B Magazine #41 Rolex

Magazine B is an ad-free publication offering an independent perspective on well-balanced brands from around the globe.

Founded in 1905 by 24-year-old Hans Wilsdorf, Rolex created a completely new type of wristwatch when it introduced the world’s first waterproof watchcase: the Oyster case, which still endures as a symbol of solid manufacturing. Since the 1950s, Rolex has continued to lead the watch industry by launching a wide range of models, including the Explorer, Submariner, Milgauss, and Oyster Perpetual Day-Date. While a number of brands such as Seiko counterattacked with electronic watches, Rolex has adhered to its original brand values by continuing to produce mechanical watches.

A number of brands are described as premium. Being expensive and high-end does not always mean a brand is good, but premium is a position that many brands aspire to occupy. The brands that succeed in becoming premium brands are objects of desire for consumers.

Personally speaking, I am not particularly fond of luxury brands, but I cannot help having the utmost respect for the paths they have trodden and their skills to give consumers sufficient reason to pay handsomely for their products. Among luxury products, there is a lot to say about watches. Wristwatches are one of the most clearly branded items people wear, so it is no wonder that financial affluence leads to the desire to wear a premium wristwatch.

In fact, the wide range of wristwatches cannot be simply categorized as good or bad. Wristwatches are the direct reflection of the values of their wearers. In terms of function, watches are all the same in that they tell the time, but it is not always the case that a more expensive wristwatch is better. As such, wearing a costlier wristwatch is not always more appealing. The ideal watch is the one that best fits the wearer’s thoughts and values.