You're the CEO of Rolex for one year, what will you change?

I'd kill the secondary rip off market the same way Mercedes did in the 1980's and make everyone that wants to get a Rolex be able to get one.

First decision : negotiate company shares in my pay package

second decision : ramp up production from new and existing plants at just 5 % per annum to keep supply really tight and have a good laugh reading angry punters comments on IG and YT

third decision : stop sponsoring Formula One. It's expensive and useless. Dedicate 20 % of saved amount on truly posh sports (equestrian events, high end regattas) to convince Patek snob buyers to come to Rolex

forth decision : launch a Tiffany White Gold no-date Submariner with a € 80 000 price tag and ban for life any dealer caught selling one to a flipper

fifth and last decision : kill the ugly Air King and have Tudor launch a 1019 inspired watch

Make the Cellini moonphase in stainless steel, and retail it for 7k.

As CEO of rolex

1.  Graduate more watch makers. 
2.  Re evaluate the use of robotics.  How a robotics footprint can be seen and felt.  Where it meets the human craft of hand tooling.  
3.   Explore 3D printing.  Nano surfacing and colorization through material topography. 

4.  Actually use Tudor to develop new design languages. 

5.  Research new movements using ceramics and carbon sheeting. 

6.   Develop the Mars watch. 

That is already too much to do in a year... 

1. Carry on 

Allow ADs to allocate you a central 'build slot' when you go on the waitlist for a watch. They can charge a deposit for the slot, limit the number of slots per customer, and they should ensure that if you change your mind, your build slot cannot be transferred to a third party - it just disappears from the list and everyone moves up one slot.

You’ll kick yourself when you hear the answer…

Change nothing. People keep buying no matter how difficult it is. Sure, they moan but we can get away with it. Unless the sales figures go down, I do nothing and say even less. Doing that has made them the market leader it would be mental to change that. Easiest working year of my life…

@SurferJohn nailed it.

Make a SS version of the Day-Date.  

In no particular order

• Reintroduce Oysterquartz.
• Drastically cut stainless steel models and eliminate whatever they call their rose gold.
• Drastically cut black dial options.
•  Design thinner bracelet style.
•  Reintroduce a triple calendar with moon phase
•  Focus on 34mm models.
•  Cellini line to be main focus.
•  Prince line reintroduced (Capone Edition).
• Raid Time Piece Gentleman's store and other flipped stockpiles and create detailed  customer blacklists. Investigate CD Peacock Chicago. 
• Patrick Bateman Edition Datejust

I'll change nothing. Why should I?

Agreed, F1 is watched by peasants, paupers and TAG Heuer owners, and should be avoided. Maybe the Mille Miglia has some unused advertising opportunities. I think charities worked well, and could be expanded upon. 

Further agreement on the Air King, but I would include the Milgauss. Such experiments should be contained within Tudor.

Reduce production by 5% to keep things interesting.

I would replace who ever is making the decisions for new releases.  I would hire some real watch makers to create in house complications like Perpetual Calendars and Minute Repeaters, so Rolex can be a Haute Horology brand.  I would stop marketing to douchebags.  I would increase production so there would not be long waits for products.  I would stop selling to ADs who treat customers like shit.

I’m sure my lack of qualifications would lead to unintended damage that would take years to repair. But the state of my watch collection would surely improve. 

Make the watches out of wood and sell them on Etsy.

oh wait… serious answers?

Well they are improving their production facilities, so in terms of output, I think just carry on.

I understand there are rumblings about certain movements and accuracy - put them to bed.

Look at reducing carbon footprint.

Launch an enquiry to investigate AD behaviour, see if there is any truth to the rumours. Engage and be seen to be proactive even if nothing can be done (realistically).

Develop a new model - that might be fun. No idea what, but at least kick off something in R&D.

I'd do fat lines of coke, and bring back the Oysterquartz and a tourbillon Submariner. 

Decorate the automatic movements and have display case backs
Replace the Cellini range with something more artizan
Release a range of genuine sports/tool watches with highly robust and accruate quartz movements
Centrally control the waiting list

Tell Tudor to stop copying Rolex and learn how to make anything other than Black Bays

Smart Watch.

hehehe.

