Michael Girdley(@girdley):NEW LONG FORM VIDEO: Why Rolex isn’t cool anymore In 2023, Rolex had its biggest year ever, generating more than $10 billion in sales and cementing its position as one of the most successful luxury watch brands in the world. But despite its record-breaking success, something strange was happening. Among serious watch collectors and enthusiasts, Rolex was increasingly being dismissed as a “beginner’s watch.” How did a brand once considered effortlessly cool, worn proudly by icons like Paul Newman, become so mainstream that some enthusiasts no longer considered it cool at all? This is the rise and fall of Rolex.

2026.09.15 19:40

NEW LONG FORM VIDEO: Why Rolex isn’t cool anymore In 2023, Rolex had its biggest year ever, generating more than $10 billion in sales and cementing its position as one of the most successful luxury watch brands in the world. But despite its record-breaking success, something strange was happening. Among serious watch collectors and enthusiasts, Rolex was increasingly being dismissed as a “beginner’s watch.” How did a brand once considered effortlessly cool, worn proudly by icons like Paul Newman, become so mainstream that some enthusiasts no longer considered it cool at all? This is the rise and fall of Rolex.