Why is a Rolex watch so popular?

Is it all in the name or does Rolex have a few more tricks up its sleeve?
From the Submariner to the Daytona to the Datejust, the brand has one of the most extensive selections out there
Take a look at some of the most in-demand Rolex watches right now and in history

Rolex is one of the largest watch brand in the world, and statistics show that it’s more demand than Omega, Longines and Cartier combined. It also has some of the most expensive watches in the world, in fact, some of the pricest pieces in history are Rolex watches. Not only is it the most known watch brand in the world, but one of the most known brands generally. So, what is it that makes the Rolex name so much more special and coveted than the others?

Prestige

Rolex has prestige in spades. Almost everyone knows what a Rolex watch is, what it looks like and what it means to have one on your wrist. The vast majority of people won’t know the story behind a Rolex, they won’t know that the watches are made entirely in-house, and they won’t know that all the watches are chronometers. By the way, having a chronometer certification just means that your watch is precise and accurate. Most luxury watches have designated families that hold the chronometer title, Rolex has the chronometer title on every single watch it produces.

Anyway, plenty of people won’t know all that but what they will know is that you’re wearing a Rolex and really, what else do they need to know? Fun fact, a Rolex can be a conversation starter all on its own. Even if you have the cheapest Rolex watch on or the most expensive Rolex watch on, people will want to talk about it.

The great thing about Rolex is that it not only impresses those that don’t know about Rolex, it can also seriously impress those that do. Owning a Rolex is like buying a lifetime membership to a seriously lavish club, you enter circles where you compare your Daytonas or Datejusts, owning a gold Rolex watch is like owning a gold level membership card to a hotel or resort.

Marketing

Walk down any snazzy boulevard and you’ll probably see massive billboards of the latest new watch on the market, you don’t really see this with Rolex. Everyone knows where Rolex watches for sale are. The brand ‘kind of’ operates under a you already know who we are principle, it feeds into the elitism of the brand and makes you want to enter that elite club even more.

That being said, thanks to clever and exhaustive marketing, a Rolex is always on your mind. Switch on the golf, tennis or F1 – three of the biggest sports in the world, and you will see the name Rolex and the recognisable crown plastered everywhere. What this means is that you don’t only connect Rolex to fine watchmaking but also to the prestige around these three globally-loved sports. Every time you tune into the Formula 1 Grand Prix or Grand Slam, you can think to yourself or say to your friends: I own one of those Rolex sports watches. That’s a power few other brands have.

Value

On the surface this one seems obvious, a Rolex costs a lot of money so therefore people want one. Beyond that though, it is an amazing investment. Rolex watches for sale one year can instantly be worth sometimes double what you paid. Go into any watch boutique, check out the price tag, and then go check the price tag again online of the model from the previous year – it will be halved. Rolex does not have this problem, a Rolex retains value.

Let’s take a look at the Rolex Daytona Rainbow Everose from 2018 for example. Daytonas are always a fan favourite in the Rolex universe so they do especially well in these sorts of things, but this particular Daytona was extra special. Originally bought for £75,000, the watch sold one year later for £237,500, that’s more than three times profit.

Rainbow Daytona

Rolexes have this superpower because they’re so popular and in such high demand, especially certain models like Daytonas, they stand as investments rather than purchases. The brand currently has demand higher than what it has had for over 30 years.

Style

Of course, everything we’ve mentioned wouldn’t matter if the watches themselves didn’t look good, and a Rolec certainly looks good. What makes them so popular is versatility, and they work with almost all outfits. You can go from the poolside to the golf course to your fancy dinner all in the same watch. A Rolex looks just as good with a t-shirt and jeans as they do a suit.

‘Batman‘ Rolex

So, do you want one?

Perhaps there’s another more personal reason you want a Rolex. A watch with a story are often the most valuable of them all, just look at the ‘Rolex unicorn’, a $6 million piece, all because it was the only white gold Daytona on its kind back in the 70s. And again with the Daytona Paul Newman, a watch style that sells for tens of millions just because the style has become so associated with a name.

Regardless of everything we’ve said though, it’s an investment you will not regret.

‘The Unicorn’