Bring back the Marconi, and make it link to the world clock (like the inventor Marconi would have).

1. No more waiting lists! They will be replaced with banning lists with everyone who has ever said anything bad about the brand on the internet. 
2. Bring back naked Thursdays.
3.  No more watches. We make luxury microwaves now.
4.  Implement a pyramid scheme where customers need to sell two microwaves before they are allowed to buy one for themselves. 
5.  Build a shark tank to scare the employees into working harder.
6. Invest heavily in zombie revival and reincarnation research to save on employee salaries. 
7. Sit back and enjoy the profits. 

Yeah, it’s kinda hard to argue Rolex is doing anything wrong. Maybe I don’t like the availability, but they’re selling all the watches they want, making a boatload of money, and are the “best” brand on earth.  Remember that a CEOs job isn’t to provide watches to the masses or make it easier for you to get a Sub, it’s to make money for the company. How anybody here imagines they’d do a better job is beyond me. 

Ok here goes: 

1 transparent wait-lists. Studies show that people are more tolerant and patient if they know where they stand on a wait-list. This is why computer interface design showed the rotating clock on the mouse. If I know where I generally stand, it would reduce the frustration. 

2 The major problem right now is that they can't participate in the profits from the secondary market. So create a bunch of limited series and do an auction. Say that a portion will go to charity. It would make them money and provide vital market pricing data. 

3 Bring back the 39 mm dials! This one's for me lol. 

I'd adopt a doubling down strategy.

1. I'd open Rolex Boutiques in all main markets and stop supplying to ADs. Tudor Boutiques would be opened next door.

2. I'd consolidate the existing model line and gradually introduce new models - raising retail prices and moving Rolex more upmarket. More limited editions would follow

3. Access to Rolex would be via a Tudor purchase history.  Access to rarer Rolexes will only be available to those with a Rolex purchase history.  

4. I'd buy Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin (Cos I have more money than God) and they will be rolled into the family - access will be through your Tudor / Rolex purchase history 

5. I'd double down on the Rolex certified pre-owned programme - Id hold back some of my new models to sell at a higher price in a couple of years at higher prices

6. Additional production facilities would be committed to Tudor releases of more historic Rolex designs.

What do you mean Im crazy?   It's just business.  I need my bonus and staff discount. #rolex

Sponsor more sports events!

The only thing I would do is replace the Rol with Tim

Create an actual wait list system for each AD that gives every customer a number where they are in the queue and approx wait time. No more AD games and some level of customer experience for such a global brand. 

As Rolex CEO, I would recruit you as Head of Strategy

Yes, Formula One is for the amusement of the great unwashed on Sunday afternoons, but how many of them could afford a Rolex at 2022 prices anyway ? Money should be spent wisely, on great charities and dinners with Roger Federer with fewer than 10 carefully selected VIPs (anyone caught wearing an Hublot, a RM or a Jacobs and Co being immediately banned for life)

Agree on the Milgauss, thus my request to have Tudor work on a 1019 reissue

production target : decreasing would hurt the bottom line, so it's a no go. But may be +5 % was indeed too extravagant. Let's settle on +2 % and have ADs line their pockets with € 60 k Daytonas from the CPO program. Happy days.

Very confident in the future of this remarquable company

Make a 38/39mm Submariner and give it slightly shorter lugs. 

Make every sports model in Titanium 

Submariner 40mm & tighten up them lugs

Make a white, black and blue dial in every size Datejust 

36mm Explorer and 39mm Explorer I Kill the debate. How good would either be in Titanium?

Make a gold Datejust 

Gold models WITHOUT all the diamonds and gems Class it up a little 

Cellini becomes something special. We get to see beautiful moments with open case backs and real complications 

Customers get on a build list. Put a deposit down and get issued a serial # Put some hope in the wait

Two-tone is back BUT kill the Two-tone Explorer.  Let's do one in gold 

Publish what the charity gives too