Community Stories

Demand for Rolex hits unprecedented level

E
Posts
303
Likes
261
Nobel Prize Nobel Prize
Some of them don't loose the license. They forgo their license. Rolex asks for $500K plus a dedicated space/ store front for Rolex within the store with dedicated team. Now, imagine you're a small store and have to do that and then you don't get more than a handful of watches to sell even year. It's just not worth it.

Here in Michigan Ahee chose to not carry Rolex anymore for that same reason. They have a terrific Patek selection and Cartier and a few other brands but not Rolex. Too much of a hassle for little return.
Highly understandable. Just speaking from my experiences with AD’s they always left me a bad taste in my mouth. An AD from Central America blatantly stole my original movement and gave me a blacked out one forever burning me with the brand, a local AD that used to sell Rolex screwed me over in the long run, and why I was asking about them “losing” and not forgoing their license because their service rep did a horrendous job on the watch, he gave me back a scratched out dial with my watch hands having tool marks all over them.

It took me years to realize it was bad and by that time they didn’t service Rolexes and didn’t sell them. Rolex service to be honest is getting right up there, the watch they gave back to me after service not only does it have the dial and bezel marks not lining up, the movement has been has been gaining +10 a day, as of right now it’s gained +17 since Saturday, the brand new bracelet that I purchased from them has screws that won’t come off no matter what i do or enough wd40, and on top of that the service rep “knew” my dials and hands were scratched, but they never discussed it with me. I had to send in twice to get it fixed, but I for sure have to send it back a third time for them to fine tune and fix the dial/bezel alignment and for them to fix the bracelet because I legit have screws that won’t come off. Rolex service center is something else for sure, But that’s just my experience as of right now. The last time I had water damage to the same watch in the past Rolex sent me back everything including the damaged 3135 movement, now it’s like thank you for service and have a good day which is understandable lolol oh well.
 
Rochete
Posts
1,232
Likes
5,682
"Suave and elegant" isn't what first springs to my mind when I hear "Daytona", I mustn't know what those words mean...
 
cvalue13
Posts
3,979
Likes
8,988
Rochete Rochete
"Suave and elegant" isn't what first springs to my mind when I hear "Daytona", I mustn't know what those words mean...

I have to admit, whatever interesting things there are to discuss/debate about Rolex (and there are many), the Daytona is for me on the very bottom of the “interesting list” - which btw I take to be purely a matter of my subjective, nothing about the watch itself
 
V
Posts
214
Likes
193
I am currently in the process of obtaining quotes to sell my Rolexes.

When I bought them, they were still relatively special. Now, they are the most common brand of watch in any restaurant we go to.

Are we at peak Rolex? Probably not. But I have lost interest in Rolex as a maker.
 
ckhaing
Posts
489
Likes
2,018
from 1:52 to 3:45

i guess it is how it works now a days
you need an equivalent of (unwritten) reseller license in order to purchase from AD
rolex AD is de-facto wholesaler, not open to retail public, just as the grocery store wholesale business

and if what he said is true (very likely true), there is rolex speculative price bubble already set in
when will that bubble burst? who knows, until enough catalysts are added into the cooking reactor which is probably pretty overheating by now
maybe a good time to start a rolex ETF and inverse ETF, which will hedge against each other
Edited:
 
JwRosenthal
Posts
16,307
Likes
44,913
ckhaing ckhaing
from 1:52 to 3:45

i guess it is how it works now a days
you need an equivalent of (unwritten) reseller license in order to purchase from AD
rolex AD is de-facto wholesaler, not open to retail public, just as the grocery store wholesale business

That man needs to lay off the whitening treatments.
 
Fatcat
Posts
1,486
Likes
1,916
This WE was in Montreal At Birks they was absolutely nothing , when I said nothing is nothing in and out
 
4D12A2CC-D1C0-417A-A3F6-AD4268C981B2.jpeg
johnireland
Posts
647
Likes
1,498
When I'm looking to buy a Rolex I have a great time...courteous sales people, large inventories of almost all models, prices that reflect both the value of the watch and the dealer's need to pay his bills and make a profit. Of course these are all vintage and preowned Rolexes, offered by dealers who are often watch enthusiasts themselves. And I often get pieces that are truly collectible and iconic...not over-hyped "limited editions" that have no real horological significance and are just pumped out to chum the sales waters. The factory AD, for Rolex and most others makes, is rarely if ever a true watch enthusiast...they're in it for the money only...which means they get what you pay for, not the other way around.
 
