Anonymous wrote:The funny thing is Rolex sells 1.1 million watches a year. Second place is Omega at about half a million, but you'll rarely see a wait list for Omega.

I have a white dial Omega Seamaster 300M on the stainless bracelet. I love it. It’s incredibly legible and it’s accurate to the same standard as Rolex. It retails for $6,700. I bought it in like new condition from a collector for $3,200 three years ago. I could sell it for around $4,000 now. I won’t lose money if I sell, but someone that pays retail + tax can expect to loose around 40%. That doesn’t happen with a Rolex.

Anonymous wrote:https://i0.wp.com/deployant.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/43175-000p-b190-rv.jpg?fit=1024%2C1444&ssl=1

There were less than 100 of these made so it really does not belong on a thread about Rolex’s.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the McDonald's of luxury watches. Everyone has one.

And yet Rolex will require you to get on a waiting list for most models, even though they produce 1.1mln watches a year -- the largest watch producer in the world.

I’ve been collecting watches for 25 years and I don’t have a Rolex, but I’m in the process of buying one.

There are 1,816 Rolex authorized dealers in the world, across 118 countries. When you consider that there are hundreds of models in their catalog it stands to reason that ADs can only get so many of the most desirable pieces. Those watches go to the best customers of the AD. That’s why the average consumer can’t get their hands on one.

The link below aggregates waitlist times per Rolex watch.

https://www.luxurybazaar.com/grey-market/rolex-waitlist/?srsltid=AfmBOorlFA5xclBjNapPXPbLXwsg_n-31-G58p3XqYJ31Z65sl65SzKt

The funny thing is Rolex sells 1.1 million watches a year. Second place is Omega at about half a million, but you'll rarely see a wait list for Omega. Rolex has really built their brand for demand to be that high.

Personally that's why I avoid getting a Rolex (the "game" is of no interest to me), but they are great watches, albeit mainstream.

I don’t disagree that playing a “game” for the chance to spend $10,000 - $20,000+ can be frustrating, but I understand if allocated watches go to people that spend a lot of money with the boutique.

Rolex makes 1M+ watches a year, but they sell 15 different models with hundreds of different variations between dials, bezels and bracelets. They all get spread out across 1,400+ dealers, and the more non-allocated Datejusts and Oyster Perpetuals they sell, the more Daytonas, Subs and GMT-Master IIs the store gets. It’s rumored that stores generally get one Pepsi GMT per month. Subs are a bit more plentiful, but the demand is more widespread across the customer base. The waitlists can be hundreds of names long.

I think Rolex, the brand, is mainstream because their marketing is ubiquitous. That said, I’ve never seen a Pepsi GMT, or the Batgirl on someone’s wrist. Nor have I seen a Daytona, or Skydweller in person. They’re allocated, and in very high demand. Those models are not mainstream. That makes them worth the wait if you appreciate the way they look.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's the McDonald's of luxury watches. Everyone has one.

And yet Rolex will require you to get on a waiting list for most models, even though they produce 1.1mln watches a year -- the largest watch producer in the world.

I’ve been collecting watches for 25 years and I don’t have a Rolex, but I’m in the process of buying one.

There are 1,816 Rolex authorized dealers in the world, across 118 countries. When you consider that there are hundreds of models in their catalog it stands to reason that ADs can only get so many of the most desirable pieces. Those watches go to the best customers of the AD. That’s why the average consumer can’t get their hands on one.

The link below aggregates waitlist times per Rolex watch.

https://www.luxurybazaar.com/grey-market/rolex-waitlist/?srsltid=AfmBOorlFA5xclBjNapPXPbLXwsg_n-31-G58p3XqYJ31Z65sl65SzKt

The funny thing is Rolex sells 1.1 million watches a year. Second place is Omega at about half a million, but you'll rarely see a wait list for Omega. Rolex has really built their brand for demand to be that high.

Personally that's why I avoid getting a Rolex (the "game" is of no interest to me), but they are great watches, albeit mainstream.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know that he is an AD but I take my Rolex to Alan Furman for service. My experience in the past 10-15 years with old luxury retailers like Tiffany, Cartier, and Rolex is that the in-store experience is pretty… uninformed, and that’s being generous. And they send out absolutely everything because they can’t address anything themselves in store - most of the time not even meticulously packed and tracked. You’d be better off going to a trusted watch expert who does in-house. So go to Alan Furman and see what he says, no pressure to have him repair unless you feel comfortable. Just my opinion though.

Furman is a good option. I've bought 2 watches from them and they are good to deal with. I think their Rolex repair guy is not an "official" repair place, but worth it to have him open it up and take a look at least.

