Recently, there have been rumors of a strange "marathon" involving clocks. This time, we will be reporting on the problems that this "marathon" is causing.
(Article published on October 9, 2022)
"I'm scared of serving customers every day..."
"We don't have any watches to sell, but they come to the store almost every day. They're customers, so we try to serve them, but... To be honest, I've become scared of serving them."
This kind of "damage" happens every day at authorized Rolex retailers. People call it the "Rolex Marathon."
Recently, it seems that such "troublesome customers" have been suddenly appearing in groups at long-established watch shops in regional prefectural capitals. This is more like a tour than a marathon. Just imagining it makes me feel sorry for the store staff.
Now, let's get to the point. If you are simply and genuinely wanting a Rolex and are "running a Rolex marathon" because you believe what you see on TV variety shows and on the social media of online "watch enthusiasts," then please stop immediately. It's a waste of time, and more than anything, it's a nuisance to watch shops.
As a measure against these "marathon customers," an increasing number of stores, especially department stores, are now requiring customers to make reservations in advance. This is only natural. If you're a normal person, you'd be happy with the attentive service provided by this reservation system.
Rolex is certainly a great watch, but...
The first time I heard this strange term, "Rolex Marathon," was in the fall of 2020 on a variety show on commercial television.
Of course, once you get to know the watch, it's only natural to think, "I want a Rolex." In any case, it's a wonderful watch that's been carefully crafted. There are no complication models, and the exterior design hasn't changed much, but they've always strived to make better watches, and have constantly evolved every aspect of them.
Readers of this article will be well aware that the brand has long used 904L stainless steel for cases and bracelets, which is difficult to process but has excellent corrosion resistance. It was also one of the first to develop and adopt gold materials like "Everose gold," which do not deteriorate over time. Furthermore, it was one of the first to achieve anti-magnetic movements and long power reserves.
It remains the most well-known name in the world. It is also highly durable and popular in the secondary market, resulting in a high resale value. This is another attraction of Rolex, and it is easy to understand why people feel that "Rolex is reliable."
The "Rolex conspiracy theory" is a complete lie
But when people want to buy something but can't get it, they start to go crazy, and strange rumors start to spread.
Some troublesome people are promoting the so-called "Rolex conspiracy theory," claiming that "the reason is that Rolex production numbers are low. Rolex is to blame." However, as I have already mentioned in a previous column, Rolex itself has completely denied this theory (see the URL below).
http://www.webchronos.net/features/70429/
Rolex is not an ordinary profit-making company, and if you look at its social contribution activities, you will see that it is a reputable company with very high morals. If I had the chance to interview them, I would really like to do so. They have been running an excellent social contribution program for decades.
Similarly, the "morality" in product development, that is, the standards for functionality and quality required, are also high. This is why the products are so great and popular.
Rolex does not disclose its annual production figures, but the same is true for other luxury watch brands. However, we can infer from various sources that the production figures are large enough. However, the demand is extraordinary. I think that a large number of marathon enthusiasts want a Rolex because it is famous and popular with others.
But as someone who has been covering watches for nearly 30 years, I can say that there are plenty of other great watches out there, and plenty of watches that will suit you. I hope you'll turn your attention to them.
To begin with, it is not easy to expand the scale of production of highly accurate and reliable mechanical watches. That is why Rolex simply continues to make watches at its own pace. What is abnormal is the market where people can make money by simply "rolling" their products, and Rolex has no obligation to cater to this abnormal market.
"Even though this model is so popular worldwide, I heard it's already sold out. The production run is far too small. Why don't they make more?"
In 1997, at the height of the mechanical watch boom, I asked the head of an independent watch brand a question.
"We don't want to push ourselves to increase sales. There's no point in pushing ourselves to increase sales. We know that very well from experience. If we hire more people, expand production, and then sales stop, we'll have to lay off employees. We don't want to do that."
