Does anyone have experience buying new Rolex watches? (1 Viewer)

[Jeff]

I am thinking about buying a nice watch for everyday wear. I'm thinking about a base Rolex Submariner (with no date). This seems to be sturdy, can be worn wet, and can go between swimsuit and business suit, and everything in between.

I've never bought a Rolex before. Should I expect to just walk into a dealer and need to pay the price on the tag, or is it normal that these watches would be discounted some amount. Is it like buying a car where its expected to negotiate? Absent any information, I'm thinking I'd offer 10 to 15% lower than the asking price. Does anyone have any experience or wisdom about how to approach this, what I might expect?

 

[JMC9389]

@Perthmike

 

[Rbonus012]

@kmccormick100 just bought a Rolex! He should have some input.

 

[Mr Winberg]

Watching

 

[Sneakygreek]

Not sure if there’s going to be much negotiating with those high end watches but one problem you might face is the availability of that watch.

 

[Budha]

It’s been a while and I think the market is a bit different now (low supply, high demand). However, I have purchased several nice watches (Breitling) and have never paid full price.

But as with cars, that’s a bit different in the current market (at least for now).

 

[joeyshin]

i thought of buying a sub on the grey market like 4 years ago. I wish i would have since they're close to 2x the price now. I could say the same for chips

 

[TomC727]

I am thinking about buying a nice watch for everyday wear. I'm thinking about a base Rolex Submariner (with no date). This seems to be sturdy, can be worn wet, and can go between swimsuit and business suit, and everything in between.

I've never bought a Rolex before. Should I expect to just walk into a dealer and need to pay the price on the tag, or is it normal that these watches would be discounted some amount. Is it like buying a car where its expected to negotiate? Absent any information, I'm thinking I'd offer 10 to 15% lower than the asking price. Does anyone have any experience or wisdom about how to approach this, what I might expect?

I own 2 submariners and they are great everyday watches. The problem I’m hearing now, dating back even before COVID, is that there is a severe shortage of them and even if you are able to find a new one, you’re going to pay a lot. I could probably make double what I paid for mine (over 10 years old).

 

[Machine]

Jeff, we are mostly all low rent degens, if we liked the finer things in life, we'd not be collecting poker chips for our home games; We'd be on our yachts with douche bag friends trying to show them how much better we are than them because we can overcompensate at a high level than them.

You'll have to post photos so we can drool over it, now we need a tuxedo emoji!

 

[TomC727]

I am thinking about buying a nice watch for everyday wear. I'm thinking about a base Rolex Submariner (with no date). This seems to be sturdy, can be worn wet, and can go between swimsuit and business suit, and everything in between.

I've never bought a Rolex before. Should I expect to just walk into a dealer and need to pay the price on the tag, or is it normal that these watches would be discounted some amount. Is it like buying a car where its expected to negotiate? Absent any information, I'm thinking I'd offer 10 to 15% lower than the asking price. Does anyone have any experience or wisdom about how to approach this, what I might expect?

I also recommend you not buy in cook county since you'll get blasted with higher sales tax.

I‘d recommend you go to the Rolex store at Oak Brook mall to get an idea of current prices and inventory.

 

[DirtyTIVA]

I think these days if you’re lucky they have a physical watch for you to buy at all. I don’t think you will be taken seriously if you offer less than full price. The key seems to be persistence at an authorized dealer and offering to pay full price up front. Kyle can probably offer the most up to date advice.

 

[kmccormick100]

You can’t walk into a Rolex Dealer and buy any men’s stainless Rolex right now, period haha.

I spent 2 months checking multiple dealers weekly, got on waitlists and still got INCREDIBLY lucky to pick this up yesterday.

Unless you have proven track record of buying multiple watches from a dealer you’re going to essentially get waitlisted for months + on any standard model, and I’ve been told the wait for a Submariner is in the 2year range for most people right now.

Also you’ll be paying full msrp and thinking that’s a steal. The secondary market has most Rolexes at 25-30% markup and up to 200% on the most in demand ones.

 

[Highli99]

 

[Rieguy]

You definitely used to be able to haggle a bit for a Rolex, but now I believe they are in short supply and you may have to pay either the price tag or maybe even more to have one tracked down.

There's other incredible divers watches out there though that are obtainable, unless you're dead-set on a Rolex (which no one can be blamed for). I actually went in to buy a Rolex some years back and walked out with a Montblanc that I wear the most behind my every day Formula 1. Was cheaper than my Longines too.

Patience may ultimately be your best option though.

Edit - Found a shot of the Montblanc, although it's an old/poor quality pic:

 

[joker80]

My opinion, don't waste your money. I can direct you to Chinese reps that are 99.5% the same as a genuine Rolex for 550 USD shipped. PM me if you are interested. Lots of information to be found on Reddit forum r/RepTime. Having said that, investing in a genuine watch is certainly not a money losing proposition.

