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.

😃😃😃

What about engagement rings, are they valued?

she scheduled a meeting later that week about the Rolex watch she noticed me wearing into the office.

No, just no! 🤣🤣🤣

Is it very flashy, OP? Like a bright yellow gold?

Not worth it.
Start wearing primark clothes to work.
Coupled with cheap jewellerly.

I can see her point kind of but it's nothing to do with her.

Tell her that the company might do better if she spent less time and energy worrying about your watch and more on actual changes and firefighting!

Carry on wearing it, then if it’s raised again ‘Oh but it’s terribly old’.
’oh but it’s not that valuable anymore’
Oh but it has sentimental value
oh it’s never been an issue before. Do you have an issue with watches?

^ Lawyers are human too (also, areas of law are numerous and many will never have touched employment law).*

Nothing to do with employment law, more to do with being blindsided by it to the point of immediately agreeing.

Very odd to even notice. I don't think you can be told what to wear? Even if Manager thinks it come across as tone deaf

I only just noticed the other day my friend of 10 years has a Rolex which was a 21st birthday gift.

I work in HR and it astounds me how clueless the senior team are 🤦 yes everybody will have noticed you wear it and yes they'll gossip about it which is why she's mentioned it. They'll notice an expensive car as well, people do, and when times are hard it breeds resentment.

I dunno, she might have gone about the suggestion in a bit of an overbearing way, but I can see the point.

If you, in a senior (and presumably reasonably safe role) are rocking up to work with very noticable status symbols it does send an "us and them" in an environment of junior staff being worried about their jobs, not getting payrises etc.

Would it really hurt you just to not wear it for a bit?

Years ago, I was a junior in a company going through redundancies, and every day senior management would turn up in expensive cars and suits and still be going out for lunch every day, in between holding meetings about which junior staff were out the door that week. It does lead to an atmosphere.

Me either. Nor would l care!

I thought this was going to be mugging related tbf 😂

I once had a boss that had a picture of his Aston Martin in his wall. He was entitled to, but I still remember him as an insensitive dickhead.

That’s just crazy. I wear expensive jewellery to work. I’d laugh if it was suggested I didn’t.

Tell them to f@k off, you can wear whatever you want.

however, if you have a ‘sensitivity’ switch, it may be a good thing to flick it on….

'So, the company can't afford to keep you on. Yes, it's a shame. No, there's nothing over the Statutory Redundancy payment - oh, you've been here one year, eleven months and by the date of your last day (we've moved it back rather than let it run through your accrued leave period as that inexplicably saves us money), three weeks. Here's a bit of toilet roll to dab your eyes. Well, we had to look at the whole package and whilst your skills are fantastic, we also needed somebody suitable to represent the company to clients and you, um, well, there are other members of staff who have greater experience of that side of client relations because we won't let somebody in Primark get a pay rise to be able to afford Hobbs to work on Reception when it's only £180 x 5 for a frock plus shoes and blazers. Yes, we'll be very sorry to see you go. Oh, is that the time? <looks at expensive watch> See you tomorrow, 7.30am sharp - oh, I won't be here, actually, we're off to the Seychelles for half term'.

Arrange a meeting with her F2F and turn up 20 mins late - tell her sweetly that you arent wearing a watch now and lost track of time!

It’s silly really. Is your engagement ring 1ct +? Are you meant to trade that for something smaller? Presumably that also means no louboutin shoes or Chanel handbags, Hermes scarves… I mean really 🙄

Replace it with this stylish 'Spiderman' watch that's on clearance in Argos for £8.99. It's important you give your clients the right impression.

also they notice the levels of pay management are on etc

I would be so tempted to wear a range of novelty watches!
Is anything else mentioned like cars, bags, suits, rings, shoes etc.

If you were going into work and using a £50 note to light your cigar I would say that you were being a touch insensitive but your boss is being ridiculous.

Senior people were junior once too, and most of the have been shuffled around during their working life too. It's all a learning curve. She is bonkers.