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

by Pierre-Yves Donzé

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.

272 pages, Hardcover

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Alan Korn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected. I thought there would be more information/content on how Rolex built its luxury brand through not only its engineering of a great time piece, but also its communication strategy, sales techniques, retail strategy, use of famous spokespersons..... Instead, I got detailed information on advances of the watch itself, patents and watch workings. Interesting for the real watch enthusiast, but not really a business book.