Will younger adults in the near future be interested in Rolex Watches?

[RolexReviews]

Had a conversation with a few buddies of mine and would like to hear these forums thoughts on the matter.

Incase I didn't make it clear with the title let me say this, will a 18 to 28 year old be interested in Rolex Watches let's say in the year 2030?

I think Rolex isn't going to dwindle down anytime soon, but my friends say that brands like Apple have shifted the way people look at watches. "Why look at a watch just for time when I could look at it for a text and/or email as well?" he claims would be the thought process of a person who is 23 in the year 2030.

I understand some of their points, technology is getting more and more advanced sooner than later. But will Luxury watches be something people look into in the future or will it be all about the digital or smart watch scene?


Maybe I'm biased but I think people like myself who purchased their first Rolex at 21 will still be out in the world in 2030/2040/2050 and so on... what do you guys think?

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[BT1985]

Many think the Apple Watch will do for the watch industry with the current up and coming generation what Swatch did for the previous one and I tend to agree. What the both were successful at is getting young people excited and accustomed to wearing a watch. At some point those that become affluent later in life may then be more likely to buy a nice Swiss timepiece either due to genuine interest or for a status symbol. Either way a net positive for the high end watch industry and Rolex. Plus, by that time Apple will have moved off wearable tech and you will have an Apple chip in your brain.


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[Armyguy03]

I remember when calculator watches were all the rave.

[RolexReviews]

Originally Posted by BT1985

Apple will have moved off wearable tech and you will have an Apple chip in your brain.


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Jesus Christ

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[Burlington]

I tend to agree - the mechanical tech is already not necessary, this won’t change in 2030, but there will always be that inextricable draw to a mechanical mechanism and beautifully constructed/ finished case/dial aesthetic.

[Onikage]

If by then people are constantly glued to a screen reading text and emails as they apparently are at present I'll be happy to be the odd one out with my old watches. There will be demand accompanying price decreases too so bonus for me. It's gonna be great (I was never Mr. Popular).

[huncho]

i posted this in another thread about the same topic today - with all the references to rolex/ap/patek in hip hop i don't see there being a loss of interest especially considering its the most popular genre of music in the US now. essentially free marketing for these brands lol although i don't know how they feel about it

[42itus]

My son is 15 and he received an Apple Watch for his birthday. He wore it for about 3 months and was thoroughly enjoying it. One weekend he had a Model UN event and he asked if he could borrow one of my watches. I asked him what was wrong with his watch and he said he wants to exude class, so I let him choose one. He chose my Speedmaster, excellent choice. Since then he sold his Apple Watch and he is the new caretaker of my Soeedy.

[Jerz616]

My 9yr old is already obsessed with watches. Right now he wears a vivo fit jr which is just an activity tracker. But he loves having a watch on his wrist. He’s already bugging me for my watches. I told him he can have my Tag Aquaracer automatic,when he graduates HS. Then when he graduates college he can have his pick of which one of my Rolex he wants. I started my love of watches very early as well with a swatch back in the 80’s. So I have no doubt there will still be an affinity in the future generations.

[Lol-x]

Quality is timeless and future generations will for many reasons always value a fine timepiece.

[RolexReviews]

Originally Posted by Lol-x

Quality is timeless and future generations will for many reasons always value a fine timepiece.

I'm hoping this is the case!

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[burnthesehills]

My coworker was telling me recently how kids today don’t know about classic rock bands and how they will be forgotten in the near future. I pointed out to him that my teenage niece has The Doors and Led Zeppelin posters hanging in her bedroom.

The classics will never go out of style. And I doubt technology will ever replace high end luxury products.

[EDL7]

Most young people are just interested in having fun...sex.. and eventually... jobs and money..
..they have never been all that interested in watches per se..let alone expensive watches..as thats really an adults game..
I don't think expensive watches will be in play forever..and will eventually go the way of mechanical cameras.. vinyl records...and film..and...the dodo bird...lol..
There will be some still wearing a Rolex here and there....and those who provide such fine products..but as an exception...rather than the rule..perhaps enough sales though to keep em in biz..
But..
Watches are definitely not a growth industry..even though there seems to be a ok growth in sales at the moment..for some brands..
I would not count on long term sustainability..
..or interest over the long haul..

[Shamorai]

I know a few fellas in their late teens/ early twenties who aspire to owning a Rolex one day.

[mmmmp]

Originally Posted by 42itus

My son is 15 and he received an Apple Watch for his birthday. He wore it for about 3 months and was thoroughly enjoying it. One weekend he had a Model UN event and he asked if he could borrow one of my watches. I asked him what was wrong with his watch and he said he wants to exude class, so I let him choose one. He chose my Speedmaster, excellent choice. Since then he sold his Apple Watch and he is the new caretaker of my Soeedy.

