CR
[Moderator]
4061
Vanity, power, and control.
Customizing a stock watch made by an established brand such as Rolex is an expression of owning, dominating, reshaping, and reforming a perceived icon. It's a very different feeling for the customer than working with an indy to make what the customer wants. The former is a bit more combative and adversarial, vs. collegial and collaborative.
An alternative, more basic explanation is that he started out looking at the stock watch and kept reimagining it as being different in certain ways -- in which case there'd be no good reason to reinvent the wheel (so to speak).
John McEnroe (and his customized Rolex)
This piece is created based on the specification by one of Tennis’s greatest players (also notorious and controversial). A lefty crown, skeletonized movement and a Tungsten bezel insert. It is a heavily modified submariner. Wow! It is befitting to his hea...
I was looking at their projects
Darn amazing. The Sea Sheppard project is a stunner too. Credit: Watchreview ...
This Sea Shepherd is one of their best versions IMO
The full aventurine treatment (dial, bezel, rotor even) is great and adding the moon to a diver is quite whimsical, you can imagine yourself wearing this one at night in the middle of the ocean. Great creativity.
these things are built quite solidly
and I am sure there would be a way to source a part if really needed... but yes Rolex would not touch it... but there are plenty of other qualified places to service at fortunately ... my question remains (as stated on another thread)... what makes these ...
Here in this case, even the case has beveled lugs, destro configuration, strange bezel, reworked dial / movement... A mix of a Sub and a Destro Date Just. The parts are Rolex, but totally reworked.
No so sure it is possible to still call it a Rolex, here. And the use of the Rolex name on such a watch could well raise a legal problem... Unless they have Rolex permission to do that. Best, Nicolas
exactly my point....
Rolex must be fine with it... but would be interesting to understand why.... because they are valuable and sought after? what if they were made in bad taste and poor quality... would it still be able to carry the name Rolex without anyone raising complain...
It’s true
Now Nico raised the point about the name Rolex still on the dial. It is pretty odd they can still do it in a legal standpoint. It’s like a sportscar modified with a glowing logo. Not sure how the manufacturer will see it.
I think they never declare it as a R.
Perhaps they declare AdG as a customizer of customer watch built from different company parts (ie including R parts), thus it is within our personal right to do anything to our property as long as it is not commercially sold. However I have never seen R g...
hmmm
there is a part of me that is bothered by the fact that they use the name Rolex on their severely modified creations... mostly as it clouds the fact of what makes it Rolex to begin with. Now considering Rolex will not service or endorse it should be suffi...
This is my thinking as well.
I believe the lawsuits that Rolex won involved third party sellers that were buying, customizing, and reselling Rolex watches. That's very different from a customer who buys a Rolex, brings it to a place like AdG, and says, "Here are the modifications I'd...
Interesting…
I’m guessing McEnroe doesn’t give a rats bottom about the servicing issues butt(😂) the point about brand image is well made ie. Lennons Psychedelic Rolls…You sign a contract saying you will not mess with the car…Rolex addresses this by voiding the warrant...
Vanity, power, and control.
Customizing a stock watch made by an established brand such as Rolex is an expression of owning, dominating, reshaping, and reforming a perceived icon. It's a very different feeling for the customer than working with an indy to make what the customer want...
+1
Well analysed. Johnny Mac prob doesn’t give a tinkers darn about Rolex voiding the servicing. To him, perhaps, it is just a simple material thing to personalize to his envisioned specs, and have fun along the way. If no one can service it anymore, the wat...
Yes…
Your point about dominating and reshaping is very well taken… what are your thoughts about it being simply more exclusive than everybody else’s Rolex?
Interesting thought...
I'd look for evidence of that in other areas of his lifestyle. And do we know if JM is into watches in general?
I suppose its safe as long as its only dial customization
Perhaps there is grey market for parts? Or Just buy another R for parts/canibalize😉.
No doubt a highly skilled bunch of artisans
Notice how they re-shaped the lug bevels? They clearly sweat the details Not something for me though; price aside, I would not be able to read the time and I find it goes against the toolwatch concept that a Sub embodies. Nice tungsten insert though
Well said too. It is sacrilege
I’m curious to find out. What other pieces does Johnny Mac have, as he was quoted as mentioning he is a collector. So far, only the Omega SM polaris, and this frankenstein rolex. I’m sure he is a nice person. In my life, I found the most dangerous people ...
I don’t really get such “customisations”. Huge backwards steps with respect to reliability, robustness and maintainability.
Furthermore, defying the vision of the original designers for legible, tool watches. Just because you can doesn’t make it right imho.
You have GOT to be kidding me!
why not? it's a cool piece in my view. It's not garish or tacky (like after-market blinged-out diamonds everywhere watches...I hate those). We put new rims, aerodynamics on cars, etc. why not watches? Some cars turn out poorly, as do some watches. This on...
I have to agree with you...
Why should anyone be bound by some manufacturer after they purchase an item? Am I bound by the paint color on my house by the original owner? Can I not buy the brand of tires that I want for my car because the dealership or manufacturer put “x” brand on i...
Personally, I like it
The degree of objections raised just depend on what the customizer started with in the first place. Benzinger, Kudoke, RGM, etc. have been doing this for a long time without too much flak (not doing Rolex, of course). Sometimes with cooperation of manufac...
