I don’t hate Rolex, that’s for sure. I don’t have one in my collection but that is just because either the style is not for me or the premium you pay for the style I prefer that is way out of my price range. What I do respect is the Rolex marketing machine, they are industry leaders in promotion, advertising and product placement.

Rolex has some pretty decent brand ambassadors from tennis ace Roger Federer to fellow tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. Is Rolex the leading watchmaker? No, it is not? Is Rolex the greatest exponent of haute de horlogerie? Nope, not even close. Rolex makes solid toolwatches with in-house movements and original designs. Rolex is a relative newcomer to watchmaking, it is not a member of the holy trinity of Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet or Vacheron Constantin. Neither is Rolex in the second tier of Breguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre or A. Lange & Söhne but Rolex makes decent tool watches and markets them exquisitely.