Submariner 126506 replica

Rolex has not started production since March 17, when the spread of the coronavirus forced the brand to close its Switzerland watchmaking factory. Rolex had planned to shut down the Manufacture for 10 days, but after 45 days, production was still at a standstill.

In a recent statement, Rolex said that the brand is taking steps to prepare for the reopening of the Manufacture: “Our production sites are still closed for now, but all the safety measures recommended by the Government are being put in place with a view to gradually opening them in the near future.” Both Patek Philippe and Breitling reportedly reopened their factories earlier this month.

There is no update on Richemont or LVMH‘s brands, while Swatch has maintained limited capacity during the pandemic. The shutdown of 45 days has accounted for more than 12% of the total production time of the year. It may be a few more days before Rolex can reopen its Manufacture, while the government-recommended safety measures will lead to a drop in production capacity, which will last for weeks or even months.

Analysts estimate that Rolex produced more than 1 million watches in 2019, a figure that could drop below 900,000 in 2020. As for when Rolex, or if it will release its new products of the year, there is no further news at this time. According to the original plan, the brand was supposed to launch its new products today, as it was supposed to be the opening day of Baselworld 2020.