an AD, the lady before me purchased her 28mm DJ by maxing out 4 credit cards and finally had the last $80 in her purse. I was impressed by her devotion to secure her dream watch.

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by seabreeze60

When I purchased my last Rolex from an AD, the lady before me purchased her 28mm DJ by maxing out 4 credit cards and finally had the last $80 in her purse. I was impressed by her devotion to secure her dream watch.

She should maybe have watched this new Teddy Baldassarre video, which I found quite interesting and frank for a YT watch channel:

"The Dark Side Of Watch Collecting No One Talks About"

https://youtu.be/iShk5rzPu3g

[asiparks]

Originally Posted by seabreeze60

When I purchased my last Rolex from an AD, the lady before me purchased her 28mm DJ by maxing out 4 credit cards and finally had the last $80 in her purse. I was impressed by her devotion to secure her dream watch.

I'd be aghast at her horrible financial and life decisions

[seabreeze60]

Originally Posted by asiparks

I'd be aghast at her horrible financial and life decisions

True. But who am I to judge? If you’re going to burn all your cash anyway, why not Rolex?

[JSCP]

The success of Rolex is quality of design. Classic, timeless. A crown. We love the look, the weight the overall feel.

[INC]

It's always a good thing to wear a crown