The Rolex waiting list is really just an “interest list,” not a true first-come-first-served waitlist, and it only exists at the store level, if at all–Rolex has no company-wide waiting list. Remarkable levels of demand pushed Rolex wait times into the stratosphere in 2021-2022, but things have calmed down a bit. Rolex’s authorized dealers decide if and how they maintain their lists, and typically loyal repeat customers of that store will be offered the hottest pieces first. Although luxury watch prices have calmed down, don’t expect to get on a steel Rolex Daytona waitlist, or a Pepsi GMT waitlist, with anything less than a comically long estimated wait time. But most Datejust configurations now seem to be orderable to spec, and for the majority of the Rolex lineup a bit of a “return to normalcy” seems to be afoot. We’ll explain.
First, we’ll explain the origins of the Rolex waitlist situation, then we’ll get into how it works, if/where the “list” exists, and how you can hopefully minimize your wait.
A Deeper Look at the Supply Side: The Rolex Supply Chain: Does Demand Really Exceed Supply?
In this article
How to get on the Rolex waiting list
Getting on a “waiting list” isn’t tough, but there are no guarantees if and when your desired watch will ever come in.Authorized Rolex dealers don’t generally do business on the phone (unless you’re an established customer and they know you) so it all starts with simply walking into the store and asking for what you want. Rolex encourages all of their dealers to prioritize local customers, so start with the AD closest to your home.
Can I avoid the Rolex waitlist?
There are really only two ways to shorten the waitlist; it’s not complicated:
- Be a highly-valued customer of the store. Namely, establish a “purchase history.” Of course, we don’t recommend buying jewelry you don’t want. But if you were a jewelry store owner, and you got one Rolex LeMans Daytona per year, well, you’d probably want it to go to one of your most valued clients.
- Be persistent. As we mentioned, waitlists are not strictly first-come-first-served, so each time you visit the authorized dealer is a chance for a salesperson to tell you “We just got this in; the person waiting for it declined. It’s yours if you want it.” And that is happening increasingly frequently.
Plenty of people have had bad Rolex AD experiences and may just decide it’s not worth the hassle, wait or uncertainty. Buying a watch for current market price from a trusted grey market dealer is a decision that we fully support.
Was there always a Rolex waiting list?
No. In fact, in the 1990s, anyone off the street could have walked into a Rolex dealer and bought a steel Datejust or Rolex Submariner No Date at list price, likely even with a discount. In fact, aside from steel Daytonas, and the ceramic Pepsi released in 2018, most Rolexes were basically readily available until 2019. Around then, demand simply began to exceed supply.
Developing a Relationship with a Rolex AD
The best way to develop a relationship with an AD is to treat these people exactly as they are: people, or rather, professionals who work in a watch store and are likely quite knowledgeable about the Rolex lineup. Here are our five simple Rolex waitlist tips:
- Stop in the store regularly (every couple months is plenty). Salespeople are human beings and it’s human nature for people we’ve seen recently to be at the top of our minds. Calling on the phone doesn’t count for much.
- Mention personal milestones. Rolex actively encourages their dealer network to allocate watches to customers celebrating major life events. If you have any particular anniversary or life event coming up, let your salesperson know.
- Only ask for one model (maybe two). If you say you’ll take “any steel sports model,” well, that signals to your sales associate that you aren’t really that into any particular reference, and you’ll look like a “flipper.” The sales team can’t remember every person that comes in and asks for a Rolex. But if an Explorer II comes in, for example, they just might remember a guy that’s been coming in and checking on his Explorer II status every few months.
- Be knowledgeable about the reference you want. Knowing about the quirks and features of a certain model demonstrates that you’re a serious and appreciative prospective buyer. You don’t need to memorize every clasp code and reference number, but sales associates in any industry like selling things to people that fully enjoy them.
- Make other jewelry and watch purchases there. If the AD sells jewelry, or other brands of watches, remember that returning customers receive better treatment than new customers. We never recommend buying things that you don’t want, but if you do have other jewelry or watch purchases to make anyway, patronizing your local Rolex dealer can only help with your wait times.
That’s it. There’s a bit of diplomacy and finesse involved, but there’s not much “secret sauce” involved in the Rolex waitlist process. It mostly comes down to being a normal, personable human being with a little bit of persistence. Don’t forget, a junior sales assistant that the owner trusts has far more influence than you might think, so be conscientious of how you treat all employees, from the door greeters to the head of sales. Building a rapport with the AD staff might mean the difference between leaving empty-handed or walking out with a green bag much sooner than you think.
