Originally Posted by
endo
Is it a good argument though?
Both Rolex and Mercedes (in this case) and refuse to working on honor the warranty warranty work as the car/watch has been altered from original spec.
A more accurate analogy is a company modifying and selling a car turnkey to a customer, I.e. RUF, Koenig, Singer, Brabus, Alpina, Gemballa, Overfinch (AMG before Mercedes absorbed them) etc.
However one thing that differentiates these cars from a modded Rolex, is for the most part the Customizers brand is in the forefront.
The further they deviate from the original manufactures spec, the more prominent the Customizers brand is. (and these brands themselves have their own cache), and any modified parts will carry the customizers brand.
I.E.
-The RUF Yellowbird may be a Porsche, but its clearly branded RUF and they go out of their way to make the consumer know the car they are buying is a RUF not a Porsche.
-or closer to home (been a while since i've seen a genuine RUF), Khan, Overfinich & Urbran Land/Range Rovers that you see in almost every major town.
Taking this analogy and apply it to watches,
-Do you really think a fully modded Bamford/Project X/Titan Black (without any Rolex branding replicated on modified parts like the dial) would sell?
-Would the Artisans de Genève Daytona plastered with their own brand look right?
No, because the value is in the Rolex brand itself, which sits and foremost on the dials, Otherwise these companies would have removed it and branded it as their own.
Until there's an aftermarket company who's brand carries as much weight as Rolex to their able to mod a watch with zero Rolex branding and people know its a "Hypetrain Custom X" Rolex can pretty much sue whoever they want.