Why Are There No Watches in Rolex Stores?

The answer to why there are no watches in Rolex stores seems to have become official: supply is insufficient compared to demand. However, News has emerged that Rolex will increase its watch production. Facility expansion rumors surfaced in November 2022 and more concrete plans have recently been revealed. Will the world's largest luxury watch brand finally be able to meet the endless demand of consumers who are tired of frequent shortages? Let us take a closer look at the expected completion years and locations of the permanent and temporary production facilities.

New Facilities Still Require Patience

Site for the new Rolex production facility / ⓒ La Gruyère

Rolex's future production volume is expected to increase significantly. This is because the fifth permanent factory will be completed in 2029 in Bulle, A city in the canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. Before that, Three temporary production facilities will be built to address the supply shortage. It has been reported that when the permanent facility in Bulle, In which Rolex invested 1.1 billion Swiss francs, Is completed, About 2, 000 additional employees will be hired. (There are about 30, 000 employees worldwide and about 9, 000 in Switzerland.) Information about the land purchase has also been disclosed. The site purchased by Rolex for 31.4 million CHF is about 105, 000 square meters, Equivalent to 14 football fields.

Canton of Fribourg,
Rolex’s Temporary Operation Area

The three temporary production facilities will also be built in the canton of Fribourg. These temporary facilities are expected to operate until the permanent facility in Bulle is completed.

Rolex Deepsea undergoing water pressure performance testing / ⓒ Rolex

According to Bloomberg, The facility to be installed in the Villaz-Saint-Pierre municipal industrial complex is expected to begin operations as early as 2024. A temporary facility will also be built in the La Maillarde (formerly Tetra Pak complex) industrial complex in Romont, Which is only 30 minutes away by public transport. The 9, 000-square-meter facility in Romont will also be responsible for training 250 to 300 new technicians. Construction of this facility began in the second half of 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2025. After completing their training, The technicians will move to the permanent facility in Bulle.

Romont city center and La Maillarde industrial complex / ⓒ Imprimerie Saint-Paul

The president of the Fribourg cantonal council described Rolex’s new plan as “a project of rare scale” and stated, “The project will proceed smoothly and Fribourg will support its success.”

In 2023,
No Change in Supply Yet

Currently, Rolex is said to produce between 800, 000 and 1, 000, 000 watches annually. After a 15-day performance test, The company’s own chronometer certification, And strict quality control, The watches are finally commercialized through a year-long production process. It is reported that all watches meeting these requirements are completed in only four factories. Now, With the operation of the fifth permanent facility, There is anticipation as to how much production will increase and whether it will satisfy the global waiting demand for Rolex.

Empty display cases are common overseas as well ⓒ Rolexforums

What Will Happen
to Watch Prices in the Future?

Will we be able to feel the increased production of Rolex in the near future? Will the soaring watch prices, Driven by supply shortages, Finally stabilize? Even industry experts cannot easily predict whether the thirst for Rolex among watch enthusiasts will be quenched in a few years or if the same phenomenon will repeat as demand continues to rise.

Rolex has long faced suspicions of amplifying demand by controlling supply. However, Their response has always been that supply remains the same while demand has increased. We will have to wait and see if this will be good news for those waiting for the days when Rolex could be easily purchased in stores.