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I don't understand the recent Rolex SS craze/shortage. What am I missing?

HiDive
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Inpw Inpw
I agree. It's possible that their goal was to achieve more sales by bundling "undesirable" watches with SS sports models, but it would've been more efficient to slowly switch production resources to the latter. So far it's worked great (and as somebody pointed out, the rise of social media certainly played into their hands). Who knows if it works out in the long run... Personally I've lost interest. I appreciate Rolex' history and their iconic models, most notably the Explorer and the GMT-Master, but it's been about status symbols more than about watches for a long, long time.
Are you trying to tell me that Omega, and most brands charging over $1K are any different. I actually think that some of the less functional wannabe garbage brands like Invicta are worse. A couple of the few that I believe are different are Citizen and Seiko since they have decent watches in many different styles and functionalities in wide price ranges.
 
jpjsavage
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Foo2rama Foo2rama
There are a lot of speculators. Look if you got a BLNR... wouldn’t you flip it?

I got my BLNR yesterday and I love it. Certainly won't be flipping it .
 
mancio
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Give to the market enough time to have it a lot of them delivered, than is gonna be fun for flippers.

On my end, if you can, buy a Vintage GMT now. I'm afraid that they won't be "affordable" for long.....
 
Inpw
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HiDive HiDive
Are you trying to tell me that Omega, and most brands charging over $1K are any different. I actually think that some of the less functional wannabe garbage brands like Invicta are worse. A couple of the few that I believe are different are Citizen and Seiko since they have decent watches in many different styles and functionalities in wide price ranges.
I mean, we're talking about a luxury item, so I fully understand your argument. Yes, an Omega is a status symbol, too. However, Rolex is the brand that non-WIS who are looking to make a statement are looking to. Not Omega, not the holy trinity, but Rolex. And the brand's marketing fully supports that. That's why I'm saying it's not about watches anymore, but pretty much ONLY about status. Very few people choose Rolex based on history or craftsmanship. Invicta is a fashion watch brand, so it's a totally different situation. There's neither status nor horological importance involved.
 
HiDive
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Rolex as well as the others like Omega are luxury items and hard to justify owning for most people. I have been buying / owning Rolex Submariners and Sedwellers since the 1970's when you could buy a no date sub in the $400 range. My fist SD was under $1000. As a professional diver I would say it started out as a diving tool for me, but not so much any more as wrist computers are more practical and affordable, even though I rarely dive to depths requiring decompression. I think I like them now as an identifier of myself as a professional Diver but, I will freely admit that it is also a luxury item and perhaps a bit of a status symbol, although I am certainly not a wealthy person. I have a few other odds and ends as well like this.
fetch
 
64Wing
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Rolex has done well to preserve the prestige and mystique surrounding certain well-desired models, namely, the GMT Master II with "Pepsi" or "Bat Man" bezels. I don't think the fault for the problem lies squarely with Rolex per se, but the discretion of the AD network is abysmal. The flippers are a key component to the price explosion, but then again, the demand is very high for these types of pieces. This is especially true in developing markets in Asia and the healthy economy in the US. I do think Rolex has the ability to produce more units, but that would keep the margins down. Ultimately, what I keep wondering is: if I go to an AD and set $9,250 in cold cash on the counter and say, "put me on the list for the 126710BLRO. I'll wait." Would they laugh me out of the store? Frankly, I think that's what we all should be doing. Then we should write all about it to every horology publisher in the world so that the rest of the prospective customer pool gets fed up enough to just go buy a Speedmaster, Black Bay, Nomos, etc. When I studied business at the university I always ended up asserting that something is worth what someone will pay for it. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to pay TRIPLE the MSRP on this piece. Anybody that does is an idiot. I can hear them now, "I'm an idiot? YOU"RE an idiot! You're just jealous you couldn't afford one! Besides this watch is appreciating already." Problem is, that "appreciating" is now 20 years in the hole for what they just paid for it. At the end of the day, would I like a Rolex? Sure. Would I like five other luxury watches in stead? Absolutely.
 
blufinz52
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Inpw Inpw
I mean, we're talking about a luxury item, so I fully understand your argument. Yes, an Omega is a status symbol, too. However, Rolex is the brand that non-WIS who are looking to make a statement are looking to. Not Omega, not the holy trinity, but Rolex. And the brand's marketing fully supports that. That's why I'm saying it's not about watches anymore, but pretty much ONLY about status. Very few people choose Rolex based on history or craftsmanship. Invicta is a fashion watch brand, so it's a totally different situation. There's neither status nor horological importance involved.

I'm curious how you know this. I get the gist of what you're saying, but that's a pretty bold statement don't you think?
 
