Why Can’t I Buy a New Rolex? | Love Luxury (2024)

Buying a Rolex watch isn’t as simple as walking into the store and picking one up! Here are all the things you need to know if you want to buy a Rolex. Read on!

Why is it so hard to buy a new Rolex?

Purchasing a new Rolexwatch has its benefits, the fact is, you are limited to purchasing the Rolex models that are commercially available. When a range is redesigned, the piece you had your eyes set on will no longer be included.

Besides that, special edition versions are only available for a brief period. On the other hand,if you focus on the used market, you’ll notice a much larger range of Rolex models to select from, limited ones can be picked up at potentially higher than RRP.

Why Can’t I Buy a New Rolex? | Love Luxury (1)

Should I buy a used or newRolex?

The first and most evident benefit of purchasing a pre-owned Rolex over a fresh one is the expense. A completely new Rolex watch can be a costly and intimidating purchase, particularly for first-time buyers, but purchasing a used watch can greatly decrease the initial investment in a majority of models.

In contrast to several other manufacturers, Rolex watches maintain a large portion of their worth even after use. Nonetheless, the expense of a pre-owned Rolex would be slightly lower than the cost of a new Rolex.

This enables more customers to purchase a Rolex and could also encourage you to purchase a more expensive watch rather than a basicmodel.

Instant Quote For Your Rolex Watch

Why do used Rolex watches cost more than new?

The shift from newto used is the single most significant point of decline in valuefor a watch. As a consequence, when you acquire a completely new Rolex, the worth depreciates automatically, long before it has performed any of its functions or even had any scratches!

Pre-ownedRolex watches, on the other hand, drop in value much more gradually. In simple terms,if you do wish to sell your watch, you will recoup more of your initial investment.

Your used Rolex is likely to be worth about the same after a year of usage as it was before you purchased it. A fairly new Rolex, on the other hand,would be worth considerably less following one year of usage than it was before you purchased it.

In certain cases, the used Rolex that you buy can potentially increase in value over the years or decades, and there are a variety of explanations why this may occur. The watch model itself could be discontinued, rendering it even more limited, or modern technologies could convert an older model into a collector’s piece.

Many people consider used Rolex watches to be an outstanding purchase. If the model is marginally affected, the expense of repairing it may be negligible, but the gain in value may be high. Similarly, you will be allowed to make some changes to the watch in order to increase its worth.

Why is there a Rolex shortage?

Rolex maintains regulated development and profitability by steadily growing its supply each year, rather than quickly ramping up depending on consumer demands. Any professional seller hopes to be able to have the rare Rolex models in stock when the consumers need them because that would entail more customer satisfaction and more profits.

Watch manufacturers, on the other hand, who have significantly expanded demand to meet consumer interest are in a difficult position when the demand eventually decreases. As a result, suppliers and consumers had a challenging time before supply and demand were balanced.

Rolex’s long-term policy of measured expansion, on the other hand, has ensured that its watches maintain their worth exceptionally well, with no change in their strict quality management requirements. This has given reassurance to many who have purchased a Rolex watch through the years.

Why Can’t I Buy a New Rolex? | Love Luxury (2)

How many watches does Rolex make each year?

Approximately 1 million a year, but there is still high demand, resulting in long waiting lists.

What is the hardest Rolex model to buy?

When purchasing used, very limited or discontinued models such as the Hulk Submariner model are hard to find; however, when purchasing new, all models are extremely limited, especially the Daytona.

How long do I have to wait before buyinga new Rolex?

Rolex has decided to decrease the productionoutput for thebulk of their products in recent years, making much of the sporting watches almost difficult to purchase brand new from Rolex retailers. There will be a set of requirements that you must meet if you purchase a new Rolex from an approved dealer.

You would have to be a past client to even get on the waiting list, and you may have to purchase a gold/ bi-metal Rolex to get a stainless steel version. Even if you fulfil the dealer’s criteria, they would most definitely delay the warranty certificate for about a year, restricting the opportunity to obtain maximum benefit if you need to sell the watch within that span.

Instant Quote For Your Rolex Watch

In general, purchasing a used Rolex watch does not come with these constraints and you would be able to pick any of the Rolex models you want from the commercial market.

If you’re looking to purchase a Rolex watch, you should do so from a reputed professional seller that deals in Rolex and other luxury watch brands. Good luck with your future purchases!

Why Can’t I Buy a New Rolex? | Love Luxury (2024)

FAQs

Why Can’t I Buy a New Rolex? | Love Luxury? ›

There will be a set of requirements that you must meet if you purchase a new Rolex

Rolex
Rolex SA (/ˈroʊlɛks/) is a Swiss watch designer and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as Wilsdorf and Davis by Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis in London, the company registered Rolex as the brand name of its watches in 1908 and became Rolex Watch Co.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Rolex
from an approved dealer. You would have to be a past client to even get on the waiting list, and you may have to purchase a gold/ bi-metal Rolex to get a stainless steel version.

