Accessories / Society

Is a Rolex a good investment? Our watch expert weighs in

By Kristian Haagen

Photo: Getty

Many watch brands tend to follow trends. But Rolex is not like many watch brands - here's why

You probably know several people who own a Rolex. Perhaps there is a Rolex adorning your own wrist right now. But even if not, there's little chance that you haven't heard of a watch brand that has become a byword for quality and luxury.

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It's a well-earned reputation that has stood the test of time. A Rolex is a watch like no other on the market today, but the brand has gotten used to blazing trails, having done so for decades.

Rolex was the first water resistant watch to make headlines, when Mercedes Gleitze wore a Rolex Oyster around her wrist during her 10-hour swim across the English Channel in 1927. The illustrious Rolex GMT-Masters were on the wrists of the PanAm pilots crossing the Atlantic during the 1950s, and American actor Paul Newman wore a Cosmograph Daytona that brought in almost $18 million when it was auctioned in 2017.

These are just some of the headlines made by Rolex in the last 100 years or so. And it looks like it will do so for centuries to come as well. Generations of watch lovers prove that Rolex is the watch brand that transcends trends.

Swimmer Mercedes Gleitze attempt to swim the English Channel.

Swimmer Mercedes Gleitze attempting to swim the English Channel in 1927 wearing a Rolex Oyster. Photo: Getty

I am not Newman, nor am I one of the many legendary Rolex wearers that have performed so resoundingly well in their fields. But I do acknowledge the value of a Rolex watch. And so does my family.

When I presented my girlfriend with a 31 millimeter Rolex DateJust with a stunning blue dial and a white gold bezel, I left her speechless.

I bought a Rolex Date in steel on the day that my daughter was born. Throughout her childhood I would take her to the bank vault (where I keep my own watch collection) to show her the watch she would get when turning 18. Her expectations were met when I could finally put in on her wrist during a celebratory dinner party.

On the caseback I have engraved "If you trade this watch into hash make sure you get at least a kilo. Love Dad." I had that engraving made years before as I cannot expect my kids to share the same love for horology as their dad. That being said, I should have instead written "three kilos" - Rolex tends to increase in value. Hash, I am told, does not.

Rolex Watch factory, Geneva 1949

Rolex Watch factory, Geneva 1949. Photo: Getty

When my son turns 18, he will get a Rolex Sea-Dweller. It is not any old Sea-Dweller taken off the shelf, it comes with a story. The original owner bought it before joining a NATO mission in 1992. The former owner also wore this watch on six other missions, which have all been immortalised as engravings on the caseback, reflecting a life lived in extreme environments.

This Sea-Dweller reminds me of how I found Rolex: on the first advertisement pages of National Geographic during the early 1970s. But more importantly, on the wrists of the mountaineers, explorers, deep sea divers and pioneers in the articles inside. These images seeded my own early fascination for timepieces.

Experiencing the thrill of a watch across different generations only emphasises the importance of the Rolex. Not only as a fine mechanical timepiece, but more importantly as a timeless brand that is not impacted by the vagaries of different eras.

Indeed, Rolex watches seem to only increase in value. Proof that the craftsmanship of yesteryear's mechanical timepieces will always outperform the latest technology.

Whether it's for yourself or your family, and whatever is currently in fashion, a Rolex is never a bad idea.