Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy
Rolex: Timeless Excellence - (Invest Like the Best, CLASSICS)
26 Sep 2025
Full Episode
Welcome to this classic episode. Classics are my favorite episodes from the past 10 years, published once a month. These are end-of-one conversations with end-of-one people. This Business Breakdowns on Rolex is a longtime standout. The founder of Hodinkee, Ben Clymer, was the perfect person to take us through the ins and outs of this legendary brand. I hope you enjoy it.
This is Business Breakdowns. Business Breakdowns is a series of conversations with investors and operators diving deep into a single business. For each business, we explore its history, its business model, its competitive advantages and what makes it tick. We believe every business has lessons and secrets that investors and operators can learn from, and we are here to bring them to you.
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Founded in the UK in 1905 under the name Wilsdorf and Davis, Rolex has become the leading name in luxury watches. But while the company's products are iconic, the business itself is highly secretive. Owned by a foundation and run as a nonprofit entity, little is known about Rolex.
To unlock the secrets, we're delighted to be joined by Ben Clymer, the founder of Hodinkee and an expert on all things luxury watches. Ben has had rare access to Rolex and the people behind the manufacturer, making him the perfect person to dissect the business with us. Please enjoy this excellent breakdown of Rolex.
So Ben, I was trying to think of an appropriate first question to break down Rolex. I think it has to be, what is your favorite Rolex watch ever?
Oh man, that's a really complex question for a gentleman such as myself. The Daytona is probably my favorite Rolex as an object. There are Rolexes that mean a lot to me from a sentimental point of view, being my grandfathers, my fathers, et cetera. But the Daytona as a thing has always been the peak of my fascination from the early 6239s, which is first generation Daytona.
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