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Manchester University Press

The making of a status symbol: A business history of Rolex

Based on 29 reviews
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At a glance

Condition
New
Dimensions
8.5 x 0.58 x 5.43 in
Weight
12.6 oz
Publisher
Manchester University Press
Publication date
June 3, 2025
Language
English
Print length
272 pages

Description

Discover the fascinating story behind Rolex, the world’s most iconic luxury watch brand. In The making of a status symbol, acclaimed business historian Pierre-Yves Donzé offers a captivating and deeply researched exploration of how a small Swiss watch company transformed itself into a global emblem of success, wealth and prestige. Challenging the myth that Rolex’s dominance is solely due to superior craftsmanship, Donzé reveals the brand’s strategic partnership with an American advertising agency and its genius for storytelling, which allowed it to turn a simple timepiece into a powerful status symbol. Spanning the twentieth century, this book provides a compelling case study of how creative industries have shaped consumer culture and the global luxury market. This book is a must-read for anyone fascinated by fashion and luxury, the evolution of consumer culture or the power of branding. Whether you’re a scholar, student or general reader intrigued by the enduring allure of Rolex, The making of a status symbol offers an engaging and insightful journey through the history of a brand that has become synonymous with excellence and success. Read more

Specs 8

Publisher Manchester University Press
Publication date June 3, 2025
Language English
Print length 272 pages
ISBN-10 1526188414
ISBN-13 10
Item Weight 12.6 ounces
Dimensions 8.5 x 0.58 x 5.43 inches

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Top Amazon Reviews

Almost a must ead for Rolex and Gruen enthusuasts
Format: Paperback
This is history of the Rolex watch company and its rise to become the universal status symbol. It is light on special technologies but long on commercial aspects. The book goes into a lot of depth on the relation between the Gruen Watch Company and Rolex. Rhey were co -owners of the factory that made almost all of their watches. He cites this a reason Rolex stayed out of teh US market until 1937 and had little presence until after World War II. Another commonality between Rolex and Gruen is that they both used the J. Walter Thomson advertising agency. Teh book credits them with elevating Rolex to high status by their campaigns eaturing prominent Rolex owners. If the book mentioned th Gruen and also used this agency I missed it and I wonder why they (J. Walter Thompson) failed to keep Gruen alive. The book is very well written and annotated. It is what it claims to be a business history. I highly recommend it to Rolex and to Gruen enthusiasts ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2026 by JonW
Pages falling out
Format: Paperback
Review Image by Brian E
One of the pages was half way out of the book and it was not even bound. Kinda ridiculous actually. **Update** every 3 or 4 pages in this book did the same thing and came out. I contacted the publishing company and they sent me a new copy which is great. Updating from 1 star to 4 because I really liked the book. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2025 by Brian E
Great detail and Very Comprehensive
Format: Paperback
This book is well written and very informative.
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2026 by WGG
love it!
Format: Kindle
I loved learning about their strategy and ability to stay relevant and dominant. Well written. Thank you for the read.
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2025 by PropM, Inc.
Dull, Boring, and Dry
Format: Paperback
This was a poor attempt at the history of Rolex, so unless lists of their Board of Directors fascinates you, look elsewhere. If you still decide to buy this book, skip ahead to p101 and read from there. The book gets more interesting, but is still not very interesting. I hope there are better books on the subject that are more readable. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2026 by Kevin C. Rohrer
Best business history of Rolex so far
Format: Paperback
Review Image by Velimir Rasic
Very well-researched and authoritative work. It’s a pleasure to read and contains a wealth of information I didn’t know
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2025 by Velimir Rasic
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