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Rolex availability to improve this year?

  1. lindo Feb 28, 2020

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    The impact of the coronavirus on economies around the world is just getting started. Sharemarkets this week have jumped into a downturn that has a way to run yet, given that the virus has not yet impacted on the US or much of Europe. Businesses sourcing goods from China or selling resources there are already feeling the pain. Tourism is in massive reverse (cruise ship, anyone?) in many countries.

    Watching the TV coverage of big cities in China with no people on the streets nor in the shopping centres was initially shocking but somehow distant from us. Now those lockdowns are spreading. You can argue that they will be lifted after a relatively short time, but nothing about this situation is certain.

    And in the meantime many businesses must be suffering very low turnover. If all that is aggregated into a bigger economic picture, the buying power of thousands - if not millions - of people will be dramatically reduced this year.

    So what does that mean for Rolex, which has had a dream run selling to Chinese businessmen for years? My expectation is that the apparently insatiable demand for Rolexes in China must diminish. Will it be enough however to allow the rest of us to actually see local Rolex ADs with displays of sports watches in their windows?

    I have a hankering for adding a particular Rolex to my collection, and I would like to be able to walk into a Rolex dealer, try it on, and buy it at recommended retail (or even if there is a heaven, to negotiate a better price). So I am putting aside my funds for about six month's time, when I think the Rolex factory output will have caught up with the reduced worldwide demand.

    Am I dreaming, or is this a cool plan?
     
  2. Canuck Feb 28, 2020

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    Think SARS, the human version of BSE, Newcastle disease (chickens), CWD, Ebola, and the list goes on and on. Still there is a demand. Don’t get your hopes up.