Why I’m Done with Rolex in 2023

Rolex is just overhype and status symbols. I really wish that gen z would have rolex cancelled the brand.

Wouldn't wear a Rolex even if they gave me one. Overpriced shoite!

Rolex. The Harley Davidson of the Watch World.

Been trying to purchase a 36mm black OP for over a year. I’m a 43 year old who just graduated from my post graduate studies. It is a one off luxury purchase to myself. After a year of this farce I’m at the point of giving up, I’ve been on the WOS waiting list and I’m starting tow wonder if this list/registration of interest is even a thing, or if the second I left the store my application was our straight into the bin. I’m with you mate, I have become really into my watches over the last year and am now thinking of getting a grand seiko or a Omega. I’m now so into watches that I am starting to get the bug. The thing is now that if I go out and buy a variety of luxury watches in the coming decades I will now a.) not get a Rolex out of principle, and b.) not use WOS. Sad state of affairs.

Cool watch and all, but for $3000 you can get a brand new grand seiko on the grey market, really not worth the price in my opinion.

WTF is this rant? Rolex plasters its logo ALL OVER F1. Meaning Rolex markets itself towards broad market adaptation where everybody who is rich should buy one - not just enthusiasts. You're hating on people who can't reference their watch, how ever the cause is Rolex itself. You should hate on Rolex.

It's their fault the widened their market reach, but did not widened their production in a 1:1 correlation. As a consequence prices and waiting lists go up - EXACLY what a luxury brand want and needs. You just need to know one word; scarcity. Scarcity equals luxury.

It's a shame that you aren't allowed to defend yourself in the UK against muggers. I guess that's Rolex's fault? lol.

"These things are supposed to have a very special relationship with us human beings." - The Mad Watch Collector. This is the best explanation of how I feel about my Rolex watch. I only have one Rolex because it's the only watch I want and need. I wear it every day regardless of activity and never tire of it.

Rolex is overrated my holy grail is the Cartier santos.

Rolex is is not my style at all plus I know the history of that German brand that makes their watches in Switzerland.

Great video 😊

Rolex is the same as all these luxury brands selling social status to people in debt

I totally agree. I bought my watches to wear. Not to sell on for profit.

The wife nailed it, old men and sport sponsorship (Wimbledon). To this I add billboards in downtowns of large cities and magazines targeting the affluent. When is the last time you bought a magazine.

I had a 16610 Submariner, at the time with the work i was doing i couldn't wear it. It just sat in the box. In the end i sold it. Got a casio gshock. Don't have to worry about scratches, being stolen, or the thousand pound service. And more accurate than a rolex.

Well done. Rolex ruined their own excellence. Waitinglists are beyond idiotic and it only enabled greed, artificial rarity and speculation.

the old men comment from the wife is so accurate. that's the top word i think of too as a normal person not so much into watches.

Rolex = Overpriced and Overhyped

Rolex buying Bucherer changes everything.

We might start seeing authorised retailers selling Rolex watches at the prices they're actually worth.

It’s the ENGLISH Channel, even says so on the map and nautical charts. I like you MWC, please don’t make me go off you by changing names of factually correct references please. Carry on…

Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing were actually wearing British Smiths watches at the summit of Everest

You know Smiths who made dials for Spitfires and the like

The team wearing a Rolex NEVER made it to the summit

Hugo would say, "It's so unfortunate darlings but their clientele is overpopulated with louche arrivistes"

THIS is why I have Seiko, Orient, a 9F Grand Seiko, and my Tudor Ranger.

Erm 126610lv, 3235, 1905 or 1908 depending on the actual question, £16200 purchase price (grey market dealer, walked in, swiped a card, walked out, 15 mins max, zero problems) and about worth about £12k realistically now?
What do I win?
Can I sell it for over £4200?
😂
Seriously I love the watch, I wear it every day, its not for sale, whether it will sell for £5k or £25k. I'll keep my own council on what things are worth to me, thank you very much.

Mark my words, Rolex, soon is going to be those watches, they can't get rid of, all brands and everything has a bubble, right now i am saving for a Grand Seiko, so when i go to Japan in oktober ,ill buy it at their store in tokyo or a visit at the actual place where they make it, no product is worth, having to dealt with rolex and their $hit, while spending your hard earned cash, in japan the customer is Treated like a king, and with outmost Respect!

