Rolex CEO Tells NZZ It’s Risky to View Watches Like Stocks

  • Watches are not investments, head of Swiss company tells NZZ
  • Jean-Frederic Dufour sees slowdown hitting smaller brands

A Rolex Submariner watch.

Photographer: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

The head of Rolex SA said viewing luxury watches as investments is dangerous following a surge in interest from speculators during the pandemic.

“I don’t like it when people compare watches with stocks. This sends the wrong message and is dangerous,” Chief Executive Officer Jean-Frédéric Dufour said in a rare interview with Swiss newspaper NZZ before the Watches and Wonders trade show that starts this week in Geneva.