STEPPING DOWN: Rolex’s U.S. chief executive officer Stewart Wicht is set to retire.
The executive — who will be honored with the Jewelers of America’s lifetime achievement award at this year’s GEM Awards — is set to depart the Swiss watchmaker in December. Post-retirement, Wicht will remain on Rolex U.S.A’s board.
Wicht first joined Rolex in 1975 at its Geneva headquarters. He has served as the Rolex U.S. president and ceo since 2011.
He will be awarded with the JA’s achievement award on Jan. 11 in New York. Additional GEM Award recipients will be announced closer to the event’s date.
Olivier Stip — Chanel’s head of fine jewelry and watches development and GEM Awards chair — said of Wicht: “A bigger-than-life personality and an astute businessman, Stewart significantly elevated Rolex’s partnership with its dealers, thus allowing the entire industry to benefit from this development. Very generous with his time, Stewart supports several trade organizations making him an undisputed leader in the watchmaking world. We are honored to be presenting Stewart with the 2019 GEM Award for Lifetime Achievement.”