Why You Do Not Want To Buy Directly From Rolex Right Now (2024)

FAQs

Why is it so hard to buy a Rolex right now? ›

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. It comes down to a numbers game, and there's no sign that this will be changing any time soon.

New and genuine Rolex watches are exclusively sold by official Rolex Retailers, whose network covers more than 100 countries around the world.

They will put you on a 2-4 year waitlist, (sometimes longer,) due to their lack of inventory. During that 2-4 year waitlist, Rolex will have more than one price increase, and by the time the watch is finally available to you, you will be paying the current market price...

Availability. Walk into any authorized Rolex dealer, and you're going to see a lot of Datejusts, Day-Dates, Oyster Perpetuals, perhaps a Milgaus, maybe an Air-King, and usually a fresh batch of Cellini dress watches in a wide range of sizes and colors. You'll always see a swath of women's models.

Rolex Daytona stainless steel watches are some of the hardest to come by. Demand is so large for the stainless steel references that they sell for more than some precious metal references pre-owned. New Rolex Daytona stainless steel watches in either the white or black dial can be purchased for $14,550.

Rolex watches as an investment

Rolex watches can make for a good investment, as most watches do lose value over time, but Rolex, not so much. Depending on the watch that you choose, Rolex watches can even increase value over time, depending on elements like exclusivity and design.

When you go to Rolex, if you look in the window, they'll have steel gold watches available, but never any sport steel watches. The gold and the gold-steel are easy to get. The most difficult watches to get are the all-steel watches. Take a Daytona Sport watch in steel, for example, and say it's 14K.

Yes, you can get your authentic Rolex watch serviced without your original papers. Losing your original paperwork is not a rare occurrence at all. Rolex will still service your watch but needs a little more information first if you can't simply hand over your green guarantee card.

"All the models of Rolex are hand assembled and of course during the Covid there was crisis of labourers working at the manufacturing plants which may have led to such shortage of the supply," said the store manager of the Rolex outlet, adding that this shortage is not confined to India only but globally it has the ...

Is it worth buying a Rolex in 2022? ›

Prices for luxury watches like Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Audemars Piguet skyrocketed in 2022. Demand for second-hand luxury watches will likely stay high next year, according to Chrono24 founder Tim Stracke. Watches continue to be an attractive asset class for investors.

When working with an airport authorized dealer or boutique, generally target a discount of 30-35 percent. Unless it's a Rolex. Then be happy with a 20 percent discount or less.

To demonstrate this drop in prices, indexes of the financial performance of watches on the secondary market by WatchCharts show that popular models like the Rolex Daytona have fallen by about 23 percent from its highest in March 2022.

Airport Dealers Probably Have Limited Rolex Selection

Generally, if you are buying from an Authorized Dealer, you can expect the most popular models to be in stock. However, you are unlikely to be able to buy waiting list models, or limited edition timepieces.

Rolex Submariner

Arguably the most popular Rolex watch of all time, and one which appears at the top of every list, the Submariner is designed as a diving watch – having been first launched in 1953 as the world's first fully waterproof watch which could withstand the water pressure up to 100m below surface level.

As a general rule, steel Rolex sports watches reliably hold or appreciate in value. This includes, in particular, the GMT-Master II with its famous two-coloured bezel, the Cosmograph Daytona, and the ever-popular Submariner 16610.

Will Rolex increase price in 2023? ›

If we were to look at prices from 2020 to 2023, we'd find an average price increase of approximately 20%. Of course, the individual price rises on a specific model could vary significantly within that but the overall story is clear, Rolexes are getting more expensive and they look set to continue to do so.

The scarcity of Rolex watches is also due to their high market value. Market value refers to the value assigned to a product by the investment community. The market value of Rolex watches has skyrocketed over the last several years because a limited new supply is pushing the value of secondary models higher.

118. In April of this year, I asked myself if the Tudor Black Bay Pro was a sort of “poor man's Rolex,” exactly as Hans Wilsdorf once intended. Wilsdorf created Tudor as a watch brand that would offer Rolex quality and service at a lower price point — more affordable timepieces that would appeal to a larger audience.

Rolex Milgauss: The least popular Rolex? Watch fans have been speculating about the discontinuation of the Rolex Milgauss for two years now, but there it is, in the Rolex catalog. I'm honestly surprised it's still around because the Milgauss is probably the least popular Rolex model in its current form.

Having said this Rolex keeps their value and most times even increase in value over time, as a result, many people look to sell them and cash in on this valuable asset. Many owners through no fault of their own lack the original authentic certificates that can help them legitimize and speed up the sales process.

Understand the Value of Your Rolex

As noted, in most cases, not having the papers will detract from the timepiece's value — sometimes by as much as $1000. However, that isn't a hard and fast rule, especially with Rolex.

It is recommended to service your Rolex approximately every 10 years depending on the model and real-life usage.

Rolex Authorized Dealer Supply Will Be Improved

With Rolex reducing their authorized dealer network and with their increased investment into production, the supply of Rolex watches at their retail locations will be improved in 2023.