Post pics if you buy a genuine! They are nice! I would also recommend a Submariner, but a style you like would be the best.

 

[kmccormick100]

Check out the Tudor Black Bay 58 as well, just got this and I love it. Had some vintage throwback vibes to the original Rolex large crown subs and old Tudor Sub. COSC certified, 200m diver, in house movement and a Rolex subsidiary. All at about 1/3 the price of a Sub if you could find one. And available in 39mm which wears perfectly for casual or under suit cuffs.

 

[DirtyTIVA]

I think watches are very personal. Like our taste in food, art, fashion, cars, and of course chips, there’s always going to be a variety of opinions. I doubt anyone is buying a Rolex to tell the time or to dive to 2000m so I think the most important thing is satisfaction. Get whatever makes you satisfied.

 

[mike32]

My opinion, don't waste your money. I can direct you to Chinese reps that are 99.5% the same as a genuine Rolex for 550 USD shipped. PM me if you are interested. Lots of information to be found on Reddit forum r/RepTime. Having said that, investing in a genuine watch is certainly not a money losing proposition.

Post pics if you buy a genuine! They are nice! I would also recommend a Submariner, but a style you like would be the best.

Are you suggesting a Fauxlex? I just made that up in my head and had to type it. Bur seriously a fake Rolex like my buddies bought back in 1993 that ticked instead of the smooth movement?

 

[Jonesey07]

My phone has a clock on it. Check yours, you might have one too.

 

[Jeff]

Lol at "Fauxlex"! I bought one of those in Times Square back when it was all squalid in the early 90s. The gold wore off on my arm and turned it green.

I'm not all that fancy. I'm not really thinking about this as a statement, but more for me. No hurry. If they're in short supply, meh, its their (the Jeweler's) problem, not mine. I'm not buying chips at $10/per either, even though thats what they're going for, and partially because I'm cheap.

Just trying to be smart when I do decide to look. You don't want to be the noob in the poker room that behaves the fool, but perhaps that's inevitable the first time you wade into something. Seems like the best approach is to just start looking at different jewelers.

 

[joker80]

Are you suggesting a Fauxlex? I just made that up in my head and had to type it. Bur seriously a fake Rolex like my buddies bought back in 1993 that ticked instead of the smooth movement?

Rep watches have improved so much and continue to improve. They have automatic movements that are near identical to originals. Only an expert with a loupe would be able to tell them apart.

 

[joker80]

That is high end reps. Yes there are still crappy ones in street corners around the world. Think of it this way , if a gen rolex is like a Paulson chip and a cheap fake is like a China clay a high end rep would be identical to a Paulson perhaps with a 1/2 mm difference in inlay diameter or with a slightly thicker cane in the top hat and cane.

 

[joker80]

 

[joeyshin]

I had this and sold too early

 

[Nanook]

Right now you are not going to find any AD selling any Rolex Sub for any sort of discount because they don't need to. All they have to do is move on to the next guy on their long wait list.

If you are buying from anyone other than an AD, you have to be really careful. Depending on the model, $400-$500 ish can get you a VERY good rep that is extremely difficult to tell its not the real deal. Even if you know what to look for, it can be difficult to tell a rep from the real thing

 

[DirtyTIVA]

Rep watches have improved so much and continue to improve. They have automatic movements that are near identical to originals. Only an expert with a loupe would be able to tell them apart.

I have a loupe

But it’s true though. Unless you know what to look for, including the feel of the material and the craftsmanship, the average person will have a difficult time telling the difference. As with all things like this though YMMV.

 

[Nanook]

Given 10 or 15 minutes, a loop and 1 genuine Rolex and 1 identical model excellent rep, I think most people would struggle to identify which is which

 

[gopherblue]

My opinion, don't waste your money. I can direct you to Chinese reps that are 99.5% the same as a genuine Rolex for 550 USD shipped. PM me if you are interested. Lots of information to be found on Reddit forum r/RepTime. Having said that, investing in a genuine watch is certainly not a money losing proposition.

Post pics if you buy a genuine! They are nice! I would also recommend a Submariner, but a style you like would be the best.

So you're recommending buying a counterfeit illegal product. Got it.

 

[detroitdad]

@Perthmike

 

[kmccormick100]

Given 10 or 15 minutes, a loop and 1 genuine Rolex and 1 identical model excellent rep, I think most people would struggle to identify which is which

The etched coronet above the 6 o’clock marker is probably the single easiest thing to spot and hardest to fake, but that requires a loupe and knowing what to look for. It’s shocking how close dials/cases and even movements are getting these days.