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Geneva, Switzerland—Between his marital missteps and less-than-stellar golf scores of late, there’s little mystery why one Swiss watchmaker, Tag Heuer, just dropped Tiger Woods as its spokesperson and brand ambassador. What is puzzling, however, is why Rolex subsequently picked him up, as was announced earlier this month.

And what can Rolex dealers tell customers who ask why?

Since the company is notoriously tight-lipped, this article on Slate.com offers some educated hypotheses. Slate author Seth Stevenson turned to veteran watch journalist Joe Thompson, editor-in-chief of Watch Time, a magazine for timepiece aficionados, for some insight.

Thompson offered some background about how Rolex got to be, well, Rolex, which mainly stems from its early innovations in both technology and sports marketing. So while seasoned collectors eventually start gravitating toward more understated brands with higher price tags, Thompson told Slate the newly minted alpha dog still sees a Rolex as the beacon announcing his arrival.

But it still doesn’t answer the Tiger question.

One could argue that even with his recent screw-ups on the green, he’s still one of the most rarified golfers in the history of the game, and Rolex is a huge sponsor of the sport, with names like Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player, all having deals with the brand.

Or that Rolex had Tiger once for its lower-priced Tudor brand (discontinued in the United States) and let him get away, so perhaps its taking advantage of a weak moment to grab the beast by the tail, so to speak.

No, theorizes Thompson. Rolex doesn’t need to pick anyone, even Tiger Woods, up at fire sale prices.

William George Shuster, a longtime industry watch journalist, says reaction online among watch and golf aficionados has been mixed: he’s observed an almost equal number of postings from consumers who think it’s great, and from those who say they will swear off Rolex as long as Woods is wearing one.

So what’s the deal? Hint: It’s all about Asia, especially China, which is of course the fastest-growing market for luxury watches.  

Shuster told The Centurion that while the Tudor brand isn’t sold in the United States anymore, it is still sold in Europe, South America, and Asia, and at one time there was a Tiger Woods watch in the line. Plus, he adds, Woods still is very popular in Asia—even with all his recent mishaps on and off the green.

A Rolex Tiger Woods Tudor watch.

“Woods isn’t at the peak of his game, though Rolex’s announcement suggests it expects he will be again,” said Shuster.

According to the Slate article, right now Omega, not Rolex, is the dominant entry-level Swiss luxury watch in China, but Asians are obsessed with golf and Rolex is well established as the golf lover’s watch. Equally important, let’s not forget the power of rooting for one’s own: Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is half Asian himself, was raised Buddhist, and has the traditional Thai name Tont for his middle name. (Losing track of his Buddhist faith—which teaches restraint and self-control over impulses—is one of the reasons he’s given for his infidelity and bad behavior, according to Wikipedia.)

Woods’ late father Earl was of African American, Native American, and Chinese ancestry. His mother Kultida is predominantly Asian; she is of Thai, Chinese, and Dutch ancestry. 

Read the entire Slate article here.