Alphasports
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ac106 ac106
100% this. I really believe they are using this "shortage" to socially engineer their customers to pay 2-3x retail. Then when that becomes normal, a 50%-100% increase with availability at any AD will seem like a bargain.

This has been my theory for awhile too. Deliberately use the greys to "inadvertently" help the mother ship move towards its goal of getting prices waaaaaaay up, I mean waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay up, like 3x current retail (total guess but that's my bet!). They see waitlists for PPs @ 50k+ and want a slice, and da peeps will line up around the block like always.
 
CaptainWinsor
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Interesting topic. Not a Rolex fan at all. It reminds me of my salad days when you went to a club and there would be a line up outside. Once in you realize the line was all hype and it was nowhere near filled up. Luckily we always knew the doormen
 
HiDive
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Essentially I did get my BLRO by going to the AD and putting the money on the counter for it. I sent them an older Seadweller that I was going to sell. They offered me a fair price which was substantially more than the MSRP on the GMT (and more than I paid then for it a few years ago) so I told them I would wait. They called me two months later and said it was in if I wanted it. They sent it. I would not pay over retail, in fact most of the time I have gotten a small discount off retail.
The assertion that "something is worth what someone will pay for it" is only true to a point. There will always be someone with enough money to pay an outrageous price for almost any desirable item, but that does not mean that a company, such as Rolex, can expect to sell them at that price. That price must be able to move enough units to sustain production. Rolex prices have gone up quite a bit over the years and the watches that I have bought prove that. My first Submariner in the mid 1970's was about $400 and that was a discounted price at an AD. At that time I also bought a decent Seiko diver for about $60 or an Aquadive Chrono with a Vajoux 72 movement for $225. Later in the early 1980's I bought my first Seadweller for under $1000 (which was also discounted from retail) and a Titanium Seiko Tuna can model for about $300. I have owned numerous Subs and SD's since then and have been happy with them all. I have never had to sell a Rolex for less than I paid and am also happy about that. Rolex, Omega etc. and even Seiko will absolutely continue to raise their price just like almost any other product on the market, except TV's and computers. So, don't expect anything else. It makes no sense to complain about it, if it bothers you that much buy a Casio, which I also have several examples of. I also have a Grand Seiko Diver that retails around $7000 I think, which I would have thought was impossible 30 years ago.
 
Alpha
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Waiting six months now on a 116610LV and quite happy to wait six more, no way will I pay a flipper around £13000
 
AAAKK
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Ad nauseam:

- Rolex is for poseurs/is for connoisseurs

- Rolex is/isn't good value for the money

- Rolex regurgitates the same design year after year/Rolex remains true to it's original design ethos

- Rolex is/isn't throttling SS sports model supply

- Rolex brand strategy is genius/is disastrous

People that hate Rolex, talk about Rolex. People that love Rolex, talk about Rolex. People that don't give a shit about watches will almost assuredly know the name Rolex. Brand awareness that others can only dream about.

I guess my point is that maybe, just maybe, they've got it figured out.
 
Archer
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AAAKK AAAKK
I guess my point is that maybe, just maybe, they've got it figured out.

There's no doubt about that. They are very good at doing what they do from a business perspective.
 
Inpw
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blufinz52 blufinz52
I'm curious how you know this. I get the gist of what you're saying, but that's a pretty bold statement don't you think?
Of course I'm generalizing. Heck, I'm a Rolex owner myself. But I work in an industry where a lot of people still wear luxury watches, so I've talked to plenty of them about this hobby. Rolex owners generally seem to be less interested in horology than others.
 
blufinz52
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Inpw Inpw
Of course I'm generalizing. Heck, I'm a Rolex owner myself. But I work in an industry where a lot of people still wear luxury watches, so I've talked to plenty of them about this hobby. Rolex owners generally seem to be less interested in horology than others.

Ok, fair enough. It's just not been my experience.
 
MTROIS
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Rolex, especially SS prof models, are great watches, period!
Would I like to add a few more to my collection? You bet.
Am I annoyed that I can’t walk in a store and get one? Sure.
Am I (sometimes) considering going grey? Yes.
Will I go grey? Most likely not.
Am I glad this “shortage” made me open my eyes and remember that there are SO MANY other great watches available out there? Yes, yes and yes!
 
larryganz
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MTROIS MTROIS
Rolex, especially SS prof models, are great watches, period!
Would I like to add a few more to my collection? You bet.
Am I annoyed that I can’t walk in a store and get one? Sure.
Am I (sometimes) considering going grey? Yes.
Will I go grey? Most likely not.
Am I glad this “shortage” made me open my eyes and remember that there are SO MANY other great watches available out there? Yes, yes and yes!

There's much less shortage of older used Rolex though.
 
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