What it means to wear a Rolex in China

[nosignalbmwdriver]

Engaged in a great conversation with a few of my chinese canadian friends this week about Rolex and it’s significance in the chinese business culture. To my understanding it packs a lot of punch in social circles to wear PM Rolex.

Wanted to know if there is anyone in the forums who are of chinese decent, have friends in these circles or visit frequently can share an opinion? I’ve visited Shanghai in 2019, sniped quite a bit of two tone and yellow gold classic models which was sweet!

[Mr. K]

I think it would pack a lot of punch in many circles, not just Chinese.

[Finslayer83]

Face is a real thing.

[SubMillennial]

a lot of fakes out there

[gerry100]

Is it difficult if not impossible to represent your success with homes or cars in China or HK?

If so clothing and jewelry moves to the forefront

[nyc10ken]

Luxury goods are always appreciated there but my opinion is that mainland Chinese are still new to Rolex and so its too soon to call it part of the culture (HK different story). Not too long ago Omega was the popular brand amongst middle class.

[Gobee]

Asians value gold. They don't care about the story behind a watch. If they are going to waste money on a watch They rather have it in gold because it's also safe value. If rolex marketing loses it's reputation you can still sell the gold.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by SubMillennial

a lot of fakes out there

My Chinese family is much too proud and wouldn’t be caught dead wearing anything fake. The rubbish is for westerners.

[nollie85]

Asian culture LOVE LOVE gold mostly Yellow Gold. Its been like that for centuries and yeah I'm Asian background.

There are certain asian cultures like Korean that I personally know watches mark a special occasion like a wedding. One of my very best friends is Korean and on his wedding day his father in law gifted him a Rolex. It was a nice touch.

In my culture we dont really gift watches as wedding gifts or anything but used as a reward for personal excellence or achievement. I would say most would choose Yellow Gold PM than any other color gold in Asian countries.

[2loaded]

Korea as well. Rolex sure, but a gold Rolex absolutely.

[Spurman]

Rolex used to be the de facto.

Now it seems a patek.

[SaintMickey]

I worked for a Chinese manufacturer and in all my time around friends and colleagues in US and in China. Never seen a fake on anyone.

The "bad guys" make them and then sell them to everyone else.

[nosignalbmwdriver]

Is my newly acquired skydweller hitting close to that PM lvl? LOL We have a big asian community where I live. it’s great

Originally Posted by nollie85

Asian culture LOVE LOVE gold mostly Yellow Gold. Its been like that for centuries and yeah I'm Asian background.

There are certain asian cultures like Korean that I personally know watches mark a special occasion like a wedding. One of my very best friends is Korean and on his wedding day his father in law gifted him a Rolex. It was a nice touch.

In my culture we dont really gift watches as wedding gifts or anything but used as a reward for personal excellence or achievement. I would say most would choose Yellow Gold PM than any other color gold in Asian countries.

[Gobee]

Originally Posted by nosignalbmwdriver

Is my newly acquired skydweller hitting close to that PM lvl? LOL We have a big asian community where I live. it’s great

A little sporty but you are getting close. Lol. Somehow I always picture asian wirh gold day dates. They like prestige. Do you come from Scarborough? Good asian community in the gta

[walkman2727]

I am Chinese, have been living in LA for a little over 20 years. You mentioned you have been to Shanghai in 2019, good for you. I do not have to tell you much about the country now. For those who don't know and keep saying "there are too much fake", will remain don't know for good.
in my opinion, Rolex in China in popular like in America, you won't find people wearing them in subway, but you can not find anything in ADs... Grey dealers are making good money. Really not much differences.
IF you plan on anther trip to China for some watch shopping, I suggest to go visit HongKong, people there love Rolex.

[7enderbender]

And this is why we can’t have nice things.

[nosignalbmwdriver]

Korea is amazing from what I hear. Definitely on the near future list.

PM seems to be popular in Asia, especially when I was in Singapore. Tons of TT subs!

