Three ways Rolex is the Nintendo of the watch world

Buffy Acacia

Wristwatches and video games really don’t have a lot in common, but it turns out that multibillion-dollar, multinational companies do. Regarded as best-sellers in their respective fields, Rolex and Nintendo actually have a lot of parallels. Granted, Rolex sales represent a much larger chunk in the watch industry than Nintendo’s market share of video games, but their brand power is absolutely titanic.

Scarcity

Nothing will make a Nintendo fan rise to anger faster than the suggestion that the company purposely create false scarcity to drive up demand, and that’s a fair reaction. Despite their $15.2B revenue in 2022, and the immense presence they hold in global culture, Nintendo are a surprisingly small company. In most cases, Nintendo have actually lost money by being unable to keep up with demand for new consoles and games with beloved IPs, often selling out immediately. However, just because it isn’t intentional, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Their production limitations create the perfect environment for scalpers to capitalise, especially in the lead up to holidays when parents are desperate to buy their kid the latest release. If you feel like Nintendo products haven’t been that hard to buy lately, remember that the Switch was released seven years ago now.

Rolex’s history with scarcity is a little bit more… ahem… complex. Just like Nintendo, Rolex themselves are committed to the highest production numbers they can manage. In fact, they’re even building more factories to cope with the rocketing demand from the last few years in particular. But, the retail worlds of watch boutiques and stores that sell games aren’t the same. There have been countless reports of authorised dealers engaging in anti-consumer practices, essentially reserving the most popular models for people who will help them clear out other stock first. Rolex may not be responsible, but the fact is that they remain scarce. This has lead to a thriving grey market with watches easily selling at double their RRP, and perhaps inadvertently, creating more hype.

Quality

Being at the top, both companies are bound to attract their fair share of lovers and haters. Whether it’s the scarcity issues or just a contrarian approach to popularity, people will find reasons to try and tear them down or make fans feel bad for liking them. But, it’s undeniable that Rolex and Nintendo put out exceptional products. Of course there will be some exceptions like the generally-hated Wii U or the very rare QC slip-up from Rolex, but overall, you know that you’re going to be purchasing something from a trusted brand. Even after 40 years, Nintendo are still creating compelling and fun Mario games which draw in fresh audiences while pleasing the old fans. Similarly, Rolex have been producing the Submariner since 1953, and its contemporary evolutions remain among the most popular watches in the world.

Ubiquity

Ask anyone on the street to name a watch brand, and it’s almost guaranteed to be Rolex, such is their marketing strength. Sony or Microsoft may have a fighting chance in the gaming version of this experiment, but Nintendo are definitely a dominant household name. Especially in a family home, a Nintendo console has been an entertainment staple for decades, and you’re unlikely to walk through a city street without seeing at least one Rolex on someone’s wrist. The ubiquity of these brands doesn’t just come about by coincidence, with various factors that contribute to their popularity. From film and TV to simple shopfront retail displays, these companies have their place in our lives even if we never own them ourselves. They are both uniquely powerful in that way, and in a capacity which their competitors simply can’t keep up with.