Rolex and the Workplace

[Conductor]

Im a union man myself, and my supervisors have noticed my watch and ever so slightly start pulling down their sleeves over their wrists :)
Wear, live, drive what you want! I was the guy that saw people wearing rolexs' and driving nice cars and that only inspired me to work harder to achieve those finer things, and here I am now, inspiring others :) Work hard, play hard.

[JBat]

Originally Posted by sandskj

Do you consider others at your place of work when wearing your rolex? Let me explain - I work for a large integrated energy company (think Exxon, Chevron, Shell, etc). I work in an oil refinery in a management level position - the vast majority of the work force are union represented employees and the balance are staff employees. My concern is wearing a Rolex and the impression it might leave on others in the workplace. Kinda like driving a BMW to work when the vast majority is driving a Ford.

I'm union represented and have worn a Rolex daily for three years now. No one notices. It's just a watch. If you like it, wear it.

[sappie66]

Originally Posted by Newportkrieger

Unless you are the business owner claiming poverty during wage negotiations I do not see how it is relevant. I assume you earned your Rolex and its not a solid gold/diamond affair(inappropriate for the work environment you are in), you therefore deserve to enjoy it regardless of what others may or may not think. That said, it is always in poor taste/crass to "show it off" or "brag" on it.

As far as the union members having a problem with your Rolex, "rank has it privileges"! I am sure you worked hard to get into your position; you probably hold an undergraduate and most likely a graduate degree. If they want a Rolex let them save their $$ and get one as well or let them do the hard work to prepare/educate themselves to get into management like you did. Hell, I highly recommend BMW ownership as well!

I would have to agree with all of the above. I have earned what I have. I will spend my money as I see fit. If others have an issue, it speaks about their personality flaws and petty jealousies, and not about me.

[Aspirin]

SS rolex is suitable for any workplaces, no gold no diamond.

[isap63]

Keep it under the hood without flashing the watch. I have experienced some folks talking bad on the back about how other guy wears a Omega.

[SS Oyster]

Rolex wearers notice, most others won't or wouldn't care.

I did hear though once that a guy didn't get a job because he wore a diamond blinged out President to an interview (probably should have left that one off that day).

I just wear my SS sub because it's comfortable, because it's rugged (don't have to worry about breaking it), and because I really enjoy it.

Only two others in my company wear Rolex - CTO switches between TT Daytona and SS DJ, SVP Sales wears SS Sub LN with lug holes. I have talked to CTO about his once and never to the Sales guy. We're just too busy.

[vletnguyen]

i am in graduate school and wear my 16610 daily. i just leave it tucked under the sleeves or white coat especially when on rotations.

[hacampbell1360]

I wear mine everyday to work. 99 percent of the general public do not know or cares anyway. Most of the time it is under a long sleeve shirt so it is out of sight. My co-workers better not make negative remarks because i can get them fired! I own the place.

[Singslinger]

I have colleagues who wear Pateks, Langes and Panerais to work! But even if they all wore ordinary watches I wouldn't think twice about wearing my Rolexes in the office.

[AIRKING114200]

I am jobless. Sit the whole day in a school for engineers. Nobody noticed my watch. Wear whatever you want.

[Robbie1889]

You earn your money and chose to spend it accordingly..... WEAR WITH PRIDE it's for you and no one else. A slightly different thing but same principal I'm covered (i dont mean the odd one here n there) in tattoos but anyone that doesn't know me would be non the wiser, because I had them for me not for show.

[dddrees]

I work from my house. My Dog has yet to notice a thing.

[crimsondonkey]

Guess its pretty much horses for courses. I'm a management consultant working in the public sector (health). I wear my SS OP to the office and almost nobody notices (or at least if they do then they make no comment). When I'm working with clients I take care to look smart but in an intentionally non threatening way, so I avoid anything that might be regarded by others as ostentatious - so the Rolex normally stays at home and I wear something else (vintage Omega Cosmic, Rado Musketeer etc').

Also I don't personally think its good form to wear a sports watch with a suit so if I do wear a Rolex to work its usually the more understated SS OP. When its a less formal environment then I get to don the Sub (which normally gets noticed!).

[2jabs]

Nope - couldn't care less about others. A Rolex should represent (to yourself) a personal Achievement -wear it with pride.

I remember being an office junior years back and seeing someone in a higher position than me. They had a Rolex and it spurred me on to achieve my goals.

There are jealous people out there, and then here are people who know how to admire and respect.

Just my personal opinion.

[EvEr34]

I'm the boss so no I don't care.

My sales manager makes a good coin and jealousy is usually directed towards him. A while back One of the secretaries ( a guy) made a comment directed towards the manager and I heard him respond from my office. Went something like this. "Hey you...I chose the work I do for it's many rewards including the money. I also chose to work weekends and evenings when needed. You on the other hand chose the comfort of your chair for the limited period of 8:00 to 4:00. So next time the phone the ring at 4:01 and you choose not to answer...think about that."

