There was a time when pulling up your sleeve to reveal a Rolex was the ultimate flex. But these days, it just feels expected.
I caught up with a mate recently. He clocked the watch on my wrist, something independent, lesser known, and scrunched his face. “Why are you wearing that?” he asked, like I’d just committed a horological crime. And honestly, it said more about him than the watch and made ponder this thread.
That reaction made me realise how far we’ve strayed from individualism in watch culture. When did luxury become so uniform? Why do we all want the same Submariner, Daytona, or Pepsi GMT watches that, let’s be honest, you now see at every airport lounge, boardroom, and bro’s birthday dinner?
The Green Submariner Effect
My local retailer recently offered me a green Submariner. Most guys would lose their minds over that call. Me? Nothing. Not a flicker in the pants. It’s like I’ve lost my erection for Rolex. Perish the though, but has it finally happened?
It’s not that the Sub isn’t a good watch. It is. But I looked at it and thought, every dude has one. And when a watch becomes a status symbol first and a personal choice second, it starts to feel like a uniform.
Sure, some Rolex models are still worth drooling over. I’d never say no to an Everose Daytona. But I could’ve flipped the green Sub, made a tidy little profit… and still didn’t want it. I’m not a flipper anyway. A watch is like a dog or an ex-wife. It’s for life.
Watches Aren’t Investments. Not Really, IMHO.
There’s something else no one wants to say: selling watches is a pain. A real pain in the ass. Worse than a car or anything else. The people buying a insufferable, and with so many fakes it makes sense you have to be so careful.
Everyone talks about resale like it’s a sure thing. It’s not. Unless you bought a Patek Nautilus before it became hype, or a Paul Newman Daytona back when they were still five figures, you’re not investing. You’re speculating.
I paid around ten grand (USD) for my old Daytona, which is probably worth ten times that now. But selling it? You’re dealing with tyre-kickers, consignment vultures, or grey market chaos. Good luck cashing out cleanly. You won’t get what you want, and you will be paying someone a 15% commission.
So yeah, good luck if you’re buying purely to make money. For most people, that exit plan’s way harder than they think.
The Problem With Rolex Culture… and Snobbery
The cult of Rolex has created this bizarre gold standard where anything else is seen as second-best. I wore a Chopard Alpine Eagle the other week, and a mate looked at it like I’d slipped on Crocs.
“Why aren’t you wearing your Rolex?” he asked. I wanted to say, “Why are you wearing the same watch as every other finance bro in this overpriced restaurant?”
I liken it to driving a Mercedes and pulling a face at someone with a Porsche. Different badge. Same league. Broaden your taste, homie.
What Do You Look at Instead?
If you’re brave enough to step off the Rolex treadmill, there’s an entire world out there. Start with independent brands—emerging players. They are still making watches for people, not algorithms.
Cartier, for one, is killing it right now. Elegant, original, and getting better with every release. The Santos is a major vibe as is the Tank LC.
Never go past Breitling, especially the Navitimer. It will always be a classic in smaller sizes.
Jaeger-LeCoultre is also a brand that oozes class, yet it’s often a second or third watch purchase. The Polaris is severely underrated.
Grand Seiko? Quietly making some of the best dials in the business. The finishing is nuts. Not to mention the accuracy of their Spring Drive. Imagine buying a watch based on its quality over brand name? Insanity.
A. Lange & Söhne might be a stretch price-wise, but if you can swing it, you’ll never look at a Rolex the same way again. Vacheron Constantin is another brand quietly doing everything right with none of the TikTok noise.
Final Thoughts
So yeah, maybe I’m just jaded. But I don’t get the same thrill from Rolex anymore. It’s lost that spark.
These days, I get more excited by something you don’t see every day. Something that feels like mine, not everyone’s. The kind of piece only a watch guy would recognise.
So if you’re in the market for a new watch and you catch yourself staring blindly at the brand because that’s what everyone else wants, maybe take a beat. The best watch you’ll ever buy might be the one you weren’t even looking for.