An AD took down my info. Now what?
Assuming the salesperson did in fact write down your info, it will go into that store’s database. If Watches of Switzerland took down your info, then they’re the only ones that have it. No other Rolex dealer–aside from other WoS locations–will know you requested anything.
As discussed above, an Authorized Dealer has full discretion in deciding its watch allocation to customers, so it benefits Authorized Dealers to keep lists of customers interested in particular models so they can be quickly sold once they are delivered to the store.
The cold hard truth: whether an AD keeps a written waiting list, a waiting list in their mind, or chooses not to keep one at all is entirely up to them. If they do keep a list, they definitely don’t have to follow it. In Japan, some shoppers report that stores have abandoned lists altogether in favor of a daily first-come-first-served policy that has resulted in some huge lines. A more MoonSwatch-like approach, if you will.
In short, “getting on a Rolex waiting list” usually just means that you’ve expressed interest in a particular model to an Authorized Dealer, and hopefully they will remember that if and when they receive it. Oh, and if they like you, that helps too, but we’ll get into that in a bit below.
What does this all mean for the Rolex waiting list?
- The supply of some references is very limited because Rolex does not simply “fulfill orders” from its 1,000+ dealers. Rolex sends batches of watches to their dealer network, usually every week or two, and the AD has no control over how many Pepsis, Daytonas, or other hot models they get. Inevitably, they will get lots of Datejusts and ladies’ models, and if they want to keep getting good allocations, they’ll need to move those too.
- Rolex tends to give more watches to the retailers that sell those watches the fastest. This, in part, drives some stores to “bundle” watches (“if you buy this Datejust you can get that sports model”) although officially Rolex prohibits such overt bundling.
- Nowadays it’s very rare for a casual buyer to wander into a store and get a sought-after Rolex off the shelf that day. Irrespective of any waiting list, Authorized Dealers favor their long-standing clients and when a particular watch becomes available, these are the customers that immediately get “the call.”
- More often than not, store sales teams practice upselling to get rid of the less desirable watches from a shipment. If you are on a waiting list for a GMT-Master II for instance, you might get offered a less popular reference. As you have to wait years for the Pepsi you want, you might consider accepting the offer to signal that you are a serious customer who values the brand not only for its popular pieces.
- Watch flipping (buying from an Authorized Dealer and immediately reselling) is watched closely. Rolex has been known to monitor serial numbers of watches, and which stores sell hot models that turn up on the grey market. Rolex will be likely to voice their displeasure to the AD–who in turn will be unlikely to offer that customer good allocations ever again. If there is any Rolex list, there is definitely a Rolex blacklist (albeit at the store level).
Why is there a wait list for Rolex?
It really is just supply and demand. And as we mentioned, there isn’t any official “Rolex waiting list,” but individual authorized dealers will generally keep their own. Put simply, the Rolex “waiting list” is the result of market economics. Watches (and luxury watches in particular) have exploded in popularity over the last decade, and demand for Rolex watches far outstrips the estimated one million watches per year that Rolex produces. Let this number seep in.
One million watches is an often-quoted production figure, but it has not been verified by Rolex – like its competitors, Rolex is quite secretive about its data, and doesn’t disclose its yearly production. In fact, Morgan Stanley estimated that Rolex’s output could have even reached 1.2 million in 2022. Compare this to the estimated production of some comparable watch manufacturers:
| Brand | Estimated Yearly Production |
| Audemars Piguet | 50,000 |
| Breitling | 230,000 |
| Omega | 560,000 |
| Cartier | 620,000 |
| Rolex | 1,200,000 |
| Longines | 1,700,000 |
Most Swiss manufacturers in the luxury space produce far fewer watches than Rolex, with many brands producing 100,000 watches per year or less. The only ones moving more units per year than Rolex are Tissot (2.8 million) and Longines (1.7 million), albeit at much lower price points.
Assuming the 1.2 million figure is correct, Rolex is roughly in line with the unit production of their closest two competitors by revenue–Cartier and Omega–combined. Yet, those brands generally don’t have waiting lists except for their most coveted models.
Is the wait list different at a “boutique” vs. a “regular” dealer?