Wearing a Rolex says = I am a bag of douche

Rolex is hiring people to steal them back lol

I love your videos, but this one is one of the least imaginative ones. Like though (because it helps the channel :P ) All of that is already all over YT and internet. Not a single thing told is new or differently told. If I was making a video on this topic, this is what would be new and fresh:

An Unconventional Introduction - Start with a captivating story or an unexpected fact about Rolex. This could be a historical anecdote, a surprising statistic, or a lesser-known aspect of the brand's sales strategy. This would immediately grab the viewer's attention and set the tone for the video.

Sociological Perspective - Discuss the sociology of Rolex ownership. Instead of focusing solely on how owners focus on the monetary aspects, delve into the societal influences that drive people to buy Rolex watches. This could include the role of status, prestige, and the desire for exclusivity.

Comparative Analysis - Compare Rolex's sales strategy with that of lesser-known luxury watch brands. This would provide a fresh angle and help viewers understand what sets Rolex apart.


Psychological Insights - Analyze the psychological factors that influence Rolex's sales strategy and customer behavior. This could involve delving into principles of consumer behavior, the psychology of luxury, and the impact of scarcity.

Discuss how Rolex's sales strategy has shaped the luxury watch industry as a whole. This could include its impact on pricing, marketing trends, and customer expectations. Impact on San Martin, PD, Invicta, Tudor...

Pop Culture Influence - Highlight Rolex's influence on popular culture. Discuss how it has been portrayed in movies, music, and fashion, and how this has shaped perceptions of the brand. (OK, it's there)

Examine Rolex's ethical practices. This could include its approach to sourcing materials, its treatment of employees, and its impact on the environment.


Speculate on the future of Rolex's sales strategy and customer behavior. This could include predictions based on current trends, potential challenges, and opportunities.

I used to love Rolex, but now i prefer Tudor, it's kinda like what Rolex used to be.

Rolex is not for watch collectors...Rolex is just for little kids who are clout chasing or rich adults who are basically doing the same thing because they have the same mental capacity as said children.

The price of a Rolex I can by a lot of Seiko watches for the price of one Rolex.

Totally agree russ , rolex is a luxury watch but people like joe essex whos got two rolex watches but cant tell the time let alone the history of rolex just cheapens a brand that i only can dream of owning .love the show.

I refer to Rolex as the “Shepherd Brand,” where they go, the sheep follow.

I personally never had the desire to get a Rolex. I lived among people who shopped in stores where you need to ring the door bell and unless you showed up in a tailored suit and necktie the highly dressed security guards won't let you in. You won't be laughed at, they just won't open the door for inappropriately dressed people. Some of these stores not even had doors for customers from the street but it is mandatory to get an appointment to get in there.

Though I never have been affiliated to the old money's and to the aristocracy's inner circles and didn't desire to work my way in there, living in their community matched my weak spot for a certain luxury. I know the joy of getting a bespoken suit, I know the joy of talking to a goldsmith who melted down words and visions into a unique wedding ring of platinum, gold and diamond, I write with luxurious fountain pens and ink, I drink coffee roasted by an excellent small local coffee roaster, etc. As I'm not naturally rich I had to stretch for some of those pieces and I could never just throw my money somewhere but I informed myself, set a goal and worked to get there.

I could have done that with Rolex too. There were enough Rolexes around me to heat me up. But for some reasons Rolex (and Omega) were «Meh I don't like them!»

That didn't change. I still look at them and I get no urge, no feeling for them, they just don't attract me. So I am for sure no loss for Rolex 🤷🏻‍♂️. On the other hand I watch the market and see, how they change behaviour and how they drive prices into a fairy tale world with no anchor in some kind of reality. They are building a bubble and we all saw what happens to markets when those bubbles blow up someday. So that drives me even furher away from this brand.

I’ve just watched this video again and it resonates with me even more now. I fully understand your sentiment behind buying your Explorer and I love your comment, “I plan to wear it and keep it” 😁. I’ve just taken delivery of a Pelagos LHD and I plan to do the same. I wanted one ‘special’ watch but couldn’t justify the £10k+ for a Rolex, so the Tudor has filled that space. I did lust after an Explorer but I have a penchant for date complications (love that Tudor roulette date wheel). All the best with your excellent videos Russ, you talk a lot of sense 👍🏼.

I bought my Rolex Explorer 2 at a local jewelry store in Florida ( 4 years ago ) while shopping with my wife for something she wanted. I really didn’t know much about Rolex but I like field style/ utilitarian watches and the Explorer really appealed to me. If I had to wait on it I would have never bought it. Long story short I love that watch and wear it way more than my others and on a second note… this store that we love and where we shop regularly, dropped Rolex because they felt they were a total pain in the back side. Now they carry Omega and Longines and I’ve since bought two more watches there that I walked out with on the day of my purchase. I’m not impatient but I don’t want to wait on something unnecessarily. Just not my thing.
Love you channel!