Ya gotta like a kid like that! As long as he didn't flash it around with the intention of putting down folks who didn't have a hi-end watch.

Exuding class is one thing, personifing class is another. A luxo watch doesn't make a person "classy" - their actions do.

Mark



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[Tools]

We were discussing these same questions a decade or so ago.

You know, back when nobody but me and a few others were buying GMT's..

[benouah]

Will most likely be.
Just look at the number of time pieces among hip hop MV.
Those are watched mostly by teens.


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[Matt Andrews]

If they are into watches, they will be into Rolex imho

[42itus]

Originally Posted by mmmmp

Ya gotta like a kid like that! As long as he didn't flash it around with the intention of putting down folks who didn't have a hi-end watch.

Exuding class is one thing, personifing class is another. A luxo watch doesn't make a person "classy" - their actions do.

Mark



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Good points about being careful about behavior with a luxury item at a young age. Luckily I’m not worried about him flaunting it. He hangs around a good crowd and he said that while his friends noticed it nobody asked what brand it is nor do they care, in his words. But with that being said he doesn’t want to want to borrow any Rolex because he thinks if he wears a Rolex people might think he’s trying to show off. So I guess Speedys fly under the radar.

[woof]

My 27 year niece just got a big promotion so she bought herself a GMT rootbeer. My 25 year nephew wears his dad's sub everyday. Just these 2 examples, I don't think Rolex is going away.

[RolexReviews]

Originally Posted by woof

My 27 year niece just got a big promotion so she bought herself a GMT rootbeer. My 25 year nephew wears his dad's sub everyday. Just these 2 examples, I don't think Rolex is going away.

That's great to hear but in the Year 2030 they will be around the 35 to 38 year old range.

I am very well aware that younger people in these days 2019 are into Rolex but the question is will it be this way in the next decade? I understand time will tell but it's still fun to discuss

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[Yoda_Eating_Pizza]

Originally Posted by 42itus

Good points about being careful about behavior with a luxury item at a young age. Luckily I’m not worried about him flaunting it. He hangs around a good crowd and he said that while his friends noticed it nobody asked what brand it is nor do they care, in his words. But with that being said he doesn’t want to want to borrow any Rolex because he thinks if he wears a Rolex people might think he’s trying to show off. So I guess Speedys fly under the radar.

Originally Posted by woof

My 27 year niece just got a big promotion so she bought herself a GMT rootbeer. My 25 year nephew wears his dad's sub everyday. Just these 2 examples, I don't think Rolex is going away.

Upbringing is a big influence.

[AK DeepSea]

I am 29 and love watches.

[42itus]

Originally Posted by Yoda_Eating_Pizza

Upbringing is a big influence.

We got lucky. I’m sure most parents feel the same but I couldn’t have asked for. Better kid.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Tools

We were discussing these same questions a decade or so ago.

You know, back when nobody but me and a few others were buying GMT's..

And we could have asked this same question every ten years since 1950.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Armyguy03

I remember when calculator watches were all the rave.

Me, too, and I also remember swearing that I'd never own another mechanical watch again when the digital watches first became affordable in the mid-Seventies.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by Yoda_Eating_Pizza

Upbringing is a big influence.

Perhaps.

I was born in Scotland a few years after the war.

The toilets were out the back, the nearest cold water was on the first floor landing and we had a single gas burner.

[O M Z]

I’m 26 and purchased my first Rolex yesterday! I used an Apple watch few years ago and tbh they look really ridiculous on people as a daily IMO. I’d only use it for sports.

I’d say that people my age are getting more and more interested in luxury watches if I look around me and that “older” people are getting interested in these so called smart watches.


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[No SUBctitute]

Originally Posted by BT1985

by that time Apple will have moved off wearable tech and you will have an Apple chip in your brain.

I NEARLY SPIT MY BEER OUT!

[DLRIDES]

Short answer, generally speaking .............. NO !

) Twenty somethings currently interested in watches are irrelevant

) Enthusiasts tend to view situations with rose colored glasses

) General public (non-enthusiast) children do not experience an adult in their life wearing a mechanical watch, and the number is diminishing yearly

) Sales statistics for electronic wrist devices are staggering, and increasing rapidly

My conclusion:

In thirty to forty years, up to sixty percent of mechanical watch manufacturers will be out of business. The remaining will supply the WIS type enthusiasts.Rolex will be one of the survivors.


There will be a new market segment of hybrid mechanical/smart watch that will be powered by a mechanical movement with a micro generator producing the current for the electronic functions. Imagine an advanced version of the current Ressence E-Crown. Rolex will manufacture a line of watches for this new segment, and probably currently in development.