Rolex Direction...

[Incurable]

With the design choices Rolex has made in the last couple years, is your allegiance/devotion to the Rolex brand growing or declining? This year's offerings are certainly interesting and seem to reinforce or extend last year's new design motifs. Is this new trend enhancing your love for the brand or damaging it? What say you...??

[jasonbellevue]

Neither enhancing nor damaging. There are still Rolex models that I like and covet, like this.......

[frostie]

Some good some not so good IMO

[cmr]

i voted some good some bad and i guess that is normal for design changes. i love the way the new dd's look and i would like to see one in person. i like big watches because i have an 8 inch wrist and while a 36mm dd looks good on me a bigger one would fit my build better. the deep sea dweller, once again i like the size and most of the design but can't get passed the extra writing on the rehaut shelf. maybe it looks better in person. i don't mind the rehaut branding on my gmt2c because i can't see it when i am wearing the watch. the blue on the sub? NO! lol

[JJ Irani]

Well, with the possible exception of the TT and SS GMT-IIC in the last 2 years, all we've seen from Rolex is a helluva lot of pimped up bling.....most of it, anyway!!

They are fully aware of the megabucks out there and have blinged up their previous models to such vulgar extents mainly 'cause they know that there are buyers out there....and are trying to cater mainly to their tastes.

The new SD is fine, but Rolex has gone way over the top in modifying an already existing and successful model.....by giving it a greater depth rating (highly unnecessary if you ask me) and then, to add insult to injury, cluttering up the dial and surrounds with so much redundant printing.

While I'm quite sure most of the new models will sell, many of us are going to find affordability to be a major problem with the newer models that Rolex keep churning out every year.

Quite a few of us will have to be content with the older models which are still affordable as we try to beat the rising prices every opportunity we get.

The only models I really love that have come out so far this year from Basel are the DD range in 41 mm and their superb aesthetics. Bling with class!!

Other than that.....I thank myself for having got my beautiful Platty. I still think it knocks the pants off most of the new crap that's being rolled off the Rolex assembly lines.

JJ

[walds11]

Not as much bling as in previous years. I like the new DD and pink gold Daytona. I would have to see the DS in person. Neat watch, but noy a watch that I would buy.

[Chris B]

The designers move effortlessly from the ridiculous to the sublime, it so frustrating at times particularly when they act as if they're trying to entice uninterested Swatch wearers.



I suppose its nothing that a good trashing with a wet towel couldn't sort out

[BlackpoolRolexCoaste]

Originally Posted by Chris B

The designers move effortlessly from the ridiculous to the sublime, it so frustrating at times particularly when they act as if they're trying to entice uninterested Swatch wearers.



I suppose its nothing that a good trashing with a wet towel couldn't sort out

Extremley succinctly put and I concur with those sentiments...........

[Trurolexer]

I think the tradition Rolex model more stunning to me. I like the tradition model, yes I do.

[2careless]

I really like their old design like that 6238 pre-daytona recently shown in this forum. That's one hell of a beauty. The new designs are all trendy and blingy.

[Baptistman]

I do think they are on a slippery slope to Omegaland in that they are starting to succomb to trends rather than heritage.

[Incurable]

Gratuitous bump...

[Letsgodiving]

Overall, I'm not too happy about the trend I see developing. I see fewer models that I'm interested in these days. I'm much more interested in vintage models than most of the new ones. The DS is intriguing to me minus the addtnl rehaut writing but not much else.

That being said I still love Rolex and there is always Basel 09!

[daveathall]

Love em still, but as JJ pointed out, I think that Rolex is upping the entry level price above a lot of peoples range in an attempt to make the brand more exclusive than it already is, dont know if that is a good or bad thing, just know I will need to save that much longer, but even then Rolex in another attempt to be an exclusive brand will not release enough of certain models of their watches to satisfy the market, thus raising prices once again.

[Road Warrior]

I voted some good & some not so good. I like the GMT IIc but don't know if I would own one. I don't like any of the new models but even if I did I really couldn't afford any of them. They're getting to a price level that knocks out a group of buyers that used to be able to afford them IMHO. As long as there're pre-owned Rolexes for sale I'll be OK.

[mike]

As with most things some offerings have been very good while for me some have missed the mark. You can't please everyone.

[MAC4130]

Originally Posted by jasonbellevue

Neither enhancing nor damaging. There are still Rolex models that I like and covet, like this.......

Classy!!!!

[mldaytona]

Rolex is going in the right direction. They monitor the trend and the market very effectively, and use all the informations they get to come up with relevant products to secure top position in the industry. Private jets, yachts, cars, fashions...all are getting more and more expensive and 'blingy' each and every year......just look at the street legal US$1.2 million Bugatti Veyron with 16 cylinder, 1000 horsepower engine....who needs a car with that much power.....it goes to show global demands for super posh and super exclusive products are growing at a very fast rate and not going to subside anytime soon. And regarding the new 2008 models in the Oyster Perpetual line, once again Rolex is showing us how current and on the ball they are. Rolex offers new, playful, colorful, young, and hip looking dials - which some people think they hired designers from Swatch to do the job - to dominate a segment in the Asian market (China, Taiwan, Japan, HongKong, Singapore) where there are more than 30 million youngsters (18 to 28 years old) who have the means to acquire a high quality watch. Moreover, these kids know Rolex brand very well from their parents and grandparents. So now, who still doubts Rolex's wisdom in creating the SDDS and the Leopard Daytona?

[mcubed]

Sorry,
I just don't see this new direction that everyone is talking about. Rolex is the same as they always were.
Rolex has been making jewel encrusted watches since the 80s at least. In fact there is a pic of a diamond encrusted day date in the booklet from 1977, And the gold submariner was introduced in the 1960s- in other words, Rolex has been doing "bling" forever.
Considering that the new DSSD is immediately identifiable as a Rolex submariner variant means to me that it is evolution and not revolution. And for all the talk of it being big, it is not as bit in diameter as the large Omega Planet Ocean.
As far as taste goes, lets be a bit realistic, Rolex has always been a bit "Ham Fisted" when it comes to elegance in their oyster watches.

All in All Rolex has been remarkably consistent over the last half century.......

[timackerman]

It makes you wonder if Rolex is really trying to preserve an image that has kept them on top for countless years, or trying to stay with trends and fads to try to appease a fad driven market

[Incurable]

Originally Posted by timackerman

It makes you wonder if Rolex is really trying to preserve an image that has kept them on top for countless years, or trying to stay with trends and fads to try to appease a fad driven market

I think both... it's their stabs at innovation or advancement I question. Deepsea aside, more isn't necessarily better.