Asked not to wear a Rolex to work…

[Hydrangeajp]

I've been with my current company for several years in a senior legal role, managing a team. The company's struggling lately - redundancies, pay freezes, and bonus cuts. My own manager recently left, and their replacement (board level), joined last week. After a positive initial face-to-face meet, she scheduled a meeting later that week about the Rolex watch she noticed me wearing into the office.

She told me it was inappropriate and insensitive, given both my seniority and the company’s current situation, and ultimately requested that I stop wearing it to work. She essentially said that "most senior staff already know to avoid wearing expensive, flashy items to work”.

I’ve had this watch for years and wear it daily. I’ve never given it any thought and would think most people wouldn’t even notice it's a Rolex. Am I the completely deluded and inappropriate one here? I was so taken aback and put on the spot that I simply agreed not to wear it, but since then I can't stop thinking I should’ve stood my ground (not because I’m desperate to wear the watch, rather, the whole ask felt excessive and inappropriate?) WWYD? I’d really appreciate an honest outsider’s perspective.

this

Of course. In order to prove that you are not overpaid and that you don’t have too much money in the face of company redundancies, you should put aside your perfectly functioning watch, which you have worn for years, and purchase another, less ostentatious watch. This will actually end up with you spending more of your money that you’re pretending you don’t have (or maybe you don’t have it anyway, because who actually knows how said watch was purchased, who purchased it, how much it cost…) but at least you won’t be a lawyer wearing a Rolex.

What cars does everyone drive? We all chose to spend our money in our own way.
its none of her business.
in this era possessions don’t always reflect financial situation.
i own a nice house but couldn’t give a shit about the car I drive. Other people have an Audi Q8 but aren’t homeowners.
whatever she’s trying to solve or project this isn’t relevant.

If your manager is so worried about making redundancies she could always offer to take a salary drop and therefore avoid making a couple of people redundant

What jewellery you wear has nothing to do with the companies financial state. Whether you brought it yourself yesterday or is a family heir loom which didn't actually cost you a penny is none of the companies business. If there is nothing about it in the companies uniform policy you can wear what you want watch wise.

Ridiculous, could have been a gift or you may well have a private income. Either way, not anyone’s business but yours.

The woman with the biggest and blingiest engagement ring in my office (literally 4 times the size of mine) is one of the lowest paid as admin staff.

In OPs case, I wonder whether her manager would have told her to not wear it because other staff might be jealous that her now husband has a very high earning job??

It's ridiculous isn't it?

Unless there's a formal uniform policy or a clear Health & Safety reason, she can't tell you what to wear OP.