A simple Rolex Submariner with date in steel, the ref. 116610, is expected to need 2 – 3 years on a waiting list, while its no-date version, the ref. 114060 has a waiting list of between 1 – 3 years. Datejusts can be days or many months, depending on the configuration you're looking for.

As almost everybody now realizes, Rolex authorized dealers do not sell watches to the public, they allocate them to customers that bring other benefits to them beyond the sale of a Submariner.

Why Rolex does not sell online? ›

Rolex doesn't do ecommerce, and it does not allow its authorised dealers to sell its watches online either. Increasingly though, because demand is outstripping supply many times over, Rolex retailers cannot sell in stores either.

Rolex Cellini

This is definitely the easiest model you can find at a Rolex AD, and if they don't have the model you are looking for, they'll likely be more than happy to order it for you.

Yes, a Rolex watch can be traced through the serial number. Rolex keeps a record of each watch sold, and the buyer or the gift recipient is given a guarantee card with information on that watch, including the serial number. If your watch is stolen or lost, you can contact a Rolex retailer and report this information.

What this all translates to in practical terms is if you've recently bought a watch as an investment, you should probably hold on to it for a while before flipping it. The watch bubble was nice while it lasted but as the impending recession worsens, things like Rolex's prices dropping is likely to go further.

Discontinued Rolexes in 2022:

Oyster Perpetual 124300 (41mm, turquoise, coral red or yellow dial), 126000 (36mm, coral red or yellow dial), 277200 (31mm, coral red or yellow dial) Deepsea 126660 (replaced by 136660) Air King 116900 (replaced by 126900) Day-Date 40 platinum 228206 (replaced by 228236)

Patek Philippe arguably owns the top-tier of high-horology. Once, the most expensive watch ever sold was a Patek Philippe with many complications and sold for over 11 million dollars, second only to a Rolex that was worn by Paul Newman.

If you're unsure, it's best to go for a watch of around 36mm diameter which is a standard mid-size. More rounded or larger wrists can get away with any of the Rolex sizes which go right up to a 44mm. Always remember that the larger the watch you choose, the harder it is to wear the watch discreetly.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 39

It takes the best of Rolex design – the Oyster case, the Oyster bracelet and the classic dial – and pares them back to basics, making it well suited for any occasion. You can wear this to the office, to a weekend hike, and even to a formal occasion, and it will look right at home.

Generally speaking, authorized Rolex dealers do not negotiate the prices. 2.

Is it cheaper to buy Rolex in Dubai? ›

The retail pricing of a Rolex is more or less the same in Dubai or any other city. On average, a Rolex can cost you anywhere between AED 30,000 and AED 75,000 via the retail store.

Prices on new Rolexes are typically non-negotiable, and if you find what you like among the Rolexes on offer, then it's a fairly straightforward purchase.

The index tracker for Rolex watches shows that Rolex prices have been falling since spring 2022. Rolex watches had been increasing in value year after year very reliably for a very long time, so it's a bit of a shock to see prices drop.

Rolex has built such a strong brand and reputation in the market that it's rare for a Rolex to drastically decrease in value over time. If your Rolex is kept in great condition over the course of time it's on your wrist, it will most likely maintain its value fairly well and sometimes noticeably increase in value.

That said, depending on which model you want, be prepared to pay up to 4 times the retail value of that Rolex sports watch. So, with the above said, the definition does mean that Rolex is overrated, as the watch is worth more on the second-hand market (due to demand) than it is when its bought new.

Your main problem however will be getting your hands on that Rolex of your dreams. Increasingly hard to find, the brand has become a victim of its own success. Stores are regularly out of stock and there are long waitlists for popular models.

At Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, we are at your service to help you choose the Rolex watch that best suits you, within the wide range of Rolex timepieces. Our stores in Dubai are recognized as an Official Rolex Retailer as we only sell guaranteed Rolex timepieces.

Rolex watches are mass-produced, and they manufacture about 1 million watches per year. In other words, there are tons of watches on the secondhand market. It's just that in recent years, the demand for them far exceeds the supply, and this naturally leads to a shortage – regardless of how many exist.

Rolex has said, officially, that the shortage is purely due to unprecedented demand.

Rolex scarcity isn't new, but it's increasingly extreme

"But with the rise of internet blogs, forums dedicated solely to watches, and Instagram, the hobby has really been democratized." This democratization applies not just to sharing information and enthusiasm, but it also affords more ways to buy and sell watches.

Are Rolex prices crashing? ›

The most popular Rolex models saw their prices falling 21% since the peak last April. For Patek Philippe, prices of the most popular references plunged 19%.

Rolex watch prices have been falling since spring 2022 due to a significant increase in supply. Since their peak in April of last year, the most popular Rolex models have seen their prices drop by 21%. Pre-owned Rolex prices are down 21% from their peak trading point in April and 8% from Q2 2022.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 Turquoise

The 41-mm watch with a turquoise dial was actually discontinued in 2022, along with all the coral red and yellow dial versions.

As a general rule, steel Rolex sports watches reliably hold or appreciate in value. This includes, in particular, the GMT-Master II with its famous two-coloured bezel, the Cosmograph Daytona, and the ever-popular Submariner 16610.