Rolex to open 30-story David Chipperfield-designed office tower on Fifth Avenue this fall
Images courtesy of Rolex
Rolex on Monday announced its new 30-story flagship at 665 Fifth Avenue will open this fall. Inspired by the watch brand’s signature fluted bezel, the building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Sir David Chipperfield, will feature a stacked facade with four terraces at each step-back. The 165,000-square-foot building will include a multi-level Rolex retail space, topped by office floors and additional retail tenants, along with amenities such as a restaurant and event space.
Chipperfield, who designed the condominium The Bryant in 2017, won a competition to rebuild the U.S. Rolex headquarters in 2019. The new tower replaces the 12-story building occupied by the company since the 1970s.
Situated on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and East 53rd Street, the Rolex Building features a stacked design composed of five volumes and four terraces at each setback. The New York Post first reported the building’s fall opening.
“In a city of towers, we have enjoyed the challenge of designing the new Rolex tower. With this project we hope to make our own contribution embodying Rolex’s values of precision, quality, and innovation as fundamental principles integrated into every aspect of the building—from its form and silhouette to its structure, materials, and the way it is built,” Chipperfield said.
Targeting LEED and WELL Platinum certifications, the project will feature all-electric operations along with on-site rainwater and greywater recycling systems. A double-skin facade improves thermal performance, and an advanced heating and cooling system circulates temperature-controlled water through ceiling pipes.
Rolex will share the office floors with Angeles Wealth Management, which will establish its first New York office in the tower.
In a statement, Luca Bernasconi, CEO of Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc., said the tower reflects Rolex’s “clear commitment” to the city.
“New York City and Fifth Avenue, in particular, have long been crucial to Rolex in the US. The Rolex Building at 665 Fifth Avenue is a clear expression of our enduring commitment to this city: a beautiful example of modern architecture that will serve our team and tenants, as well as welcome clients for decades to come.”
Bernasconi added: “Sir David Chipperfield’s design captures the excellence, precision, and longevity that define Rolex, while setting a new standard for an exceptional workplace experience in the heart of Midtown.”
The Rolex Building is one of several luxury fashion brands developing new flagships on Fifth Avenue. As 6sqft previously reported, Prada plans to build a mixed-use tower at 724 Fifth Avenue, with a store at its base, with company offices and condominiums above.
Last fall, Louis Vuitton filed plans for a 25-story tower at 1 East 57th Street, replacing its existing 20-story building. In 2024, as Curbed reported, the Kering Group, which owns Gucci, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen, signed a deal to buy the retail portion at 715-717 Fifth Avenue for $963 million.
“It’s become an arms race. It’s not good enough to have a Champs-Élysées or Fifth Avenue address; it has to be a flagship with suitable prominence to stand for the brand,” Mark A. Cohen, the director of retail studies at Columbia Business School, told Curbed in 2024.
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