Rolex
On Track. Pays or is working towards a living wage, with gaps still to close.
Last researched 2 November 2026 · 7 sources
Geneva luxury watchmaker known for the Submariner and Datejust.
Rolex makes its luxury Swiss wristwatches in its own factories in Switzerland, where legal wages are about a living wage.
Also worth knowing
It publishes a modern slavery statement and uses some recycled metals.
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Why it's graded On Track
- Not met: Meets 6 of 7 Good requirements.
- Met: No red flags.
Good requirements 6 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in Switzerland are about a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneEarlier stages shown
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Met: Conflict-free: diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough)
Red flags 0
None found.
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Open supply chain |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Rolex's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | Regular violations | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Passes the raw-material check for jewellery and watches: conflict-free diamonds, gems and gold traced to the mine, lab-grown, recycled or Fairmined (the Kimberley Process alone isn't enough).
- Owns or runs its own production
- Modern slavery statement
- Uses high-risk raw materials such as tanned leather, mica or artisanal gold.
- Uses recycled metals or fibres
- Traces high-risk raw materials to the mine or farm and fixes problems found
- Shows where its earlier production stages happen (materials and components), and they're in low-risk countries or independently audited
Research notes Rolex makes its watches in its own four sites in Geneva and Bienne, Switzerland, where most of its 15,346 staff work, and 90% of direct purchases are from Swiss suppliers. Its 2025 report says 91% of its gold is recycled and 99% is traced, with mined gold from countries such as Canada, Peru and Chile, and the origin of all rough diamonds is known. It requires suppliers to sign a charter and uses external audits, but publishes no audit results or supplier list. Rolex gave Human Rights Watch no information for its 2018 jewellery review.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Rolex Australia Pty Ltd lodged a modern slavery statement for 2024, reporting no modern slavery identified; 91% of its spend is with its Swiss parent. View |
Unconfirmed reports
Credible reports that haven't been confirmed by a regulator, completed investigation or the company. They're shown for your information and don't affect the grade.
- Swiss union Unia said in 2024 it had about 50 testimonies of harassment and unfair dismissals in Rolex's after-sales Global Service department in Geneva; the cantonal labour inspectorate asked Rolex to comply with the law, and Rolex said it reorganised the department. Source
Sources and actions
Sources 7
Show all 7 sources
- Rolex and Chopard slammed for opacity in gold and diamond sourcing (swissinfo, 2018) · search the archive · Human Rights Watch 2018: Rolex disclosed no supply chain information.
- Unia to Sue Rolex Over Harassment Cases (The Swiss Times, 2024) · search the archive · Unia alleged harassment and unfair dismissals in Rolex's Geneva service department; labour inspectorate request; Rolex reorganised it.
- Esquire Middle East: inside Rolex · search the archive · Rolex is 'fully vertically-integrated': movements in Bienne, dials, cases and bracelets in Chêne-Bourg and Plan-les-Ouates, own gold foundry; only a few micro screws are bought in.
Published by Rolex or its owner
- Rolex Sustainability Report 2025 · search the archive · 15,346 staff; four Swiss sites; 90% Swiss purchases; gold 91% recycled, 99% traced; rough diamond origin 100% known.
- Rolex 2023 Sustainability Report: Supply chain · search the archive · Charter for suppliers; external audits incl. extraction sites; mined gold from Argentina, Canada, Chile, Peru and others.
- Rolex traceability · search the archive · Gold from mines and recycling; diamond, silver, platinum and coloured stone traceability targets.
- Rolex Australia Modern Slavery Statement 2024 · search the archive · Statement for 2024; no modern slavery identified; 91% of spend with Swiss parent.
Company details
- Owned by
- Hans Wilsdorf Foundation
- Headquarters
- Switzerland
- Employees
- About 15,346
- Last researched
- 2 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Rolex ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/rolex, last researched 2 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What On Track means
Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Rolex.