No, not really. You’re likely to encounter a very similar situation whether you’re shopping at a boutique–a store that only sells Rolexes–or a typical multi-brand AD. However, anecdotally, some shoppers do report marginally better results at boutiques. At the very least, since Rolex boutiques only sell Rolexes, you know you won’t be pressured to “bundle” random jewelry with your purchase. Some have speculated that with Rolex’s purchase of Bucherer, Rolex will push other dealers to maintain fairer waitlists. We’ll see.
I’m traveling soon. Will an overseas AD put me on their wait list?
No, probably not. Rolex encourages its customers to patronize an authorized dealer near their home, and dealers naturally prefer to sell to repeat customers. Don’t be too offended if a store won’t put you on their list because you’re from out of town–chances are, it’s really not personal. You could get lucky, of course, but Rolex purchases when traveling typically require an extra big dose of luck. And no, Rolex dealers in Switzerland are not any more likely to have stock than your local AD.
Is there a waiting list for all Rolex models?
Pretty much, but wait times seem to be much shorter on average than they were in 2021-2022. You could get lucky and an AD could have a random configuration of Datejust in stock, if that’s what you’re looking for. Gem-set and solid gold models are also likely to be sitting in display cases now. That said, there is still a waiting list for most popular Rolex watches.
The length of a waiting list for a Rolex varies by both model and configuration. If you’ve been following the market, it won’t come as a surprise that the most sought-after Rolex sports models at this moment are the stainless steel references of three iconic models – the Submariner, the GMT-Master II, and the Daytona. Colorful Oyster Perpetuals remain elusive as well. Let’s go down the list of hardest-to-get Rolexes.
Rolex watches with the longest waiting lists
Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” – ref. 126710BLRO
While the Rolex GMT Master II is one of the most well-known Rolex models, as it came from the 1960s, its “Pepsi” flavor, with its distinguishing bright red and blue bezel, has always been one of the best-received variations.
Loading, please wait…
So, it was not a huge surprise when the steel Pepsi was relaunched, featuring a ceramic bezel and a Jubilee bracelet, at Baselworld 2018. It has been a scorching hot watch ever since. At this point, don’t be offended if your local Rolex salesperson declines to even bother adding your name to any list for this model. Maybe you’ll be quoted “ten years” for the waitlist, or maybe, if you’re a valued customer of your Rolex dealer, you’ll get it much sooner.
One thing is for certain–the supply of Pepsis, relative to demand, is very low. The process of making a bi-color ceramic insert is logistically far more difficult when neither of the colors is black. Notice that all four colorways of GMT bezels released since the Pepsi–black/blue, black/brown, black/green, black/grey–are half-black. So, that does support the rumors that Rolex can’t produce as many Pepsi bezel inserts as they’d like.
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “Panda” 126500LN
Loading, please wait…
The fame of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona is almost unmatched. Part of it comes from the legendary Paul Newman’s personal Daytona,which sold at auction for $17 million dollars, the most expensive watch sale in history at the time. But the present-day Daytona, with its signature black and white tricompax dial, is equally coveted by Rolex admirers – so much so that a pre-owned Daytona can be easily sold for double list price, and the retailer wait-list for one can reach the ten-year mark (if they’ll even put you on one).
Rolex Submariner Date “Starbucks/Kermit” – ref. 126610LV
Loading, please wait…
As you all know, there are several variations of the Rolex Submariner, and the 126610LV “Starbucks” is the latest of three Submariner references that feature a green bezel insert. Some call it a “Kermit,” while others refer to this reference as a “Cermit” because of its ceramic bezel insert, insisting that the original 16610 LV is the one true “Kermit.”
We’ll help you keep these silly names straight: Your Go-to Guide to Rolex Nicknames
Secondhand prices for the 126610 LV are consistently above list price. While this model is significantly more obtainable than it was upon release, you should still expect a multi-year wait.
Rolex GMT-Master II “Batman” – ref. 126710BLNR
Another superhero for your wrist, the Rolex Batman, with its distinguishing black and blue bezel, has been a bit overshadowed by its brighter brother, the Pepsi – but the demand for the Dark Knight watch remains steady, as does its value on the “grey market.” This also means that you have to factor in a waiting time of around three to four years to snatch one. Some collectors insist that the 126710 BLNR is called a “Batgirl” when it comes with a Jubilee bracelet, and that seems slightly tougher to get than the Oyster.
