Why do Rolex Watches Cost So Much?

Why Rolex Watches Cost So Much is one of the most frequently asked topics regarding high-end timepieces. Moreover, “Why are Rolex prices so high?” The short explanation is that Rolex watches are some of the world’s most exquisite timepieces, which drives their price. A Rolex watch is a globally known status symbol of excellence, success, and exclusivity.

This is in addition to every model’s cutting-edge proprietary technology and excellent finishing standards. A watch of this exceptional quality is expensive to produce, and as you might anticipate, it will cost you a fair amount of money to buy one for yourself. However, many have frequently pondered the primary cause of Rolex watches’ high price. Are the high price tags justified, or are they merely for appearances? We’ll review every justification for why Rolex watches are so expensive in this post, allowing you to assess their validity.

Why do Rolex Watches Cost So Much?

People frequently use the adjectives “extravagance,” “luxury,” and “class” while discussing Rolex watches. Rolex watches are adored by famous people worldwide because of their stunning designs, dependable movements, and opulent construction. Warren Buffett, Paul Newman, Martin Luther King, John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and many other well-known figures have all sported Rolex watches. Given the high cost of Rolex watches, it is understandable why high earners are more likely to purchase these prestigious timepieces.

Use of 904L Stainless Steel by Rolex

Rolex provides its high-end timepieces with a timeless, unbeatable design to set them apart from the competition. This involves the usage of 904L stainless steel, a high-quality metal. Compared to the typical 316L steel, which other watchmakers frequently use, this steel type is much stronger and glossier.

In addition to being costly, 904L stainless steel is also difficult to produce. In 2003, Rolex began utilizing this steel widely.

Since most Rolex watches are produced in-house, 904L stainless steel was produced using most old tools and equipment. Making this type of steel requires specialized knowledge and additional labor. As a result, the majority of watchmakers still use 316L steel. Rolex is likely the only manufacturer of watches to use 904L steel as a result.

Different Research Facilities

Internal Research & Development at Rolex is very remarkable. Researchers and scientists work on innovative Rolex watches and production procedures in their many professional labs and facilities.

Rolex must ensure that these labs and facilities have the best team possible. To research the oils and lubricants used in their machinery, they opt to employ highly qualified experts in their chemistry lab.

A stress test chamber for testing watch movements, cases, and bands is one of Rolex’s other unique amenities. The business also features a space where research on metals and other materials is done, along with several electron microscopes and gas spectrometers.

The Relevance Of Automation

Rolex has heavily invested in machines, most of which are in the form of robots, being one of the greatest watch brands available with extremely high demand.

The corporation employs these robots in its master supply room to help with monotonous tasks like packaging, retrieving trays carrying parts, or finishing the assembly of Rolex watches. Before human workers took over, Rolex used robots to clean watches in the earliest stages.

Designed by Hand Movements

Although Rolex uses robots extensively in its manufacturing process, the duties that they carry out are quite straightforward. Sorting, cataloging, and filing are a few of these. In actuality, bracelets and watch movements are typically hand-assembled. To assure high quality, watches are frequently reviewed again and put through human testing before being forwarded to COSC for chronometer certification.

A Gemologists’ Army

Rolex employs a sizable team of gemologists to guarantee that they consistently provide customers with high-quality luxury timepieces. These professionals help select, evaluate, and mount priceless materials, including gold and diamonds, onto a range of opulent models.

The business also enlists the help of seasoned jewelers for the hand-selection and hand-setting of diamonds and precious stones.

Producing Gold

The claim that Rolex is the only watchmaker to create their gold is widely accepted. This explains why certain gold watch models appear on lists of the priciest timepieces. Rolex often refines 24K gold into 18K yellow, white, or everose gold for their products.

Rolex watch supplies are scarce

Like many other premium goods, only a few Rolex watches are made each year. Additionally, it implies that even fewer vintage watches are available for purchase. In our century of business, we have discovered that the more distinctive an object is, the more precious and in demand it is.

Testing for Water Permeability

Rolex timepieces are remarkably impervious. Some can withstand water up to 300 meters (e.g., Rolex Submariner watches). Each Rolex diving watch is often tested in pressurized tanks first, then outdoors in actual water to validate water resistance levels. In the meantime, Rolex frequently employs a high-pressure water tank that has been particularly designed with COMEX to test Rolex Deepsea watches.

