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Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy
That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. Here is mine:
I have purchased two watches with the 32X movement and have had zero issues, you can say I’m lucky to be one of the 75% with no problems as identified in your poll. I do not claim there is not an issue, I trust Bas and completely believe him, however I just “ordered” my grail this weekend and it has a 32X, I am not concerned. Why not? Rolex is the most successful watch company this world has ever known. They are not perfect, again I do not dispute Bas’ statement, but you do not achieve the superiority Rolex has by sustaining a bad product. I have ultimate confidence, that Rolex will solve this issue. Will my grail someday need to be sent to RSC for overhaul/repair because of this issue? It may very well be, but I trust Rolex, I trust the AD I am buying my grail from, and in the end, everything will be fine.
So, this will not stop me from buying an incredible watch I will enjoy.
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I share your admiration for the brand, but we also have to account for the fact that the Roman Empire was quite impressive, until it wasn't. Or as they say in the investment world, "past performance is not a guarantee of future results." I think the key word in your post is "sustaining." Rolex cannot keep this up. By continuing to shift models over to the 32xx they have painted themselves into a corner whereby they have to make it reliable, replace it, or fail. I have two 32xx watches - one is garbage, one is perfect. I love everything about these two watches other than the anxiety their movements bring me. So I am definitely in the camp of rooting for a solution. That is, in fact, 100% of the reason I have participated in this effort to bring the issue further into the light of day. I want to exert whatever pressure is possible on Rolex in order to help them help themselves (and thus, help us).
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Originally Posted by JMGoodnight369
I think the part that’s different now is that the higher ups at Rolex are moving the brand into more of a luxury area. Yeah they’ve been classified as a luxury item for a very long time, but they still maintained the “tool” watch vibe that built the company. Personally I feel like that tradition has been watered down over the past couple decades and now with all the hype over brands like AP and PP they are wanting to get there. For me it’s disappointing that we can’t have the best of luxury with the reliability of a tool in one package made to the highest standard in both regards. I do agree with you that I think they will fix it. It’s just a little frustrating to find out they’ve know about it for a while now and they just keep it hush hush while we keep begging to spend tens of thousands of dollars
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I fear there is truth to this, i.e. Rolex desires to shake up the current hierarchy and create a "Holy Quadrinity." There are several problems here, however. First, current alum such as AP are widely known to not have particularly robust movements. They are more about being beautiful, delicate things than they are real world tool watches. And I regularly see new Patek owners say things like "I thought the timekeeping would have been a little better, but whatever." In other words, once you get to the Rolls Royce and Bentley levels, I'm not sure people are really looking at JD Power numbers anymore - you have to compete on other merits.
Rolex to me is Lexus. Not the most prestigious. Not made from the most exotic materials. But a very nice product that is, above all, built on a reputation of reliability. Now imagine what Lexus would be if you started seeing them broke down on the side of the road everywhere. You didn't have the prestige of a Rolls, nor the performance of a Porsche, nor the exclusivity of a McLaren, and now you've lost reliability too?? Game over.
Furthermore, I would hope it is obvious to those at Rolex HQ that you can't simply move upmarket by raising MSRP. Rolex is a brand that doesn't even show you their movements. A $500 Hamilton will have a display case but a $110k Rainbow Daytona is a "nothing to see here" affair when it comes to the movement. Rolex movements have always been characterized as "robust, dead reliable, and not much to look at." Take the first 2 out of the description and you aren't left with much to brag about!
Rolex also aren't big on complications. They've got a chrono and an annual calendar and that's pretty much it. Hell, even Bell and Ross and Bulgari have tourbillons in their lineups. Rolex have a long way to go if haute horology is the game they wish to play.