Loading, please wait…
Rolex Cosmograph Daytona “LeMans” 126529
Daytonas have been particularly hard to get ever since the steel Daytona got a ceramic bezel in 2016. In 2023, a whole new Daytona lineup was unveiled with new movements and slightly tweaked aesthetics. Gone are the green “John Mayer” dials and the ever-desirable meteorite dials.
While Rolex generally releases all of their new and updated models predictably at the Watches & Wonders fair in March/April of each year, they saved an unexpected surprise for June 2023: The LeMans Daytona ref. 126529LN. It features exotic subdials inspired by vintage “Paul Newman” Daytonas, a red “100” on the bezel celebrating the 100th anniversary of the famous 24-hour race at LeMans, and a 24-hour subdial (instead of the usual 12-hour).
The LeMans Daytona was an instant smash hit and secondhand prices are multiple times higher than the $51,400 MSRP. If you’re a VIP at your local authorized Rolex dealer, you can still expect to wait several years for this, and if you’re not, well…the LeMans is not likely to happen for you.
Rolex Sky-Dweller 336934
Out of all variations of the Sky-Dweller, the relatively simple stainless steel and blue dial configuration has historically been the champion in terms of price appreciation, demand, and difficulty to find. The mint green dial, released in 2023, was an immediate hit as well. The wait list for this model is reportedly 3 – 4 years.
Loading, please wait…
The Sky-Dweller is very popular, and at one point some were speculating that it might even replace the Daytona as Rolex’s most popular model. That seems unlikely at this point, but steel Sky-Dwellers are still in high demand.
Rolex Oyster Perpetual 41 – ref. 124300
Another star of the Rolex line is the Oyster Perpetual. While it is technically Rolex’s entry-level lineup and historically one of the easier Rolex styles to obtain, that all changed with the revamped 2020 Oyster Perpetual lineup featuring bright colors like red, yellow, turquoise, green, and pink. Red and yellow dials are already discontinued, and the turquoise dial is no longer available in the 41mm size. The most difficult dial to obtain–and the one with the highest grey market premiums–is currently the “bubble dial,” or “Celebration Dial” as it’s officially called.
Loading, please wait…
While silver and green dials (and to a lesser extent, black dials) are fairly obtainable with some wait, expect multi-year waits for anything more colorful, and don’t be surprised if your local dealer declines to even put you on the list for a Celebration Dial.
What does the waitlist for a Rolex Submariner look like?
A simple Rolex Submariner Date in steel, ref. 126610, has an expected wait time of 1-3 years. The no-date Submariner, ref. 124060, is less common, but it also has less demand, so its wait times are similar. In fact, this is roughly the wait time you can expect for many Rolex models that are hot, but not Daytona-hot–like the two-tone Rolex GMT-Master II models, the “Root Beer” ref. 126711 and the “Guinness” ref. 126713.
What is the hardest Datejust to get?
The 41mm size, Jubilee bracelet, fluted bezel, mint dial, and blue dial are all traits that make Datejusts more desirable and generally tougher to pick up at retail. Mint green dials, and the “fluted motif” versions of both the blue and mint dials, are quite desirable as well. Wait times for Datejusts can be days or many months, depending on the configuration you’re looking for.But in most cases, you definitely shouldn’t be waiting years for a Datejust.
Remember, there is no single Rolex waiting list, so three years at one AD might be only a few hours at another if you’re really, really lucky. But as Reddit’s mind hive in the AD Wait Time Megathread suggests, most people aren’t that lucky when it comes to Rolex waiting lists.
Do any Rolex watches have no waitlist?
Two-tone Datejusts, especially mid-size or ladies’ models, are the most likely Rolexes to be available for sale at an authorized dealer with no wait. You also might walk in and see some solid gold models, especially with diamonds. Beyond that, Rolex models without waitlists are almost nonexistent. Keep in mind that Rolex makes over 1,300 variations of watches and you’ll almost certainly have to wait for one you really want. The Rolex sports models with the “shortest waitlists” so to speak are typically the Air-King, Rolex Explorer, Yacht-Master, and Sea-Dweller.
Typically, the larger the size, the harder the watch is to find. So, expect a Yacht-Master 37 to be easier to find than a Yacht-Master 40. Consumer preference for large size does have its limits, though. The 44mm Deepsea is usually available without a long wait. And in November 2022, Rolex released the Deepsea Challenge in Titanium. While many expected it to be “unobtainium” and have long wait lists, its 50mm size seems to have scared off the masses and some Rolex fans have reported examples of Deepsea Challenges readily available for sale.
