I normally do not comment on brands that I have no intention to own but since the thread seems to be quite civil despite the potential sensitivities of some owners being brushed the wrong way, I'd like to share my views based on my past ownership of 4 Rolex SS sports models i.e the Sub, Explorer II, SeaDweller and GMT II between 1990-2000. All have since been sold off although they were admirable performers in terms of accuracy, rate, reliability.
Rolex is no doubt a bona fide 'manufacture' of...... tool watches.I do not know what is meant by 'serious'. In the past, they used to outsource their parts from the El Primero movts for the Daytonas to dials, etc but have over the years become more and more vertically integrated by buying over all their suppliers.
If I may add my opinion deviating from the title and also to share why I have shied away from owning any Rolex currently.
Due to the overwhelming demand by WIS & non-WIS, Rolex has been elevated to a cult watch where its is now considered a 'luxury' watch and no longer a tool watch which was its original intended use. Sounds familiar for a few other brands as well ? As a result the prices have been raised almost yearly where you can almost sell a Rolex after several years at close to the original price that you paid for it, depending on the popularity of the model ( inflation not taken into account of course) . Of course that is one of main reasons why it is a favourite as it is considered to be quite a liquid asset. One can thus enjoy wearing a 'hot' watch and selling it off at little loss when one tires of it. Rolex being a commercial entity would be stupid not to capitalise on the popularity of their watches and push the envelope of the price levels. They will continue to raise prices as long as the market supports it.
My opinion of current Rolex's esp. sports models is as follows:
A reliable, tough, hard-wearing tool watch with a fairly accurate in-house movement (depends on your luck as I have heard of movts ranging from +1 sec/day to +10sec/day) that has evolved with small gradual improvements over the decades , not to mention no change in their design. Of coz some may debate its their core DNA.
However I much prefer the older vintage Rolexes which had triple dates with moonphase models but alas they are no longer in the line-up and which has a more classic appeal. Rolex no longer produces complications and for some of us, complication watches are also an attraction as it appeals to our amazement of the technical wizardry involved.
To me every well-made watch by a manufacturer with a history of designing movements, manufacturing most of the critical parts and continuously seeking horological improvements (JLC, deBethune, Urwerk, RM, Grand Seiko, Lange & Sohne, Glashutte, etc comes to my mind) is desirable based on the ultimate design appealing to our individual tastes and budget.
For me every watch has a value based on its quality and materials and there are many excellent watches which I have yet to put my money on becoz their current prices are way higher than my own perceived value. My opinion is that luxury watches have been experiencing a bubble which may one day burst but with China/India and the nouveau rich buying luxury goods it may take awhile yet. I for one do not believe in chasing increasing prices.
Being a luxury item of course, the price will always be far higher than its material/manufacturing/design cost but I would benchmark watches in the same class against each other in terms of materials, complications, technological advancement and arrive at my own perceived value of what a fair value should be.
Note: We can all debate till the cows come home about what a 'manufacture' means but my interpretation is that it is a watch maker that does not just buy an ebauche, does some modification/polishing/re-calibrate or add in a module (worse outsource it to 3rd parties like DD,etc) and put it in a case sourced from an external supplier. Basically a non bona-fide "watchmaker" is only an assembler of parts mostly outsourced, if not all.
As a tool watch, Rolex is an excellent choice but at its current price point, there are many alternatives, as good if not better, to me.
When I pay for a luxury item, it is the emotional factor that is important to me. As we all know luxury watches are beyond telling time, instead they are an extension of your personality something like the luxury car you drive or a bespoke suit you wear. When one uses a luxury item it is partly the exclusivity ( this is of course again relative) that adds value or if you like , the snob appeal which is part of owning luxurious goods besides the inherent quality and refinement of the product.
However when the brand becomes so popular to the point that it is mass produced and owned by a large segment of the product's market, it is no longer deemed a luxury item to me, hence the price vs exclusivity factor is no longer attractive.
No insults to current owners intended..really....
I still love the Explorer I as a basic time-only daily tool watch (not as common as other sports models currently in vogue) but I cannot accept its current price point (movement, case, bracelet that has hardly been improved by both design or materials and yet the price has been increased exponentially) and also its smallish size - my large wrists require 42-44mm in order to be proportional...