Nobel Prize
Posts
6,832
Likes
13,793
johnireland johnireland
When I'm looking to buy a Rolex I have a great time...courteous sales people, large inventories of almost all models, prices that reflect both the value of the watch and the dealer's need to pay his bills and make a profit. Of course these are all vintage and preowned Rolexes, offered by dealers who are often watch enthusiasts themselves. And I often get pieces that are truly collectible and iconic...not over-hyped "limited editions" that have no real horological significance and are just pumped out to chum the sales waters. The factory AD, for Rolex and most others makes, is rarely if ever a true watch enthusiast...they're in it for the money only...which means they get what you pay for, not the other way around.

easy statement to make but it does not hold water. Sorry.
Todays hideous modern watch is tomorrows valuable vintage watch. Vintage dealers are not romantic watch enthusiasts they are business people maximizing their sales. And Rolex does not have endless limited editions either.

if you’re going to make a grandstanding statement make an effort here please.
 
cvalue13
Posts
3,979
Likes
8,988
Rolex lives rent free in so many heads.

It most often smacks of some covetousness.

There couldn’t be an easier watch to avoid buying.
 
JwRosenthal
Posts
16,307
Likes
44,913
cvalue13 cvalue13
Rolex lives rent free in so many heads.

It most often smacks of some covetousness.

There couldn’t be an easier watch to avoid buying.
Oh- are we doing Hiku now?

Heavy wears the crown
Once a tool and now for tools
Sad state of affairs
 
cvalue13
Posts
3,979
Likes
8,988
JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Oh- are we doing Hiku now?

Heavy wears the crown
Once a tool and now for tools
Sad state of affairs

Imagine if tomorrow there was suddenly unlimited stock at MSRP. What unfolds?
 
ckhaing
Posts
489
Likes
2,018
i am nowhere close to the insider knowledge and trade secrets of both, but is rolex's demand (creation?) - supply (limitation?) - price equation is now somewhat similar to diamonds sales?
 
joeshoup
Posts
532
Likes
2,493
JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
Oh- are we doing Hiku now?

Heavy wears the crown
Once a tool and now for tools
Sad state of affairs

A common steel watch
I'm ashamed, but I want one
Robbery futures
 
johnireland
Posts
647
Likes
1,498
Amazed at how toxic the Rolex hate is here. But if so many of you feel some primal urge to express yourselves, go right ahead. But to quote Willie the Bard, "Me thinks thou doth protest too much." I wouldn't buy a new Rolex for both financial and aesthetic reasons, so whatever is going on in that market means nothing to me. I have good relationships with several vintage dealers and I would not hesitate to recommend any of them to a close friend or family member. And I have a good knowledge of Rolex's history, and I don't hesitate to recommend their watches to informed and educated people who are looking for more than a status symbol at a fire sale.
 
21 More Posts...
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

ikanbilisclub

Unprecedented Chronovirus Complications

ikanbilisclub Open Discussion
Dan S
Dan S
Posts
20
Views
2K
pIoNeErOfThEnILe

sinn 556 - quite possibly the best all around sport/dress watch for a 7" wrist on every level

pIoNeErOfThEnILe Open Discussion
timoss
timoss
Posts
42
Views
50K
griffith_500

Blame Rolex for this...;-)

griffith_500 Modern Omega Watches
jankymutt
jankymutt
Posts
51
Views
5K
wouter van wijk

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner reference 5513 from 1966 with a gilt dial aka “Bart Simpson”

wouter van wijk Watches For Sale
wouter van wijk
wouter van wijk
Posts
2
Views
9K
aesguerra

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 (Ref 116000) White Dial Review

aesguerra Rolex Watches
thelinendial
thelinendial
Posts
23
Views
38K
pitpro

Grey market has become a necessary evil for luxury watchmakers

pitpro Open Discussion
hugo
hugo
Posts
27
Views
5K