[slcbbrown]

In a "plant" setting, I would consider flashy jewelry to be a bigger faux pas. If you had a $30,000 Patek, no one would know or notice, but a diamonique encrusted gold-tone watch screams "look at me". To me, this would be a mistake.

A typical Rolex flies under the radar in most settings.

[petesjag]

Mine would be ruined in no time if I wore it to work......so I wear a cheapo that I dont care about.....get this...its also a cheap quartz thing....I dare not even mention it but now its been said!......

[ingoodtime]

I'm an I.T. guy and work closely with mgmt. My office has over 80 staff and most of them know I enjoy watches. I am also the only one with a Rolex. My boss loved my TT serti sub and got interested in Rolex. So, I began to research some for her. Of course, she wanted a solid gold watch...until she saw the price...even on preowned. Suffice it to say, I am the only Rolex wearer in my office.

Truth be told, unless I am wearing a large watch with some flash to it such as
A Renato TREX or Stallion, no one notices my Rolex. They might ask, which watch are you wearing today.

[NAVY]

My co-workers know I love watches and appreciate what I like! They get a kick when I wear a different one or tell them I'm on the hunt
My manager loves to show me her $10 Walmart watch ... All in good spirit and fun!

As others have stated, "it's only a watch" ... I think the rest is just in our "WIS Brain" ... as long as you enjoy it, "ya done good"

[jnkay]

The OP raises a good question. Do you wear a nicer watch or drive a nicer car than your coworkers? Boss? It isn't terribly smart to drive a nicer car than your boss, but I do anyway, because I'm a car guy and my boss isn't. Still, it attracted a LOT of attention. Three years later, they are all used to seeing it in the parking lot, but it may well have affected my prospects for a raise. My boss and coworkers aren't into watches either, so as long as I'm wearing SS they don't know the difference. However, when I have worn the blingier models with gold, they have attracted a bit too much attention.

[Numismatist]

It actually helps me in my work.
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[Thomas]

Nobody probably even cares, at the end of the day really all it is, is just a watch, albiet a bit more expensive than someone elses. Someone in your office probably has something more expensive than a similar thing that you have, and they don't give it a second thought.

[dricig]

I'm a cop and have been wearing a rolex to work since 1987.
A SS Date and a GMT Master pepsi. I don't consider others when I put them on everyday, hell, I worked hard for them! I consider them just another part of my uniform and they fit nicely with my other "quality" life saving gear.

dave

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by isap63

Keep it under the hood without flashing the watch. I have experienced some folks talking bad on the back about how other guy wears a Omega.

If someone talks bad about someone else about what watch they wear that makes them a pretty shallow person in my book. Many things make a person who he/she is, and a watch does not even come close.

[av8ors]

I wear mine all time and glad that no one notice at my workplace. To be honest, no one will be impressed over there anyway.

[snowbird]

Originally Posted by crimsondonkey

Also I don't personally think its good form to wear a sports watch with a suit so if I do wear a Rolex to work its usually the more understated SS OP. When its a less formal environment then I get to don the Sub (which normally gets noticed!).

I've seen this comment several times from UK members and I'm thinking there may be a difference on this point in the UK versus some other places (like the US). In the US my observation is that wearing sports watches with suits is very common, at least in recent years - I see a lot more of those than the traditional gold watch on a leather strap.

I was in a meeting recently, everyone wearing suits, all Canadian or US people except for one guy from the UK. Everyone had on some kind of steel or steel/gold watch on a metal bracelet (Rolex, Breitling, etc.) except the guy from the UK had on a gold watch on a leather strap.

Other observations on this?

[Newportkrieger]

Originally Posted by snowbird

I've seen this comment several times from UK members and I'm thinking there may be a difference on this point in the UK versus some other places (like the US). In the US my observation is that wearing sports watches with suits is very common, at least in recent years - I see a lot more of those than the traditional gold watch on a leather strap.

I was in a meeting recently, everyone wearing suits, all Canadian or US people except for one guy from the UK. Everyone had on some kind of steel or steel/gold watch on a metal bracelet (Rolex, Breitling, etc.) except the guy from the UK had on a gold watch on a leather strap.

Other observations on this?

This would be an interesting thread of its own maybe with a poll

[snowbird]

Originally Posted by Newportkrieger

This would be an interesting thread of its own maybe with a poll

Good idea - I'll set that up.

[sea-dweller]

I work in a field where wearing a Rolex "helps" create an impression of success and we need to create that impression with our customers/prospects.

[mjrennie]

I bought the watch, I will wear it where I please. End of.