Why is it so difficult to buy a new Rolex? ›

Well, to get you started: most models within the Rolex catalog are so popular that they will resell for a premium on the grey market, so that's why the authorized dealers are a bit skeptical selling the watch to you. On the other hand, most of the models are available to well-known people, valued relations etcetera.

Why is there a shortage of new Rolex watches? ›

Clearly, divergent supply and demand is what's driving the scarcity of Rolexes available for purchase. Demand is astronomically high, and even a supply of one million new watches per year can't meet it.

How to get a new Rolex without waiting? ›

How to beat the Rolex waiting list (2022) - 10 tips
  1. Dress smart when visiting the Rolex authorised dealer.
  2. Be personable and nice with the Rolex authorised dealer.
  3. Build a genuine relationship with the Rolex authorised dealer.
  4. Be knowledgable about Rolex.
  5. Go into the Rolex authorised dealer wearing a Rolex.

Is it possible to buy a new Rolex? ›

New and genuine Rolex watches are exclusively sold by official Rolex Jewelers. All are guarantors of the quality and authenticity of Rolex watches. The company ensures the distribution, sale and servicing of its watches according to strict quality standards.

How long do you have to wait for a new Rolex? ›

Rolex Daytona Wait List
Rolex ModelExpected Wait TimeMarket Premium Above MSRP
Stainless steel Daytona (Black dial)VIP-only, 1 – 5 years92%
Two-tone Daytona (Rolesor)6 months – 2 years10%
Solid gold Daytona6 months – 2 years20%
Daytona “LeMans”VVIP-only, 3+ years325%
1 more row

Can you walk in to buy a Rolex? ›

While you can walk into an Authorized Rolex Dealer (AD) to make a purchase, it's important to understand that not all Rolex models will be readily available, especially if it's your first time buying.

Why can't you buy a Rolex at retail? ›

Rolex has decided to decrease the production output for the bulk of their products in recent years, making much of the sporting watches almost difficult to purchase brand new from Rolex retailers. There will be a set of requirements that you must meet if you purchase a new Rolex from an approved dealer.

Will Rolex prices drop in 2024? ›

Following a significant increase in 2023, Rolex comes back to a more standard price increase for 2024. Without surprises, the arrival of a new year also means subsequent price changes for brands (and this isn't limited to watch brands, but you'll find these in multiple other industries).

Do Rolex dealers sell at MSRP? ›

Rolex has strict rules for licensed dealers (and there are no UNlicenced dealers) and one of the big, main rules is that their watches are to never be sold under the MSRP. If they find out that the licensee has done so, they will no have their dealership taken away.

How long is the waitlist for Rolex 2024? ›

The Rolex Submariner has the largest waitlist in 2024. This is because the Submariner collection is the most popular and there very few references to choose from, which makes the waitlist for a given model even longer. Expect to wait at least a year ordering any of the Submariner variations.

How do I put myself on a Rolex waiting list? ›

The process is simple: you visit one or, ideally, several Rolex dealers and simply register your interest in one or more watches. Most dealers will provide information on their estimate of the expected waiting time on request. If the dealer states a few months, this is initially a good sign and good news.

Can I just go and buy a Rolex? ›

Can you buy a Rolex in store? Yes you can buy a Rolex in store from an official retailer. If you want to buy a new Rolex you will probably need to go on a waiting list. Some jewellery stores will also sell pre-owned Rolexes for which there shouldn't be a waiting list.

Can a regular person buy a Rolex? ›

Remember, Rolex only sells brand-new watches at its authorized retailers and boutiques, so if you want an older model or one of the mega-collectible vintage Rolex references, then the pre-owned market will be your only option.

Which country has the cheapest Rolex? ›

Cheapest place to buy Rolex
  • Japan: In recent years, Japan has become one of the cheapest places to buy Rolex watches. ...
  • Hong Kong: Hong Kong has long been known as a great place to buy luxury watches, including Rolex. ...
  • Switzerland: As the home of Rolex, Switzerland has traditionally been a great place to buy Rolex watches.
Feb 21, 2023

Why does it take so long to get a new Rolex? ›

The fact that there are waiting times if you want to buy a Rolex watch is due to the great popularity of the legendary Rolex models. Rolex only produces comparatively small quantities per year, which do not even come close to saturating the market. In other words, demand is chronically much higher than supply.

Is it better to buy newer or older Rolex? ›

With over a century of experience in making complex and precise movements, the newer watches that Rolex produces are also singularly reliable. With age comes some wearing down of the intricate parts of each Rolex, including the crown, which may result in some loss of waterproofness.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dong Thiel

Last Updated:

Views: 6436

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dong Thiel

Birthday: 2001-07-14

Address: 2865 Kasha Unions, West Corrinne, AK 05708-1071

Phone: +3512198379449

Job: Design Planner

Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing

Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.