Originally Posted by 2loaded

Korea as well. Rolex sure, but a gold Rolex absolutely.

[Ichiran]

I'm Asian but I prefer SS.

[nyc10ken]

Originally Posted by 7enderbender

And this is why we can’t have nice things.

I understand what youre meaning, but without going political, I think if looking to place blame better to put it on the manufacturer for not meeting worldwide demand.

[Mick006]

I had a lovely trip to various cities in China about 3 years ago. My driver from the airport wore a 5 digit sub on a nato.

Lovely country with very interesting culture and great history. Very much enjoyed the trip. But did not see many Rolex in the wild.

[amh]

Not many Rolex in China? Went to Shanghai, couldn't throw a dead cat without hitting a Rolex. Tons of them. (downtown)

[Ensign]

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

Never seen a fake on anyone.

For what isn’t worth, I happen to be in Walmart in Southern California and I saw a Chinese employee in the clothing section wearing a “5711.”

I had to fight hard not to go up to him and ask him about his watch.

So many questions!

[Old Expat Beast]

Originally Posted by Finslayer83

Face is a real thing.

Face plays a large part, but you have to dig a little deeper for the larger picture.

Rolex watches have been sold in Hong Kong since before the Second World War, and there were ADs here in the mid 1930s (quite a bit earlier than in the USA). After the Communist Revolution in the late 1940s, millions of people came here, especially from Shanghai, to seek refuge (up to the 1980s and even a few in the early 1990s). The first wave of refugees were relatively wealthy but often had to leave much of their cash and belongings behind.

An easy way to show their (former) status was to display a gold or partly gold watch. Many of those first arrivals, just like Hong Kong’s locals, went for the Datejust, as it was relatively new and had a novel date function which was quite the thing back then. It’s still perhaps the most popular model today, judging from the number seen around town.

From the late 1950s, refugees were poorer, more desperate folk, fleeing the Great Leap Forward (1958-61) or the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 76 approx). Many were single men, and for them the first item on the shopping list was a transistor radio, but the grail was a Rolex watch, or at least a Tudor, a brand for which many settled (as in those days they looked exactly like Rolex, thereby giving some ‘face’ at least from a distance), and which is still very popular today.

This as I see it (and I am happy to be corrected by our Hong Kong Chinese members) is more or less how Rolex came to be an integral part of Hong Kong life. Go into the Rolex Service Centre any day of the week and you will see the place packed with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and wealth brackets. Office girls, rich housewives, old men with their retirement Datejusts, young entrepreneurs with their vintage PN Daytonas and red subs, etc, etc.

This is how Hong Kong can sustain 60+ ADs.

Hans Wilsdorf’s death in 1960 was front-page news in the local papers here. I doubt that was the case in many other cities around the world.

(And yes, Hong Kong folk wouldn't be caught dead wearing a fake. Those are for tourists only).

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Face plays a large part, but you have to dig a little deeper for the larger picture.

Rolex watches have been sold in Hong Kong since before the Second World War, and there were ADs here in the mid 1930s (quite a bit earlier than in the USA). After the Communist Revolution in the late 1940s, millions of people came here, especially from Shanghai, to seek refuge (up to the 1980s and even a few in the early 1990s). The first wave of refugees were relatively wealthy but often had to leave much of their cash and belongings behind.

An easy way to show their (former) status was to display a gold or partly gold watch. Many of those first arrivals, just like Hong Kong’s locals, went for the Datejust, as it was relatively new and had a novel date function which was quite the thing back then. It’s still perhaps the most popular model today, judging from the number seen around town.

From the late 1950s, refugees were poorer, more desperate folk, fleeing the Great Leap Forward (1958-61) or the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 76 approx). Many were single men, and for them the first item on the shopping list was a transistor radio, but the grail was a Rolex watch, or at least a Tudor, a brand for which many settled (as in those days they looked exactly like Rolex, thereby giving some ‘face’ at least from a distance), and which is still very popular today.