What Materials Does Rolex Use?

The materials Rolex uses in producing its watches are vitally essential to the caliber of its product. Among the most cutting-edge and highly connected manufacturing facilities in the world produces almost all of the brand’s products on-site. The metals and alloys that go into a Rolex watch are listed here.

• Rolex’s term for the 904L stainless steel utilized across its range is oyster steel. It is extremely durable and corrosion-resistant and is often only used in chemical and aeronautical engineering fields.
• 18k Yellow Gold: Forged in-house by Rolex (as is the case with virtually every metal the brand employs), 18k yellow gold is made of 75% pure gold mixed with minor amounts of silver and copper to harden the alloy and give it its distinctive color.
• 18k White Gold: To create its versatile monochrome hue, Rolex’s white gold combines nickel and palladium and contains the same percentage of pure gold as the yellow variant. Rolex does not rhodium-plate its white gold models, in contrast to several other white gold watches.
• 8k Everose Gold: Everose is the brand name for the pink gold alloy that Rolex first released in 2005. It comprises 75% pure gold, 23% copper, which gives it the warm reddish tinge, and 2% platinum, which preserves the color and keeps the warm pink undertones from fading.
• Platinum: Rolex’s 950 platinum, which can only be found at the very top of the Daytona, Lady-Datejust lines, and Day-Date, is made up of 95% pure platinum mixed with ruthenium for increased strength and longevity.
• Rolex used aluminum for the bezel inserts in some of its tool watches, but in 2005 it switched to a special ceramic material known as Cerachrom.
• Rolesor is the brand name for a two-tone combination of gold and steel pieces on a single watch. It was first developed in 1933. The bezel, crown, and central links of the yellow and Everose variations are made of all three colors of gold, while the watch case and external links are made of stainless steel. Only the bezel is portrayed in gold on the white gold Rolesor variants.
• Rolesium: Another word used by Rolex for a mixture of metals, Rolesium is made of platinum and stainless steel. Since its debut in 1999, it has only been used on the Rolex Yacht-Master line, including a steel case and bracelet with an outer bezel made of solid platinum.

Rolex vs. Omega

History

OMEGA watch brand has a lengthy history of serving as the Olympic Games’ official timekeeper and, more recently, as the PGA America. Like golf, yachting, motorsport, and equestrian competitions, Rolex has a long history of functioning as the official timekeeper in tennis.

Read Also: Which Omega Watches Hold Their Value?

Cost

OMEGA and Rolex differ in several significant ways as well. The first one is cost. Look at the OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300 and Rolex Oyster Perpetual for each brand’s entry-level timepieces. A new OMEGA Seamaster Diver 300 presently costs $2300, while used ones cost roughly $1300. On the other hand, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual currently costs between $2095 and $4850 new. You can also read Why Omega Watches So Expensive?

Movements

The movements of OMEGA and Rolex constitute the second significant distinction. Rolex briefly cashed in on the quartz trend by making quartz-powered timepieces. The Rolex quartz period, however, came to an end in 2001. They now solely make mechanically operated timepieces. On the other hand, quartz movements have always been and still are a part of the OMEGA catalog.

Water Resistant

Last but not least, OMEGA and Rolex have long been rivals regarding water resistance. Rolex ruled OMEGA for many years. However, OMEGA only just this year, in 2019, eclipsed Rolex’s record by twelve meters. While Rolex and Omega are fairly competitive in several areas, their materials and craftsmanship are unquestionably superior. I believe that Omega watches are a slightly more sensible purchase for most customers. The majority of people are searching for a fantastic watch that is sturdy and long-lasting. That’s exactly what Omega offers.

Conclusion

Various factors contribute to Why do Rolex Watches Cost So Much? Those desiring to wear a sparkling luxury star on their wrist typically strive for Rolex because its watches are genuine, gorgeous, and contain necessary precision.

But producing Rolex is no simple task. Since every watch must be of the highest calib7e, it takes the company approximately a full year to develop a single new collection.

FAQs