Rolex "Old Man's Watch"

[johnnydeepsea]

I never looked at Breitling watches before and I just spent a half hour looking at them and I do not understand what people see in them. They seem really big and busy also they seem to have a bit to much bling to them. Maybe this is the reason that they are popular with my 30 something generation. I would rather buy a nice Tag Heuer watch then any of the Breitling watches I looked at. I think that with the Rolex watches they just seem to be built with one block of steel and tank like. I see a lot of people complain about the DSSD but it seems like all of the Breitlings are bigger then the DSSD.

[GradyPhilpott]

Some of us get old before we can afford one.

There really is a Rolex for everyone, but Rolex is not for everyone, apparently, especially those who insist on wearing what their friends wear, instead of making decisions for themselves.

[Justjosh]

There really is a Rolex for everyone, but Rolex is not for everyone, apparently, especially those who insist on wearing what their friends wear, instead of making decisions for themselves.

So true.

[Intruder99]

Originally Posted by RRY

When a girlfriend of mine first saw my Expy she played with it admiringly and then said "there's something very senior citizen about the magnifying glass."

da mag is 4 old geezas.... chill bros....

[ingoodtime]

I love my breitling super ocean steelfish x plus which I think is about 42 mm. Nice watch. The breitling for bentley does nothing for me as doe much of the current breitling line. I am in my fifties and until a couple years ago, wore 46 mm and larger watched. But, my Rolex is much more comfortable.

[MrNemo]

I think Rolexes (for the most part) follow the trend of great fashion, which is offering classic styling that goes with anything and will still be in style in another 100 years...

I do not feel the same about Patek, which I honestly feel is the ultimate old man's watch.

Same with Sohne and probably JLC. Of course, I am 30 (and probably will regret saying those things), but I would rather have a Rolex than a B&R, Tag, etc., and I still haven't acquired the Panerai bug.

I think a vintage Sub is one of the best looking watches on earth for any age group.

As far as "young people" watches, well, I will say I am about to lose a lot of money after discovering Anonimo...

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by MrNemo

I think Rolexes (for the most part) follow the trend of great fashion, which is offering classic styling that goes with anything and will still be in style in another 100 years...

I do not feel the same about Patek, which I honestly feel is the ultimate old man's watch.

Same with Sohne and probably JLC. Of course, I am 30 (and probably will regret saying those things), but I would rather have a Rolex than a B&R, Tag, etc., and I still haven't acquired the Panerai bug.

I think a vintage Sub is one of the best looking watches on earth for any age group.

As far as "young people" watches, well, I will say I am about to lose a lot of money after discovering Anonimo...

Anonimo have some really nice looking watches. How are they in terms of quality?

[htc8p]

it does look "old and dainty" sometimes. when i get that feeling i switch to panerai.
but in terms of beauty and quality, rolex is still my favorite.

breitling, some iwc, omega are trendy and look young.

[Zed Homme]

I don't see them as old men's watches, but I think that old men are more likely to wear them than other types of watches. It must be experience that young guys haven't gotten yet. Seriously, when is the last time you've seen a 65 year old wearing a Panerai?

[mtrunner]

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

I don't see them as old men's watches, but I think that old men are more likely to wear them than other types of watches. It must be experience that young guys haven't gotten yet. Seriously, when is the last time you've seen a 65 year old wearing a Panerai?

Isn't Sylvester Stallone 65?

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by mtrunner

Isn't Sylvester Stallone 65?

Yes, but with all that hgh, he has the body of a 30 year old...

You're right, but i think he's one of few (I know arnold and b Clinton) are panerai owners as well, but you know what im getting at....

[Michael M.]

Welcome and cool DSSD.

[mountainrivera]

What do you mean old??? Wait, I will be 50 in June. Shit! I am old!!!!

[mpkRolex]

IMO the gold DJ/DD with champaign dial are the only watches that some would call "old mans" watch. All others are definitely not so .

[GradyPhilpott]

Let's just say that many Rolex watches appeal more to mature tastes.

I really can't see any watch in the professional series having anything to do with age.

But the fact is I am an old man, so I don't give a hoot about whether Rolex is perceived as an old man's watch or not.

In my lifetime, I've seen men and women of all ages wearing Rolex watches.

I have noticed that some young people today are drawn to Breitling, but then again, I've seen some Breitling watches on some pretty old codgers, especially pilots.

[Warnsboy]

Originally Posted by JimSnyder

I'm half way to 100

+4 yrs!!! and I'm not old

[Warnsboy]

Originally Posted by RRY

When a girlfriend of mine first saw my Expy she played with it admiringly and then said "there's something very senior citizen about the magnifying glass."

Must have been a great date!!

[oneillba]

I have admired my watch since I was a kid and saw Rolex ads in the National Geographic. Call it whatever, but now it's mine!

[henrylee]

Im 26 and just got my Sub Ceramic. All my friends are envious.