All of my first mechanicals were Rolex because I didn’t know Jack shit about watches - I just knew they were good watches. My dad had a few my grandfather had a few etc. Today the ego spell has been broken !!

I'm coming late to the world of watches but have spent many years in the world of guitars, and everything you said, you could pretty much substitute "guitar" for "watch," and substitute one or three famous brands for Rolex, and you'd have a factually sound rant-- right up to the point where you described the behavior of authorized dealers toward customers. Guitar manufacturers do treat their dealers this way, e.g., forcing them to carry inventory nobody wants before supplying them with any of the hot sellers, but I've never heard of a household name guitar brand whose dealers do that to retail customers. I'm over here thinking it really sucks when they refuse to publish an ordinary production guitar's price and instead make you call for a quote. Not because it's back-ordered or made to order. They could have it in stock. The company just forces dealers to agree to this, I guess to seem special and exclusive, and to let them play games with the price. That strikes me as disreputable, but it's nothing compared to what I'm hearing about Rolex.

ENGLISH Channel, NOT British Channel!

I saw a comment the other day about Rolex not producing enough watches being nonsense. It went like this- Rolex produces 1.5m watches per year. There are 1800 ADs worldwide so each AD gets 833 watches per year. That's selling 2 watches per day which you can understand when the crypto bros were flush, but not now. So either it's nonsense or the numbers are wrong.

Let me tell you the no 1reason why Rolex sucks: ridiculous, artificially inflated price.

Rolex can keep their watches. They are expensive to service as well as to buy- just not worth it. Kinda like a high maintenance woman. Nice to look at but I don't need one.

I have a ton of Casio and G-Shock watches and the Tough Solar/Multi-Band 6 are my favorite. However, I have always preferred analog style watches.

So I'm SUPER excited to get my new G-Shock tomorrow (GA-B2100-1AJF) Tough Solar (and first Bluetooth connectivity G-Shock. I hope it works as good as MB6 does for me in the Pittsburgh area) Ana-Digi with the regular, non-negative display, which I much prefer. And a GA-2100-1AJF or GA-B2100-3A or the smaller GMA-S2100-1A are next on my journey of Analog G-Shock's.

I would LOVE Casio to make a MUCH smaller version of the only cheaper (compared to Mr. G) ALL analog GST-B100D-1ACR, but at 54mm, like WTF? The GA-B2100 is the biggest I'll go from now on. My days of wearing a huge 47+mm SS diver's watch that weighs WAY over 200+ grams are OVER😅 After getting my Titanium Maratec 300m diver and GMT pilot watches, it's almost impossible to wear a SS case AND bracelet again, which kinda sucks because I love my large collection of StrapCode bracelets 🥺 I wish StrapCode/Miltat started making titanium bracelets and for WAY more watches out there!

My next titanium watch is going to be a Bigidesign Ti Solar Powered watch with a killer case reminiscent of a Seiko Samurai or Sumo (forget ATM). And comes with nice straps. I've been ditching the heavy SS bracelets lately and wearing canvas, nylon, SS Milanese mesh (super thin kind that is really lightweight) and lastly, Shell Cordovan straps. MUCH lighter than the heavyass StrapCode bracelets.

G-Shock are just amazing watches all around. More durable, accurate and cool looking than most watches available. And they're just fun to collect. Screw all of that Rolex snobbery BS 😞🤔😠

Sorry for the pointless rambling 😢

....also, is Benny Hill your dad? (not a bad thing)

I've always loved Omega.

I have owned the 39 mm Explorer but sold it. I now have a 16610 pre ceramic sub , it’s the very definition of the best of Rolex for me. Im on my way not a big fan of what Rolex has become but the earlier models before ceramic were fabulous and a daily driver. I have been driving mine since 1991 and it’s works perfectly at +1 per day with only one service over the whole period. One more thing; don’t wear your Rolex on a bracelet. I wear mine on a strap or a nato. It ha never been noticed in all the time I have had it. It’s the bracelet that attracts attention imho

Now go see a dermatologist with all the money you save

The wife is spot on. As always

- Mmmm…iced buns 🤤

I like old Roamers.

The submariner is so exclusive that even Rolex doesn't have those!

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
I’m giving my useless Rolex AD two months to give me “the call.” If I don’t get the call, I’m quitting Rolex FOREVER! And I’m passing my negative sentiment along to my children’s children’s children. Bad form and bad quality of service. I work too hard to be playing this stupid game.

Thanks for the great vid. Keep up the great work. Just subscribed.