Today’s equivalent to Rolex

Marathon, Damasko, Sinn, as well as some Tudor. If you go into digital, Timex, G-Shock, and Garmin.

The thing is, back in the heyday of Rolex tool watches, quartz digital and analog watches weren't around, so you had to pay a fair bit to get a reliable and tough mechanical. These days you can buy a Marathon SSNav for under $1K USD that is as tough as anything mechanical could be, has better accuracy, and also has tritium tube lume.

Sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself mate. 😂

Tudor is the easy answer, but Sinn and CW are actually probably closer to what Rolex represented 25-50 years ago.

The correct answer is, as always, G-Shock.

I'll just go ahead and assume you're a Rolex fanboy and that in your mind they have always been the ultimate flex. 😉

Sure, I’ve got a couple in my stable; but I’m no fan boy. I hear/read this same argument too often & weirdly it’s never made by anyone who owns a single Rolex. Normally there will be loads of Seikos or a Seagull, maybe some micro brand ETA/Selita et al in their collection. Don’t get me wrong, they’re all good watches, maybe even great, but they’re not a Rolex in the same way Rolex isn’t a JLC or Patek.

Tudor. CWC. Marathon. Sinn. Breitling. Benrus maybe?

Sangin Instruments, Ares, CW, Elliot Brown, Nodus, Vaer, maybe in the future.

Seiko, Casio, Wolbrook on the lower end.

Sad to say but Garmin and new Apple monstrosity would still be hanging around unfortunately.

Except the question wasn't "is (insert brand) a Rolex killer?", it was 'Which brands fill the role Rolex at one time filled?".

Rolex used to be the reliable tool watch people bought to do work, as well as a brand that was recognized for nice, quality watches. In the last 10-15 years Rolex has become a "flex" luxury brand, but before that it was a brand you bought when you upgraded from a Pontiac to an Oldsmobile... Just became the assistant to the regional manager? Buy a Rolex OP and show the world you're now a success.

I'm surprised that Noone has mentioned Grand Seiko yet.

I'm not a Grand Seiko fan, but I'll throw Grand Seiko in this list.

O, and Jaeger LeCoultre too.

-Jaeger LeCoultre Fan

I think Rolex was just unique, special in ways that watches today cannot be! The world changed, I don’t need to bring my day’s water supply in from a well, I turn on the plumbing and hope the Mrs remembered to pay the utilities bills. Even Rolex isn’t Rolex anymore. Suddenly I want to rush out to buy a 36mm gold and steel Datejust with a jubilee bracelet and be 31 again! That would be perfect.

You’re generalising. I bought mine because I like nice things & im lucky enough to be able to afford stuff that will outlast me & can be passed on. I bought my first, “luxury”, Watch as at the time I was working in unsavoury places & a plane ticket could easily be acquired with a nice watch which also coincidentally was very reliable & wouldn’t run out of power unexpectedly.

Rolex may have called some of its pieces tool watches, but they’ve always been assuringly expensive, why else was Tudor conceived?

Your Marathon isn’t more accurate than a Rolex. I’d posit you’d have to go a fair while to reach the same comparative accuracy. As for trit, that’s only good for 12 years, after 25 it’s basically dead. While you can get replacement tubes have you seen how much trit prices have risen? I suspect you’ll be throwing the Watch away rather than replacing parts in 25 years. Meanwhile Rolex’s will just need a buff & a service. Plus if someone did want to sell them they will probably still be worth triple what I paid for them.

To answer your question though, it’s possibly Tudor, maybe Longines recently?

The expensive-but-useful product owned by every professional who cares about being seen as a professional... I think the closest comparison is probably a MacBook, sorry 😬

As I assumed, you took it personally rather than as a comment on the watches. Cool story about your watch.

Tudor was conceived for the same reason GM had Pontiac and Chev, they were the "working man's" cars. Buick and Oldsmobile were the middle managers cars, like Rolex was the middle manager's watch, and Cadillac was the executive's car, like PP was the executive's watch.

As for my Marathon, yes it is more accurate than a Rolex, it has a HAQ movement rated to +/- 10 seconds a year. The point of mentioning that wasn't to hurt fragile Rolex owners, rather to point out that accurate timekeeping isn't reliant on expensive mechanical movements. AS far as the tritium is concerned, I can just have the tubes replaced at a servicing... Like mechanical watches have parts replaced to keep them functioning...

Lastly, it isn't "my" question, it's the OP's question, the entire raison d'etre for this thread...

Tough, good quality,accurate,great design and some what affordable I give you a fully tegamented sinn. Somehow I don’t see them moving into the space Rolex now live though

For me it is Grand Seiko, absolutely Rolex quality that can last your life and then some. You can actually buy one and enjoy it now.

Rolex replacement? Huh?

No one will be what Rolex was in the early days simply because those “early days” don’t exist anymore.

You can’t compare today and half a century or more ago. Technology has made such a difference that’s it’s something to behold that mechanical watches have even survived.

Modern professionals do not use mechanical watches anymore. Technology has evolved to the point where mechanical watches, be it of any brand is just a nice to have item bought because you wanted it not needed it. If you want unbeatable and accurate, a radio synced GShock is the best bet. If you want mechanical, you’re just in it for the hobby.