See it on the wrist: Rolex Sea-Dweller Wrist Roll
What’s the best day to try to buy a Rolex?
Friday. Anecdotally, Friday seems to be the most common day for Rolex shipments to reach AD showrooms. You’ll still need a lot of luck to get a Rolex you want on a walk-in basis, but Friday is the most likely day to hear “actually, we just got one in!” Just don’t get your hopes up.
Skip the line and buy it from a Grey Market Dealer
The scarcity of supply and huge demand, especially for the most popular Rolex models, has caused the secondary market price of most Rolex models to increase drastically, causing a huge difference in Rolex retail prices vs Rolex market prices – with buyers willing to pay a 10% – 300% premium in the grey market to obtain the most desirable configurations without the lengthy wait and time investment.
A good grey market dealer often provides services similar to those of a Rolex dealer, with the possibility of supplying other brands in addition to the King of them all. They can sell and buy new and pre-owned Rolexes, carry discontinued and vintage pieces, can ensure excellent customer service, and provide the same guarantee on the items sold, as well as one essential thing: immediate availability of the watch you have to have now. You may have to pay a little more, but it beats having to wait an indeterminate amount of time for a watch that may never come.
We have great respect for the Rolex ADs who are, by and large, highly knowledgeable and competent. That said, as a trusted grey market dealer for over 20 years, we at Luxury Bazaar believe the primary difference between an authorized Rolex dealer and a competent, trustworthy grey market dealer has little to do with the quality of the product, the level of customer service, the level of knowledge or the authenticity guarantees provided: the primary difference is a contract that gives the right to use the Rolex brand officially.
More Rolex Guides:
Rolex Authorized Dealers to Sell Certified Pre-Owned Watches
Are Rolex Watches Worth the Hype?
Collector’s Guide to Special Rolex DialsCollector’s Guide to Rolex Bezels
Understanding the Rolex Rehaut
Greetings, enthusiasts of horology and the artistry of precision timekeeping. As a seasoned connoisseur in the realm of luxury watches, allow me to illuminate the intricate facets of the Rolex waiting list phenomenon discussed in the preceding article. My expertise is derived from an extensive engagement with the dynamics of the luxury watch market, coupled with an in-depth comprehension of Rolex's intricate supply chain.
The Rolex waiting list, a term often misconstrued, is, in reality, more of an "interest list" than a conventional first-come-first-served queue. It's imperative to acknowledge that Rolex, as a company, doesn't maintain a universal waiting list; instead, it operates at the discretion of its authorized dealers. These dealers wield the authority to determine the existence and management of waiting lists, with a focus on catering to their loyal clientele.
The surge in demand for Rolex timepieces during 2021-2022 led to unprecedented waiting times, especially for coveted models like the steel Rolex Daytona and the Pepsi GMT. However, the tides have shifted, and a semblance of normalcy is being restored across the Rolex lineup.
To comprehend the intricacies, one must delve into the Rolex supply chain. Demand has consistently outpaced supply, with Rolex producing an estimated one million watches annually. This figure, though not officially confirmed, places Rolex at the pinnacle of luxury watch production. The scarcity arises from the brand's selective distribution approach and the limited control authorized dealers have over the watches they receive.
Getting on the Rolex waiting list necessitates a visit to an authorized dealer, where establishing a rapport and demonstrating a genuine interest in a particular model can enhance one's chances. However, the wait is not strictly chronological, and factors like customer loyalty and purchase history play pivotal roles.
The article advises two primary strategies to potentially shorten the waiting period: being a valued customer with a purchase history and maintaining persistence in regular interactions with the authorized dealer. Additionally, it sheds light on the historical context, mentioning that in the 1990s, one could purchase certain Rolex models off the shelf without enduring prolonged waits.
Understanding the nuances of Rolex waiting lists extends to recognizing that not all models face similar demand. Iconic models such as the Rolex GMT-Master II "Pepsi" and the Cosmograph Daytona "Panda" are notorious for extended wait times, while two-tone Datejusts or less-popular models may be more readily available.
In conclusion, navigating the Rolex waiting list requires a blend of patience, persistence, and strategic engagement with authorized dealers. The ebb and flow of demand, coupled with the discretion wielded by dealers, form the complex tapestry that enthusiasts must navigate in their pursuit of a coveted Rolex timepiece.
