Originally Posted by
Passenger
I think over the years, decades, they've managed to deeply infiltrate peoples conciousness, and widely at that, a Rolex is now 'the watch' against which all others are measured, not arguing it is necessarily so in fact but that is the ubiquitous perception among 'most' people, not talking watch afficianados as such who after all represent a sub market. This level of brand/ perception dominance combined with their ability to mass produce good, conservative, very reliable and robust, classic, timeless looking watches maintains their status as objects of desirability.
They've consistently sought to associate themselves with winners, leaders and success over time which has a halo effect for the brand itself and thus the watches became shorthand or an avatar of 'success' for the masses, if that makes sense.
No comment on the verisimilitude of some of their marketing.