To answer your question, that category does not exist anymore or rather has been made irrelevant.

Let me correct you right here. I do own a Rolex and from your comments you sound like you’re trying too hard to justify Rolex as a brand. Look, Rolex is a cool brand and everything but please don’t try to put them on a pedestal. They have plenty of faults and I can give them shit all day and also appreciate them half a day. Being critical of a brand you love just shows you understand them better whereas if you just swoon over them, you’re no better than a fanboy. Hope you don’t take offense from this. Have a good day :)

G-shock. There's nothing better - bar none. Not only in terms of rugged reliability, but there are so many with specialised functions to help you perform your tasks. They are also very light too.

Omega for me has now taken over my Rolex love

I agree with the idea that back in the day, you may have paid more that most watches, but was still attainable by just about everyone. It was a tough tool watch that would survive anything thrown at it. Nowadays, the everyday, middle class man can't afford it. And even if he saves up for it, he's not using it like his middle class grandpa did. He spent way to much to abuse it.

With all that, Gshock is the replacement for that Rolex of yester years. For less than a grand, you can have all the functionality you'll ever need. It's that watch you can spend $500 on and wear, with no fear, while working on a car engine. I couldn't ever imagine sticking my hand into an engine bay while wearing a Rolex. There's just too much money tied up in that beautiful watch to bang it around.

iPhone

Unless you can't use phone at work

G-Shock.

There are plenty of prestige brands like Tudor that do mechanical watches that are what Rolex used to be back in the day, but I feel we live in a different world now.

Digital, hard wearing, relatively affordable. The GShock is the definition of a go anywhere do anything watch in the modern world (in my opinion 😉)

What does owning a Rolex have to do with someone’s fact-based opinions on watches? The original post says that the answer to the question posed is probably the Apple Watch (and he’s probably right). The person you’re replying to made points about the functionality and affordability of non-Rolex watches- and you responded by dismissing both his reasonable opinion and solid argument(s).

I offered an opinion on his comment, so what? I stand by it. Why are you getting sore about it? It’s not convincing, at all. As you’ll note, he’s comparing a quartz to mechanical & talking about accuracy.

mechanical tool watch... tudor, doxa, seiko, sinn?

digital watch would be g shock

smart watch i think garmin or an apple watch ultra

AFTERTHOUGHT, for what it's worth:

I have noticed a lot of non-watch people who come to forums to identify their "Grandfather's Watch" rapidly transitioning from Rolexes and Elgins to a LOT more Seikos.

That’s the plan in this household. The “63MAS” seems to suit every purpose personally and it feels quality enough to give the impression of an “heirloom” piece for a middle class family 🤘🏼

Hollow end links. Slightly rattly bracelet. Mineral glass. Mechanical movement. Ally bezel?Affordable at under a months wage?

Orient.

Absolutely in keeping with Rolex for most of the twentieth century. And early 21st. They’ve just upgraded their crystals to Sapphire too, just like Rolex in about 2010.

If you don’t mind better specs, and want easily available where people shop (oh how times have changed) plus ‘borrowing’ some ideas here and there in fine Rolex tradition, particularly in advertising, and a relative young upstart on the scene, often using movements made by others… pick an ‘Ali’ brand. Or Invicta, but they’re old chaps.

Very much a fifties experience.

If you want all of the above (well… most of it) plus that authentic seventies and eighties Rolex Quality of being a little bit expensive for slightly dated technology, then there’s the old stalwarts like the recently revamped Accurist.

And if you want some of that, plus the expansive reputation and mainstream popularity, and that word association with luxury — whilst still being a little bit pants — that was the nineties, then look no further than Daniel Wellington…

(This entire post is satirical humour. A little truth, and a little taking the mick. Everyone has at least one Rolex they won’t say ‘no’ to.)

dad got a Rolex in ‘67 after someone at pool he trained at swiped his Omega Seamaster.

He bought both for same reason, a good quality luxury tool watch. It’d reflect his accomplishments- at the time - head lifeguard and small powerboat sales guy (Sangstercraft if you’re interested!)

IMHO, modern Rolex is more a flex than a tool watch. The value going up instead of down in used market contributes to almost nobody using as tool watches anymore. Generally, they are more for white collar managers, not guys captaining a tugboat or teaching skiing in Austria (some of dad’s other jobs, always while wearing his Rolex)

I don’t think the suggestions for Gshocks or smart watches are accurate.. no Lux connotation.

And despite my love for GS (I think it’s a superior watch to Rolex), or any other brand totally unknown by non watch people, part of ‘luxury’ is having other people recognize that it’s fancy.

So maybe Omega? Or Breitling? I can see (rarely) some people keeping and beating up those watches and I think they’re pretty recognized as Luxury by all. Value goes down not up, so might as well wear the heck out of it.

Tudor? Maybe.. but I think it’s a stretch to think any non watch person will know it’s ‘luxury’ 🫤

Happily/sadly my kinda sorta luxury tool watches (they are the retail price of a Rolex) are used as tool watches, but get recognized by almost nobody as luxury, so not good examples of todays R equivalent 🥲