This as I see it (and I am happy to be corrected by our Hong Kong Chinese members) is more or less how Rolex came to be an integral part of Hong Kong life. Go into the Rolex Service Centre any day of the week and you will see the place packed with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and wealth brackets. Office girls, rich housewives, old men with their retirement Datejusts, young entrepreneurs with their vintage PN Daytonas and red subs, etc, etc.

This is how Hong Kong can sustain 60+ ADs.

Hans Wilsdorf’s death in 1960 was front-page news in the local papers here. I doubt that was the case in many other cities around the world.

(And yes, Hong Kong folk wouldn't be caught dead wearing a fake. Those are for tourists only).

Wow, what a sincerely amazing post.

[lig]

Asian here. YG is too flashy for me. I do love platinum though. As mentioned previously it was a reward to myself for an achievement.

NONE of my Asian friends would wear a fake.

[wuyeah]

I think Chinese wearing fake watches era is gone. I am working in China and China today it is separated btw ppl who wear authentic expensive watches or not wearing a wristwatch at all. Brands like Seiko, Hamilton,....market isn't as big as in US. In my experience, people asking me to where to buy replica, watches, bags, shoes are my western colleagues or clients. Majority are not interested spending on a watch or has an interest.

[Spurman]

B4 covid.
China chinese made up of half of singapore's buyers of patek phillipe. And a good amt of rolexes too


Theres like a billion chinese and prob 10 million of them r millionaries and well they love gold and watches n esp rolex.

Thus rolex will forever be in demand i am afraid

[ninjin]

For Chinese people, a Rolex is something that has to be done if you can afford it.

It is a sign of success. I would not call it flexing but more of a coming of age.

I grew up from knowing what a Rolex was and aspired to owning one, took me till my 30th birthday to actually afford one.

Well, that's how it used to be in the 80s, 90s, 2000s.... Un-fortunately nowadays I know of too many youngsters who cant afford them buying them on low interest credit. The addiction of 'Social Media' has no borders.

The really wealthy no longer wear Rolex, PP and RM are the favourites nowadays.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Face plays a large part, but you have to dig a little deeper for the larger picture.

Rolex watches have been sold in Hong Kong since before the Second World War, and there were ADs here in the mid 1930s (quite a bit earlier than in the USA). After the Communist Revolution in the late 1940s, millions of people came here, especially from Shanghai, to seek refuge (up to the 1980s and even a few in the early 1990s). The first wave of refugees were relatively wealthy but often had to leave much of their cash and belongings behind.

An easy way to show their (former) status was to display a gold or partly gold watch. Many of those first arrivals, just like Hong Kong’s locals, went for the Datejust, as it was relatively new and had a novel date function which was quite the thing back then. It’s still perhaps the most popular model today, judging from the number seen around town.

From the late 1950s, refugees were poorer, more desperate folk, fleeing the Great Leap Forward (1958-61) or the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 76 approx). Many were single men, and for them the first item on the shopping list was a transistor radio, but the grail was a Rolex watch, or at least a Tudor, a brand for which many settled (as in those days they looked exactly like Rolex, thereby giving some ‘face’ at least from a distance), and which is still very popular today.

This as I see it (and I am happy to be corrected by our Hong Kong Chinese members) is more or less how Rolex came to be an integral part of Hong Kong life. Go into the Rolex Service Centre any day of the week and you will see the place packed with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and wealth brackets. Office girls, rich housewives, old men with their retirement Datejusts, young entrepreneurs with their vintage PN Daytonas and red subs, etc, etc.

This is how Hong Kong can sustain 60+ ADs.

Hans Wilsdorf’s death in 1960 was front-page news in the local papers here. I doubt that was the case in many other cities around the world.

(And yes, Hong Kong folk wouldn't be caught dead wearing a fake. Those are for tourists only).

Nice insight into a culture I admittedly am unfamiliar with

[1665fan]

Don’t the Chinese have a new thing “sharing the wealth” and are cutting back on luxury items that most can’t afford? Watches and handbags mostly I assume