given all this, how many years before we are back to getting discounts on ss sports from the grey market? 2 years? submariners can't sell above list forever (given history from the last 30 years). don't tell me about china's emerging middle class either. eventually we'll be back to "normal", no?
P petay993I enjoy my Rolex pieces but I will never pay over list as it makes me feel a mug lining someone else pocket!
I am waiting for a Cameron Deep Sea, have a small deposit down and am currently 8th on the list at my AD. They reckon 12 months and I will be patient and enjoy life in the meantime. I balked at paying the deposit but at least I know I am physically on the famous "list" as opposed to the "expression of interest "bull*hit"
I’m jealous you can lay down a deposit.
I’d be glad to throw down a paid in full deposit for a ceramic bezel if 2 years later I got a call.
Never thought I’d like a modern Rolex watch but that darn watch just speaks to me.
I suppose you just like what you like.
Will keep hunting to find at least a place in line while my watch friends probably scoff at the silliness of all the craze.
In the meanwhile I’ve got my only Rolex in the watchbox to enjoy that fortunately had no wait lists and is just plain old.
Without claiming to know anything about Rolex's business, as a former bean counter I can say the term "constraining production" is an amorphous term. Does it mean not adding a shift or not investing in more plant? If they are at or near full capacity of their existing plant and staff they are not constraining production even if they don't expand.
Some of you might remember the "Cabbage Patch" doll phenomenon of 30 years ago. There was huge demand, re-sellers were getting way more than retail. Coleco invested on increasing production facilities for dolls at a time their cash flow was short due to video game investments. The bubble burst and Coleco suffered bankruptcy. Of course iconic brands like Rolex shouldn't be as volatile as a toy but the same principle applies.
IMHO Rolex knows their business. They are doing something right. Being organized as a not for profit can't be too bad either.
4 years ago SS models were readily available minus maybe the Daytona. Second hand market BLNRs were going for around 8-8.5k and SS subs were below that.
Now SS date subcs are going for 10-11K and oyster BLNRs are 14k. SS date subcs have jumped 2k in the last year alone.
I'm not sure I agree with the assertion that the value retention of a Rolex has persisted over decades.
The Rolex “shortage” for me has been a good thing, in that it’s forced me to broaden my watch horizons. I wanted a Daytona and a Batman but ended with a Speedmaster and a couple Breitlings from the 60s—a 165.024 is next on my acquisition list.
the 806 and their other variants are underpriced imo. they should be more expensive than 4/5k.
Good and correct ones are more then that. A lot of mediocre examples or mid matched pieces out there.
But yup.