Though Instagram and TikTok are filled with displays of aspirational wealth, and reality TV and gossip mags titillate consumers with images of the privileged few toting luxury handbags, the value of these items is all about status rather than substance. Yes, we all want to be able to afford the things we need, and to treat ourselves to the odd shiny bauble, but if you take a step back from the toys of the mega-rich, it becomes clear that the emperor has no clothes. As Hollywood’s Judd Apatow once admitted after finding himself rich beyond his wildest dreams: “There’s nothing to buy.”
BBC’s Hunting the Rolex Rippers doesn’t do much to examine these ideas. With a running time of 30 minutes, you are left wondering about the motivation of those who spend exorbitant amounts on luxury timepieces, and confused as to who this show is aimed at. The programme sees documentary journalist Tir Dhondy meet the young men and teens who steal high-end watches from the wrists of the elite (they only bother if they are worth more than £10,000). She investigates the industry around them, where rival gangs and hand-wringing resellers exploit desperate teenagers for easy payouts.
