What watch do you wear?

[t6dpilot]

Rolex of Dallas is certainly a very good resource for newer watch repair or service. If you have a vintage Rolex DO NOT send it to Rolex Dallas or New York or even Switzerland. Philip Ridley of Ridley Watchmakers in Mesa AZ is your guy. He and is father are CW21 certified by Rolex and they have all the NOS replacement parts for these now collector watches. I would definitely send a newer watch to him as well. Very talented, personable, trustworthy, and competitive cost wise. I have had watches serviced by him 4 times and he is the best.

[aschen]

Originally Posted by ckcarr

I'm finding this entire watch culture really interesting.
Fine guitars, luxury watches, firearm collections.... high end motorcycles, cars, airplanes...
It's good to be a capitalist!

What I have learned, and believe is true regarding Rolex.

They make around 1 million new watches per year. However the worldwide demand is far higher than that.

At one time the secondary market didn't exist as it is today, but now there's a lot of money in it. Back when I bought my first (and only) Rolex you could walk in and pick from a display case. Now they, the dealers, say the displays are just that, for display only and they have no inventory. This story is not true however as they receive weekly shipments from Rolex. They have inventory locked in their vault which is available for sale.

Meanwhile, now however, you must physically walk into a Rolex dealer. There are no on-line sales. They will tell you they have no inventory - as the nice lady said to me last week.
You have to introduce yourself, give them all your personal information... maybe have coffee, or buy a trinket or two.. And they say thank you, please keep in touch.

Then, behind the scenes, after you leave they check you out to the best of their ability. They scour social media, look for repetitive purchase histories in a master Rolex database. They are looking for the flippers... And in their way, trying to protect the brand. The directive is to sell to genuine customers, not flippers. If you check out, and you seem OK, that's still not enough. You need to be earnest, returning to the store and build a relationship with them, keep inquiring...

Then one day, you may get a call saying they have a Datejust, or Oyster perpetual for you... Or maybe actually the one you want... No way will they sell you one of the higher end watches though, those are reserved for their real and loyal customers. Now, once you get that call you have to act. You'll probably be given 48 hours to decide and be there to claim the watch. If not... They will never call again.

It seems crazy..

And that's why the Rolex tax exists.

And yet there is a bajillion box and papers unworn 2025 for sale grey market. At least for standard subs, dj, OP etc.

This is a relatively new thing. Daytona's have always been a bit scarce and some other off catalog pieces, but in general this is not normal and I think rolex is actively encouraging it.

I remember maybe 5 years ago when this was emerging. The boutiques wouldent have daytonas and pepsi gmts. You could walk out with as many DJ, ladies anything, precious metal anything, as you wanted.

We will see if they can keep up the hype. Plenty of people are fed up with it though. Scarcity, artificial or not, is what luxury brands do these days.

Rolex outsells Omega and Cartier combined. They are like 1/3rd of the entire swiss watch industry. I guess its working. Exclusive luxury for everyone!

[charlesbahn]

Be aware that if you send a vintage Rolex*to the Rolex factory for service you*will get back a really nice watch that will run like a new watch for many years.*But they will automatically replace the vintage dial and hands even if they look pretty good.The watch you get back will be worth only a fraction of what you sent in without the original dial- even if the original dial looked a bit scruffy.

If you have one serviced outside the factory insist that they do not change the dial, or at least if they do,*have them return the dial to you so you can keep it with the watch.

Charles

[ramonesfreak]

Screw that. That’s like sending your half million dollar 59 les paul to Gibson for a truss rod adjustment only to have them refinish it. I wouldn’t give Rolex a single cent of my money

[javadog]

OK, I have to push back on that.

When you send a watch to the Rolex service center, they disassemble it and prepare a list of recommended service items. You have to agree to those items before they will do anything to the watch. You can choose not to do certain things and you can ask for other things to be done that are not listed. NOTHING happens until there's an agreement between the two of you.

When you take a watch into the service center, they will disassemble it while you wait in their very plush waiting room and then you will get to have the suggested service work discussed by the guy that just took it apart and will be working on it. Again, you can address any concerns you might have. Nothing happens until you are happy AND SIGN THE WORK ORDER specifically listing everything that will be done to the watch.

One vintage Rolex I owned, a rare 5512 Submariner that I purchased from James Dowling years ago in the UK, was serviced in Dallas and came back looking like the beautiful example it was. Not a single "modern" replacement part was visible because the watch was nice enough to not need a new dial, or hands, or bezel, or what have you.

I also have to disagree with some more common nonsense from the watch collecting world.

Patina.

You buy a brand new Rolex (or Patek, or any of the other premium watches) and you get a perfect watch. Flawlessly crafted, a work of art. Personally, I always took very good care of my watches, as I wanted them to stay looking that way indefinitely. Not everybody is that careful and some are downright careless, especially the women. Years down the road, a watch can look less than brand new and Rolex is pretty damn good at reversing that during a service. This idea that a watch is worth more when it carries the many scars of careless use is, to my mind, equal to some of the bull**** that comes out of the moths of some art dealers.

Yes, you can polish a case or bracelet POORLY (looking at you, Joe Independent) but that's not what Rolex does. I think it's much ado about nothing with respect to Rolex, to bolster the value of the used dealers' less than stellar inventory.

My two cents, but it is one of the things, along with the scenario that aschen describes so well above, that convinced me to exit the hobby that I'd been in since around 1970.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Screw that. That’s like sending your half million dollar 59 les paul to Gibson for a truss rod adjustment only to have them refinish it. I wouldn’t give Rolex a single cent of my money

Read my post above, that's not how it works.