Rolex essentially owns golf as well. They have the world’s best as ambassadors. The person that raises The Player’s Championship tomorrow at TPC Sawgrass will probably be wearing a Rolex.

https://www.rolex.com/en-us/rolex-and-sports/golf

Rolex sponsors The Oscars.

https://www.rolex.com/en-us/perpetual-initiatives/perpetual-arts/rolex-and-cinema/oscars

Anonymous wrote:It's the McDonald's of luxury watches. Everyone has one.

And yet Rolex will require you to get on a waiting list for most models, even though they produce 1.1mln watches a year -- the largest watch producer in the world.

I’ve been collecting watches for 25 years and I don’t have a Rolex, but I’m in the process of buying one.

There are 1,816 Rolex authorized dealers in the world, across 118 countries. When you consider that there are hundreds of models in their catalog it stands to reason that ADs can only get so many of the most desirable pieces. Those watches go to the best customers of the AD. That’s why the average consumer can’t get their hands on one.

The link below aggregates waitlist times per Rolex watch.

https://www.luxurybazaar.com/grey-market/rolex-waitlist/?srsltid=AfmBOorlFA5xclBjNapPXPbLXwsg_n-31-G58p3XqYJ31Z65sl65SzKt

You’d think posters here would champion Rolex for its altruism. Rolex is wholly owned by the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, a private charitable trust. The focus of the foundation is philanthropic support of environmental conservation, cultural preservation and artistic development.

https://www.bobswatches.com/rolex-blog/resources/rolex-non-profit.html?srsltid=AfmBOopvlihJAcqBPMKtI8yff92vlPJy0WXOVEzFOlzqPCNPsR8DNTUu

There are rumors that Rolex has quietly discontinued the GMT-Master II 126710BLRO Pepsi. This is one of their most iconic watches. The waitlist for one is 5-7 years. It’s one of their most in demand timepieces, year in and year out. Only Rolex could get away with eliminating a true icon from their lineup.

Anonymous wrote:My dad was a successful watch aficionado but he always said Rolex were the fav of sketchy foreigners. Something about you can travel with one or two new Rolexes through customs and it's like traveling with a large sum of undeclared cash because they can easily be converted to cash anywhere in the world.

Since I’m neither sketchy, nor a foreigner, I can’t speak to that practice. What I can tell you is your father was at least partially correct. Rolexes are so well known worldwide that they can be used like currency in an emergency situation. That’s one of the benefits off owning one of the most desirable luxury items in the world.

My dad was a successful watch aficionado but he always said Rolex were the fav of sketchy foreigners. Something about you can travel with one or two new Rolexes through customs and it's like traveling with a large sum of undeclared cash because they can easily be converted to cash anywhere in the world.

Just take the watch to any Rolex dealer and they will send it off to repair. Sometimes that's in the US, sometimes they send it back to CH.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know that he is an AD but I take my Rolex to Alan Furman for service. My experience in the past 10-15 years with old luxury retailers like Tiffany, Cartier, and Rolex is that the in-store experience is pretty… uninformed, and that’s being generous. And they send out absolutely everything because they can’t address anything themselves in store - most of the time not even meticulously packed and tracked. You’d be better off going to a trusted watch expert who does in-house. So go to Alan Furman and see what he says, no pressure to have him repair unless you feel comfortable. Just my opinion though.

Most quartz movements aren’t complicated but this Rolex one is. Make sure Alan Furman can get genuine Rolex parts or the value of the watch will decline precipitously.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a question for the Rolex aficionados here- my dad bought a solid gold Rolex back in the late 70s/early 80s during the brief time when Rolex made them with batteries. It was his prized possession but something's wrong with it and it hasn't worked for probably at least 7 years. Rolex dealers have tried to fix it (for a lot of money) and it still doesn't work. They say the next step is to send to Switzerland which could be thousands of dollars.

My dad died last fall. I have the watch as my mother would really like my teenage son to eventually have it. Is it worth sending to Rolex and potentially paying a lot of money for them to hopefully repair it? I understand this watch isn't to everyone's taste, but it's very sentimental and perhaps that could outshine any gaudiness of a solid yellow gold watch on one's wrist!

Your dad’s watch is likely worth a lot of money.. It’s a Rolex Oysterquartz, correct? They are highly sought after by collectors. Have you taken it to a Rolex authorized dealer?

OP here. Yes, it's an Oysterquartz Day Date. I've taken it to Llijenquist and Beckstead in Tysons- they're an authorized dealer.

It's kind of funny - on occasion, a less informed jeweler
thinks the watch is fake because they're not familiar with the battery versions, which I know were pretty uncommon and maybe slightly derided?

Tiny Jewel Box!