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.

I would guess she has raised it as it has been commented on. Be a bit more classy.

I really want to know what the original comment was!!!

This

What if it's the only watch you have? Surely it's even worse having been wearing the same one for decades, to turn up in a new watch during redundancies, even if it's cheaper than a Rolex

I’ve only ever worked in charity/ public sector but I think this is nuts. No one else’s business tbh. Are people supposed to start lying about where they went on holiday??

I dont think Ive ever noticed what watch someone is wearing, or what the brand is, how would I know.

And there are lots of different types of Rolex watches surely, many of which will have been given as gifts, handed down etc

Who cares

I do agree OP that you need t nip this in the bud

And shame on MN for deleting that post which made the joke redundant, very very good

I did think that. If she's raised it will because it's being talked about

OP ignore everyone who’s telling you not to wear it because others have less. You can spend your earning however you wish. Also how do they know it wasn’t a gift from a dying aunt?

I’m sick of this new craze for pulling everyone down because others have less. Ridiculous to think people expect you to keep a lovely item in a box to wear on special occasions only.

Give her an idea for bring your kids to work day , that should fool those pesky employees

If that's what's going on she should say so, but any decision on wearing it should be yours. I can't stand it in work situations when people don't speak plainly and you're supposed to figure out the coded message.

There were delayed redundancies at my company and colleagues were still putting their holiday destinations in the location of their OOO which was visible to many.
Others and I included still wearing our fine jewellery, I don’t think it would have ever occurred to not do the above. Big corporations are making people redundant to boost their end of year operating profit and someone can’t wear a watch. Ridiculous!

Oooo nooooo.

I wear a rolex. I don't give two tiny shits what anyone asked, I wouldn't stop wearing it.

People spend money on all sorts of things I wouldn't value, but I wouldn't ask them to stop because it offended me.

The deleted post was "Is this a wind up?"

Just because some else has maybe talked about it, it doesn't follow that the OP should change what she wears. As a pp said, she's not the personal representative for the company's finances and her wealth doesn't make any difference to whether or not there are redundancies. OP (and the new manager) will still continue to be paid well.

Some people are more concerned with how things look than with how things are. New boss doesn't give a shit about the redundancies - she's just chosen to join a company which is shedding staff. And I bet she's well paid for it too.

@Hydrangeajp sitting here and reading this, while wearing a 24k pound diamond solitaire, after shopping in primark all day, while wearing an old pair of jeans and eating an all day breakfast in a greasy spoon cafe. no airs and graces and i wear my ring all day, every day, just like you wear your watch. it is safer on than sitting in a drawer, where it is liable to get lost!

Thank you!!

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”.

the reason she gave, that it's insensitive to wear the Rolex to work, because of the company's 'current situation' - she's off her rocker. Many people wouldn't recognise a Rolex or differentiate it from other brands if it bit them on the backside. That isn't snobbery, it's just that people aren't obsessively staring at other people's wrists and seething with rage about their choice of time-piece and creating some weird association about its cost and worth. Utterly ridiculous.

It's probably the last thing on their mind if they're scared about losing their job. She's the one who's out of touch not you!

I'm a senior lawyer and I'm also taken aback. That's a nuts as fuck meeting.

Whilst I'd be tempted to not wear it and tell this person that if anyone asks where it's gone, you'll say you pawned it because pay is so bad... I'd just continue to wear it and see if she's got the balls to schedule another meeting about it.

Thing is, if you don't comply and there are redundancies already, you'll be next.

Hardly merited a deletion. Fair point if anything.

Firstly OP I’m a senior lawyer and would be totally blindsided if a board member said that to me and would probably have agreed to remove it as you did.

on reflection however I’d be raging. If you take a view that overt displays of wealth are inappropriate then you need to pull that through across the board. What’s the situation with engagement rings, cars, handbags etc?

Assuming you work in a commercial entity it’s absurd to suggest that most senior people know not to wear expensive items. You own what you own and everywhere Ive worked there’s been plenty of status symbols across all levels of the organisation.

the only exception is I’m a trustee of a charity and if I’m attending a board meeting or meeting the employees/service users I’ll ensure that jewellery and clothes are subtle and I wouldn’t use an expensive designer handbag. I still wear my Rolex and engagement ring though.

So what?

This trend for having to 'do' something because someone doesnt like something needs to stop. So what if someone has commented or doesnt like it or is offended by it, they have the right to feel how they wish dont they, and thats all there is to it

Buy a white gold or platinum one so they won't notice it's expensive.

Would they insist on expensive engagement rings not being worn? No difference, even if it is a family ring passed down.

Her premise is stupid anyway. People worrying about being laid off has nothing to do with your watch.

I don't think she has a point at all. An expensive watch is often a very considered purchase or a gift. I bought my husband an expensive watch as a wedding present and he bought himself one using money left to him by a deceased relative. They are both relatively expensive but he loves them and wears them daily.
If he was told not to wear them he would actually need to find the spare cash to go out and buy another watch and ironically at the moment our finances are not so great so it would be difficult.