[ramonesfreak]

I have read similar (horror) stories online over the years. But I’ll take your word for it.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

I have read similar (horror) stories online over the years. But I’ll take your word for it.

Yeah, this nonsense gets repeated over and over again. No idea why.

But I have had watches serviced more times than I can count by Rolex, and it is never been anything other than what I described.

[Steve Carlton]

I'd call a couple of places mentioned in here, especially LA WatchWorks

https://www.reddit.com/r/rolex/comments/dti4bw/any_options_for_repair_besides_rolex/

A circa 2002 Sub probably doesn't need much, but the cost of servicing these things annoys me.

[monoflo]

Tissot PRC100 Solar
Leather band
Simple -works
I love expensive nice watches just can't spend the coin . Autos ---- thats a different thing

[javadog]

I just checked and the factory center in Dallas is mail-in only now. NYC still accepts walk-ins.

What a bummer...

[red-beard]

Latest acquisition - A Montblanc Perpetual Calendar - It will stay correct, month and day, until 2100, when the 4 year function fails.



OTOH, I have acquired too many watches....I'm about to sell off a bunch on Chrono24 and Reddit r/watchexchange

Tudor Black Bay 58 Blue (39mm)
Tudor Black Bay 42mm GMT Pepsi
Tudor 1926, 41mm White Dial Gold Hands
Tudor Black Bay 41mm Burgundy - METAS
IWC Year of the Snake - 37mm - Portofino moon-phase (1 of 500)
Baume et Mercier Year of the Snake - Riviera 10785 - 39mm (1 of 200)
Iron Annie G38

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by ckcarr

I'm finding this entire watch culture really interesting.
Fine guitars, luxury watches, firearm collections.... high end motorcycles, cars, airplanes...
It's good to be a capitalist!

What I have learned, and believe is true regarding Rolex.

They make around 1 million new watches per year. However the worldwide demand is far higher than that.

At one time the secondary market didn't exist as it is today, but now there's a lot of money in it. Back when I bought my first (and only) Rolex you could walk in and pick from a display case. Now they, the dealers, say the displays are just that, for display only and they have no inventory. This story is not true however as they receive weekly shipments from Rolex. They have inventory locked in their vault which is available for sale.

Meanwhile, now however, you must physically walk into a Rolex dealer. There are no on-line sales. They will tell you they have no inventory - as the nice lady said to me last week.
You have to introduce yourself, give them all your personal information... maybe have coffee, or buy a trinket or two.. And they say thank you, please keep in touch.

Then, behind the scenes, after you leave they check you out to the best of their ability. They scour social media, look for repetitive purchase histories in a master Rolex database. They are looking for the flippers... And in their way, trying to protect the brand. The directive is to sell to genuine customers, not flippers. If you check out, and you seem OK, that's still not enough. You need to be earnest, returning to the store and build a relationship with them, keep inquiring...

Then one day, you may get a call saying they have a Datejust, or Oyster perpetual for you... Or maybe actually the one you want... No way will they sell you one of the higher end watches though, those are reserved for their real and loyal customers. Now, once you get that call you have to act. You'll probably be given 48 hours to decide and be there to claim the watch. If not... They will never call again.

It seems crazy..

And that's why the Rolex tax exists.

And this is why I skipped Rolex and went to Vacheron Constantin

[aschen]

Originally Posted by red-beard

And this is why I skipped Rolex and went to Vacheron Constantin

Kinda like "I got sick of dating my decent looking neighbor and went to supermodels".


Its a good gig if you can get it!

[red-beard]

There is nothing wrong with Rolex. They are extremely well made, high quality, high specification watches that as MASS PRODUCED. They are making ~1.2 Million watches per year. The pricing at retail is reasonable for the quality. But...Since Covid, there is more demand than watches.

They have about 2,000 Authorized Dealers. On average, each dealer gets 600 watches per year. That is all! If they are open 300 days per year, they can sell 2 watches per day. Two! And some dealers get fewer and some get more. How many people go in per day and want a watch? Dozens.

Vacheron Constantin makes about 60,000 watches per year, but far fewer outlets. And the watches are a lot more expensive. I bought the "cheap" steel diver, VC Overseas 4520v. I will not post the price in case Mrs. Beard EVER sees this post...

On the other hand, it is a FANTASTIC watch. The quality is a step way above Rolex.

[aschen]

Rolex watches are great and reliable and they have a tremendous history. Their market antics suck but work for them. Reminds me of Porsche.

VC is top of the heap no argument from me. Like for like well more expensive than Rolex, as it should be.

Overseas is lovely. Gold one is my absolute grail. THey do have a the FiftySix on bracelet which is more cost competitive with rolex. It looks very nice there is something about a budget line steel watch being 18k or whatever that is a little amusing.

[red-beard]

Rolex has existed for about 120 years. Vacheron Constantin is the oldest continuous operating company making watches. This is year 270. They existed before the United States. Rolex has the best marketing in the world.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by aschen

Rolex watches are great and reliable and they have a tremendous history. Their market antics suck but work for them. Reminds me of Porsche.

VC is top of the heap no argument from me. Like for like well more expensive than Rolex, as it should be.

Overseas is lovely. Gold one is my absolute grail. THey do have a the FiftySix on bracelet which is more cost competitive with rolex. It looks very nice there is something about a budget line steel watch being 18k or whatever that is a little amusing.

This is where I'm heading...someday...

[aschen]

222 is pretty high on my lust list as well, as long as I am dreaming maybe go for an actual vintage one

[chapstic2001]

Nixon 'The Spencer.' A birthday gift from my wife about 15-years ago. During the transition of Nixon going from a snowboard / skateboard culture watch to a more fashion brand.