In Defense Of Rolex Watches

The Criticism: “Rolex Is A Dull Brand. Their Watches Never Change.”

Rolex created the first waterproof wristwatch: the Oyster, in 1926.

Rolex created the first wristwatch with an automatically-changing date on the dial: the Datejust, in 1945.

Rolex created the first wristwatch to show two time zones at once: the Rolex GMT Master, in 1954.

Rolex was the first watchmaker to earn chronometer certification (certified to be accurate within -4/+6 seconds per day) for a wristwatch, in 1908.

The Criticism: “Rolexes Aren’t Technically Impressive. They’re Just Status Symbols.”



Eisenhower: Definitely not a douchebag

For every Rolex, there’s a Rolex hater. There’s something about the brand that just puts a lot of guys off. Unjustly so, according to Paul Altieri. Paul is the founder and president of Bob’s Watches , a “Rolex exchange” where brand lovers can buy, sell and trade used Rolex watches at their true market value. In his position, Paul finds himself defending the Rolex brand — usually from recurring criticisms. Knowing that a lot of AskMen readers are Rolex-curious, we gave Paul the opportunity to defend his favorite watch brand, and address each of the accusations that are routinely lobbed toward it. Here’s Paul’s take.My Rolex is the first thing I put on in the morning and the last thing I take off. I’ve been wearing one for over 35 years and feel lost without it. And during that time, I’ve heard the same negative remarks about the brand, over and over again. Here are the most common criticisms I hear about Rolex watches, and my explanations as to why they are unfounded ones.Rolex has a history rich with scientific achievement and innovation. In fact, they’ve been among the most innovative watch brands since their founding in 1905. Their list of firsts is impressive, and so is their list of over 1,000 patents. That’s nearly one patent a month for Rolex’s entire existence. Here is a partial list of their innovations:Rolex was founded in 1905 by Hans Wilsdorf, and his pride and joy in his life was his Rolex watch. His mission with his company was to use breakthrough engineering technology toward creating the best timepieces of the world; every timepiece created was considered a symbol of the company’s achievement. And because Rolexes are expensive watches that one has to work hard for, they are natural symbols of a customer’s achievement. A Rolex often signifies a noteworthy achievement or event in its owner’s life, but it’s also more than just a status symbol. Owners should be proud of both what it took them to earn their watch, and the lengths that Rolex went to to create it.

The Criticism: “Only Snobs Wear Rolexes.”The Rebuttal: Rolex’s history includes a long line of famous and influential clients, whom Rolex has recognized through its tradition of presenting landmark Rolexes to landmark Rolex wearers. The 100,000th Rolex ever made was given to Sir Winston Churchill. The 150,000th Rolex ever made was given to Dwight D. Eisenhower, and is considered by some to be the most important timepiece ever made. Because Rolex has always been involved in underwater exploration, it made sense when filmmaker and explorer James Cameron strapped on their Deepsea Challenge watch for his expedition to the deepest part of the ocean in March 2012. Churchill, Eisenhower and Cameron are many things, but they are not douchebags.



The Criticism: “Rolex Is For The 1%. The Brand Is A Symbol Of Greed.”

The Rolex company is run by not-for-profit charitable trusts. So after a certain amount of money goes to Rolex employees and the founding Rolex family, what remains is donated to charities. Some of these charities focus on watchmaking and some on high school education. Rolex founder Wilsdorf was an orphan himself, which inspired him to try to make a difference in the lives of children who need it most. In 1944 he established his own charitable trust, the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, which lives on today.