[bewithabob]

Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

The reason they are perceived as old man watches is that we buy them as young men, and then wear them until we are old men. Jury is still out on being able to do this with a Breitling.

I'm with you!

[OLJR]

My Dad wears a TT DJ with a pyramid dial, which he bought to celebrate his 50th birthday.

To be honest I think that it is a jolly nice watch but I would not consider wearing one myself here at age 29.

However I am sure that when I am older wearing a DJ like this will appeal more to me than it does at present. For now I will stick with the sports models.

Just as the clothes we wear change as we grow up so might the watch.

[Singslinger]

Old? I thought 50 is the new 40?

[Nicko]

I'm an old Pollack but I wear a real cool looking 1680!

[Big A]

I don't think Rolex is aimed at the older person, merely the more discerning person

I got my first Rolex brand Tudor Sub for my 21st from my parents which I will never part with and wear on a daily basis. Before that I bought myself a TAG F1 with wages from my first proper job, which my dad now wears pretty much on a daily basis.

I remember seeing Roger Moore as James Bond as a youngster, turning the bezel on his Sub and it activating a magnet to unzip his ladies dress and thought "I need one of those in my life". Unfortunately I was mighty disappointed when I realised at an older age that this was indeed camera trickery However, I remember looking in AD's windows with my dad from probably around the age of 10 and always wanting one.

I also think that with my dad in the bespoke tailoring business all of his life, fine hand made suits and fine watches kinda go hand in hand which probably influenced my love of Rolex and other fine watch brands.

Now at the fine old age of 33 I recently bought a DSSD myself and am planning on treating my dad to a Yacht-Master while adding a white Milgauss and hopefully a Daytona to my collection in the very near future. Mind you at the same time I'm lusting over a few Panerai too.

With regard to Rolex advertising in younger publications like Maxim, I don't think this is the type of magazine Rolex would associate themself with. I remember subscribing to both Maxim and FHM in my 20's and as I got older, engaged then subsequently married, I found these magazines turning into soft porn and they lost their appeal to me and I have now changed over to reading GQ. I have also found myself moving away from the "boy racer" type cars that had me hooked growing up and now like more "grown up" cars like Range Rover and Bentley. The same with radio stations, I now listen to the same stations as my dad from time to time. Man, I'm turning into my dad Or maybe I am just getting old

[RolexWatcher]

To be honest, I always thought Rolex was an old man's watch. Not because of the design though. But then I realise why. Usually, only old men can afford Rolex.

[mickyvee]

How true! By the time I'd saved up enough money to buy a Rolex, I was 50!!!

[Rolex77]

Rolex is for everyone but unfortunately many young people couldnt buy this expensive watch

[MILFAN]

It is, look at the cyclops LOL,
Now they are making it for the blind people, maxi dial

Cheers
M

Disclaimer : Own Rolexes and love them all. Would not trade for another brand.

Originally Posted by johnnydeepsea

I am 35 years old and not much of a WIS but I am learning a lot from all of you here. I was and am a Tag owner but I wanted to treat myself to a new watch. I saw Robert Downey Jr. wearing a Bell & Ross in Iron Man and thought that it was cool and I did some research but I could not get over the rubber bands.
Bigger watches are in with my age group and I was not thinking about Rolex I always remembered the fake gold ones I would see on vacation in the Islands and thought that they were a old persons watch.

I decided to buy a Grand Carrera and it cost $9000 and I thought I could probably look at a Rolex for that kind of money. I went on the Rolex website and was so surprised at the sport watches that I saw they did not look old at all. While I was looking I came across the Deepsea Dweller I thought it was the coolest watch I have ever seen and knew I had to try it on. When I told my friends about it they all told me I should be looking at Breitling since they all wore those but I was set. I went to the local AD and fell in love.

Why does Rolex not advertise in younger publications like Maxim or other 30 something magazines and get their new designs out there? I think they could sell much more if they lose their stigma as an old watch.
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[mitchy]

i think Rolex has some models which are associated with older people, like the DD which i have yet to see on the wrist of anyone under the age of 40, but i think that's more to do with the price point too.
i bought my first Rolex at 21 and a year later i own 3 and love them all!!
so Rolex is not for the older generation but i do believe one has to be more mature to really appreciate them

[alettiere]

Well, a lot of older men drive some of the best sports cars. That doesn't necessarily make the models an "old man's car" - it's often just that they're the ones who are in a financial position to where they can afford such luxury items that younger people cannot.

I didn't start taking up an interest in purchasing a Rolex until I turned 26-27, which is when my tastes started to lean more towards the classic conservative style and less towards the flashy moment in time trends.

I don't necessarily think that they're "old man's" watches. I just think that it takes a certain type of individual to appreciate the type of work that goes into a quality timepiece. And those are usually not 20 year-old kids - although I'm sure there are exceptions.

I work and deal with a lot of people in their late 20s and early 30s and the preference seems to be about busy dials, oversized cases, and flash. The more attention the watch receives, the better it is - and that's not really how I see Rolex.