Dubai Watch Week 2025 felt like more than a celebration of fine watchmaking. Set across a sprawling, high-gloss pavilion in Burj Park under the gleam of the Burj Khalifa, the event became a convergence of craftsmanship, innovation, and candid conversation, especially when Jean-Frédéric Dufour, the usually discreet CEO of Rolex, stepped forward for a rare public interview. What he shared offered powerful insights into tradition, technology, and the values that set Rolex apart.

The audience (journalists, industry insiders, collectors, and curious onlookers) leaned in as Dufour unveiled the inner workings of a company often perceived as remote. He spoke openly about artificial intelligence in the workshop, the emotional resonance of mechanical timepieces, and the human touch that remains central to the craft. It felt personal, real, and like a rare glimpse behind the curtain of horology’s most iconic brand.

Below, we distill the conversation with Jean-Frédéric Dufour, the CEO of Rolex, into four defining themes…

#1. Tradition, Innovation, and the Tightrope Rolex Walks

Jean-Frédéric Dufour emphasized that innovation at Rolex is never about being loud. It’s about being right. He described designing a new model as “walking a tightrope,” balancing the brand’s storied heritage with the demands of modern engineering.

The new Land-Dweller, featuring the first significant escapement innovation in decades, exemplifies this balance: forward-thinking yet unmistakably Rolex. Beyond mechanics, Dufour highlighted the emotional side of horology. Unlike finance or technology, watchmaking thrives on instinct and sensitivity. A Rolex must spark feeling—timelessness, he insisted, comes from emotion, not trendiness.

When asked about AI, Dufour clarified that machines assist but do not replace craftsmanship. Advanced tools support production, yet humans retain the sacred role of defining a timepiece’s finishing touches. Rolex invests around CHF 100 million annually to renew its tools, but the final polish remains resolutely human.

#2. Building the Future: Craft, Community, and the Next Generation

Far from being anchored solely in tradition, Rolex actively nurtures the future of watchmaking. Dufour revealed that the company employs over 500 apprentices across 26 fields, a rare commitment in luxury manufacturing.

For him, the industry must remain appealing—even “sexy”—to young creators. Independent brands, with their daring designs and fearless experimentation, challenge heritage houses to innovate rather than rest on legacy. At the same time, the CEO of Rolex stressed patience: success is built over decades, not viral moments. He cautioned young brands against trying to “speak to the whole world at once,” underscoring that real achievement grows from excellence, not volume.

At Dubai Watch Week 2025, this ethos was tangible. Veterans like François-Paul Journe mingled with emerging innovators, a vivid reminder that horology thrives when generations meet, challenge, and inspire one another.

#3. Rolex’s Business Philosophy: Discretion, Partnership, and Earning Trust

For a brand as globally recognized as Rolex, its business philosophy remains surprisingly conservative and deliberate. Despite acquiring Bucherer, Jean-Frédéric Dufour dispelled speculation about turning Rolex into a retail empire. The company will not launch its own store network, instead relying on trusted authorized dealers who understand their communities intimately. This model he called “the magic recipe.”

Rolex’s Certified Pre-Owned Program further reflects this ethos. Responding to the booming second-hand market, the brand introduced authentication and assurance, providing buyers with clarity, safety, and peace of mind. As Dufour remarked, “There’s nothing worse than feeling betrayed when you’ve bought something expensive.”

On marketing, he remained firm: discretion is part of Rolex’s DNA. The brand does not chase hype. It shows rather than tells, making rare moments like this interview all the more impactful.

#4. The Changing Culture of Luxury: Emotion, Experience, and What Comes Next

Dufour’s reflections extended beyond watches. Comparing horology to the automotive world, he lamented that cars today are tools rather than dreams, a fate he hopes watchmaking avoids. Emotion and craft, he stressed, are central to the survival of the industry.

He even offered a surprising perspective on the Apple Watch, calling it “a phone you wear on your wrist.” Rather than seeing it as a threat, Jean-Frédéric Dufour viewed it as expanding the culture of wristwear, introducing young people to the idea of wearing something meaningful on their wrists.

Amid the creators, enthusiasts, and collectors at Dubai Watch Week 2025, Dufour’s message felt almost prophetic: luxury watches endure not because of wealth, but because of feeling—a human connection to time, history, identity, and aspiration. Under the lights of Dubai, Rolex felt both timeless and newly understood.

Featured image: Dubai Watch Week

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