Why is Rolex so expensive?

Rolex watches have gained an enviable reputation as to be the ultimate luxury timepieces, to the watch lovers and to the people who are in tune with fashion.

Through their widely recognized designs and famous, for being of the highest quality, Rolex watches have achieved the icon status and symbolize success. You would certainly say that this said raise a logical but basic question – the reason why Rolex watches are expensive?

Rolex, however, does not hold the title of the most expensive watch brand, yet its watches are still subjected to considerable price rates. In this article we will discover the basic reason of high Rolex watch prices and at the same time learn that sometimes ‘used’ or ‘pre-owned’ watches are just as expensive as their ‘new’ counterparts.

From the brand’s attributes like their classic patterns and the durable quality of the materials, to the limited availability and the desire everyone has to own them, we will dig into factors that make Rolex watches so exclusive and desirable. Whether you have watch craftsmanship in your blood or if you’re just curious about luxury timepieces, come with us while we unlock the secret behind the unwavering adoration and expensive quotes of the Rolex watches.

What makes Rolex Watches so costly?

Several reasons help to explain why Rolex watches are so expensive. From their iconic designs and devotion to higher-quality materials to their in-house manufacturing as well as absolute testing, Rolex watches are the pinnacle of luxury and artistry.

Here, we will examine these major factors that make Rolex watches a sign of prestige and a luxury item that commands a higher price than its competitors. Even though the brand at first was a company that built tool watches that withstood wear and tear, in the 1970s it made its reputation in the luxury market and one of exclusivity.

1. Iconic Designs

Rolex watches are renown for their distinctive designs which set the trends.

The Submariner, thanks to its heavy and multi-purpose built, is a classic which other dive watches have tried to follow, while the Datejust, decorated with its everlasting aesthetics and signature cyclops lens, has become the ultimate representative of classicism. The Chronograph function and the Bezel Tachymeter are the features that distinguish Daytona from other watches and relate it to automotive racing. The historical clocks have harmoniously passed this test of time and even moreover, served as a source of inspiration for watchmakers in their own works. Besides celebrity endorsements, it is the long-lasting durability and immense recognition of these timeless Rolex designs that make the brand sought-after, making it one of the most expensive watches in the world.

One of the major features of the design is that it is easy to recognise as authentic because of the reputation of the brand and also due to their long lasting style. Prototypes and models of registered brands have not changed much since the 1950s.

Rolex have been obsessed with creating and attaining an air of eliteness and class throughout the years. The brand’s deep-rooted links with achievement, success, and luxury have convinced it to be a choice of the most wanted and respected brand among its customers. Rolex brand name itself is an integral part of brand equity that is visible in the price level that consumers pay for quality assurance.

2. Quality

The quality is the one of the main key point of Rolex, and it is one of the reasons why Rolex’s watches cost more expensive than others. While Rolex makes no compromise in choosing materials and using production techniques that allow for superb durability and accuracy, it invests time and efforts.

The attention paid by Rolex to the use of first-rate materials is one of the easiest things to understand. Rolex is one of the brands that pride in its alloys, which it calls its unique cook alloys as it is made up of gold, copper, and a little platinum. What is more it creates a characteristic pink tint, however, it is rather resistant to discolouration and corrosion processes. As for Rolex, not unlike other brands, the company also experimented with other gold alloys in-house, like the yellow gold and the white gold, providing each alloy with distinguishable properties and appearance. These top-quality materials not only amplify the influential aesthetics of Rolex watches but also help maintain the product durability and its resale value.

The Rolex brand stands out through the way they employ precious metals to augment their designs in addition to the wide variety of inventive materials they use. Take, for example, their Cerachrom ceramic bezel: this material has an impressive anti-scratching and colour-fading resistance characteristic. They use this bezel material which helps Rolex watches to keep their watch like new even after several years of usage.

Lastly, Rolex has developed the Oysterflex bracelet, which is its combination of the rigidity of a metal bracelet and the flexibility and comfort of an elastomer band. This remarkable bracelet brag of a titanium-nickel alloy coated with high-performance elastomer. It does not only offer a more secure and comfortable fit but also support the strength and the fine look of the watch.

Along with its quality concept, Rolex owns its own factory for producing the needed parts autonomously. They have the full control over all production process steps including making movements themselves, as well as crafting watch cases and bracelets. Having this direct control allows Rolex to implement a strict quality control system and reach the situations where even the smallest detail of their watches is top-notch.

Rolex’s commitment to working with the best materials, adding the unique colours of the Everose Gold and the Cerachrom bezel, and their in-house production which enhance the durability and longevity of watches is another factor that explain why Rolex watches command such high prices. Likewise, all these factors accounted for the Rolex brand premium, as meticulousness and attention to detail make it different from others.

3. Innovation and Testing

Rolex’s constant pursuit of innovation and adherence to strict testing show how inventive they are in watchmaking as well as its fundamental principle. This unswerving commitment to innovatively reigning horological engineering renders every Rolex watch to good real industry standards in performance and reliability.

With their in-house movements one of the areas where Rolex demonstrates their innovative is. For instance, the manufacturer is able to make use of the production processes which guarantee quality of the components that they develop within themselves. Unlike hundreds other watch brands that only put outsourced movements for their inspiration in minds, Rolex alone is both designer and producer of their own movements that would never be found anywhere else. Such amounts of control give them the ability to reach top quality and manufacture all the details of each movement with all the necessary precision and durability. Even Rolex movements are famous for their super accuracy which can be under all kind of conditions and can perform extremely well.

Rolex complies their watches with an array of tests which are meant to guarantee their efficient functionality. Every movement is placed through series of accuracy tests including tests by COSC (Contrôle Officiel Suisse des Chronomètres), a Swiss commercial company, which tests them for accuracy in different situations. But in the case of Rolex they undergo the extra movements testing even done by their own history. Rolex’s Superlative Chronometer degree guarantees that the watch complies with the increasingly high meticulousness requirements for precision, power reserve, self-winding efficiency and water resistance.

With regard to the water endurance, Rolex watch collections are famous for their excellent waterproof features. The Company pays great attention to water resistance of their timepieces undergoing stringent testing before leaving the factory. Rolex came up with a number of innovations to improve water resistance of their watches. One of such innovations is the Oyster case that seals from within itself creating a vacuum. Another one is the Triplock winding crown system which guarantees a secure and watertight seal.

Rolex’s focus on innovation as well as demanding checkups brings them at the quality standard of the watch industry in general. All these factors, Rolex watches in-house movements, line with stricter chronometer standards, rigorous water resistance tests and continuous innovation, place them within a class of reliability, accuracy and luxury in a segment that are all to savour. The fact that Rolex watches incorporate cutting-edge technology, precision engineering, and extensive quality assurance as explained at the Rolex website, justifies the brand’s relatively high price relative to other manufacturers.