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HODINKEE Podcasts

The Business of Watches [001] Rolex, The Making of a Status Symbol With Author Pierre-Yves Donzé

HODINKEE Podcasts

HODINKEE

Watches, Paul Newman, Talking Watches, Hodinkee Radio, Leisure, Podcast, Omega, Radio, Society & Culture, Ben Clymer, Wrist Watch, John Mayer, Arts, Horology, Hodinkee, Rolex, Daytona

4.7960 Ratings

🗓️ 3 September 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the first episode of Andy Hoffman's brand new podcast, Author Pierre-Yves Donzé unpacks the business history of Rolex and why the brand's success isn't just about its watches.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode of The Business of Watches is brought to you by Panorai.

0:04.8

2025 marks the year of the Luminor, a celebration of bold Italian design, technical innovation,

0:11.5

and the legacy of Panorai's most iconic collection.

0:20.5

Welcome to the Business of Watch watches, where horology meets high finance and each tick tells a story of

0:28.1

markets, margins, mishaps, and mechanical mastery. I'm your host, Andy Hoffman, senior business

0:35.2

editor at Haudinkie. In this series, we dive deep into the global

0:40.2

watch industry, a place where centuries-old craftsmanship intersects with billion-dollar valuations,

0:46.8

executive brand strategy, and investor speculation. From Swiss valleys to Silicon Valley,

0:53.4

we trace the movements shaping this uniquely resilient sector.

0:57.6

Just how big is the business of timekeeping?

1:00.8

Well, some estimates place the entire watch industry from ultra-luxery mazons to smart watches and microbrands

1:07.7

and north of $100 billion globally.

1:11.3

But behind that figure is a complex web of legacy, innovation, and ever-shifting consumer

1:18.0

tastes and demand.

1:19.6

This is the podcast for collectors, analysts, watch buyers, and sellers, and anyone who's

1:25.6

fascinated by the intersection of risk wear and wealth.

1:28.8

Because if time is money, then money is most certainly time.

1:33.3

So let's get down to business.

1:40.8

So if we're going to do a podcast about the business of watches, there's really only one place to start.

1:47.4

That's with Rolex, which is by far the biggest player in the Swiss watch industry,

1:53.1

accounting for about one-third of overall sales.

1:57.1

When I started covering the Swiss watch industry as a business reporter a few years ago,

...

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