Uncensored, Honest Watch Talk. I'm Vinny; wristwatch nerd and former Banker turned Grey Market Watch Dealer. This was the first channel on RU-vid to chat about the financial side of watches and to openly discuss trade prices. I'll have a laugh, poke fun and share my opinions (popular or not) but one thing is for sure - I wont hold back from telling it how it is.
I started as a collector working my way up from TAG Heuer to Rolex and the disease still riddles me today, oh and yes - I'm on the 'dark side' (one of those dealers) but unlike the rest I’m not here to sell, inflate the value or hype my inventory.
I chat about timepieces from brands such as Rolex and Omega, debate current industry topics and offer useful financial analysis of the market as well as share my insider industry knowledge. Want something different and truly honest?
Behind the scenes Rolex is supplying to the grey markets dealers. It does not make sense if the grey markets have all the watches in stock while the AD just shows the watches as display as you got to put your name in the waiting list. 🤫🤫🤫
One particular London dealership seemed to have a high proportion of young execs from the pharmaceutical industry as customers during the hype years. 😂😂
Great perspective as always. 1/3 sounds high (although if verified I wouldn’t fall out of my chair). But no doubt a significant % (5-10%). As you laid out it’s just too easy. Also add in crypto as a means of payment…
I watch your videos to inform me of the prices and current watch trends. Showing pictures of wraps of drugs and people in handcuffs is total click bait. Unsubscribed .
If I was the tax man or in law enforcement, I'd be taking a particular interest in grey market dealers that spend a decent amount of time on the Costa del Crime, especially those with relatives with previous history of being involved in selling counterfeits and watches with swapped out parts.
Most of the watches bought around the world to pay for drugs are muled to Dubai and sold there to then pay their bills Every high level supplier now resides in Dubai
Spot on, Watches are now the go to for OCG activity and laundering dirty money. Maybe taken over cocaine, etc. Even low level drugs dealers, have taken to "investing" in Rolexes, and cleaning their money. Others have just left cocaine dealing, and dealing, and now steal Rolexes and then flog those watches or their parts, to guess who.....
I've always wondered where some of these watch dealers have come from out the blue, usually in the last 5 yrs. Where does someone get the capital from to buy a huge inventory of watches....
Nah. Look at how Nike fked it up by killing the resell industry. Stock’s in the gutters. Rolex gonna face the same shit only a matter of time. Too much production and weird ass designs but nobody buying
Who is actually stupid enough to buy a Rolex above retail? Machine made mass produced watches which are nice in some cases and of ok quality but above retail 😂😂😂
Thanks Vinny. you said it,, nothing is going to happen for some time! which means business as usual for you and the other grey market dealers and no submariner for me and many others from the AD. I for one lost interest early this year after waiting over 2 years with nothing to show for it and will invest the money (including the over 2 years interest) into something else.
Thanks Patrick! That’s unacceptable, 2 years wait for anything is just silly, completely removes the fun and rewarding aspect of the purchase. My best advice would be perhaps to visit another AD and recalibrate your thoughts towards a no date sub, I hear these are now quite easy to attain. Best of luck
Rolex needs to have there own stores. And do away with dealers selling to the grey market. I have never bought a Rolex as an investment. And neither should anyone else.
They are have their own stores. The Rolex at schipol airport Amsterdam is a Rolex owned store. They advised to get a hulk back in 2012 I got one in 2014 and a no date and a James Cameron both in 2018. I lost interest and sold them all for a profit.
Hey Vinny , very good video . I can do better editing in your videos which can help you to get more engagement in your videos . Pls lmk what do you think ?
Really Vinny, you just said you can walk in to a Rolex AD and pick up solid gold and bi metal watches straight away, so why would you build a billion dollar factory to make more gold watches no ones queueing up for? Rolex has done just fine for the last 100 years where you could buy any Rolex walking off the street, and I remember not so long ago when many AD's offered 0% interest over 3 years to buy them. The Rolex brand has always been seen as luxury when anyone could buy them, and pick them up with no issues. I guarantee if Rolex could sell 3 million watches a year they'd do it in a heartbeat.
Rolex watch ⌚ agent dealers are still pricks 🌭 and acting 🎭 like 👍 clowns 🤡 and refuses to sell to anyone but resellers ! So no difference there ! So I am supporting Omega watch ⌚! Sigh 😮💨
I already got my Rolex. So Fk Rolex as a crime syndicate charitable trust now as it is. 😂 All I care about is my service every 5-10 years, I just walk down to RSC around the corner. Thanks!
where did i say they’re easy to get? did God bless you with ears? or an attention span longer than a newt? word of advice too, if you’re going to call someone an ass, spell it correctly because it’s only ever going to be you that looks the ass.
Not sure how the 30% figure of demand was calculated but if it is from rolex stores judging it based on wait lists then they'll be in for a shock. Most people on the wait list are looking to flip the watch as soon as they get it, if demand grows so large that profit margins decrease then we will see demand go down as well. Many people also want one simply because they can't get one, who's to say they'll still be interested when the wait goes down from 1 years to a few weeks or months? This isn't even factoring in the economic beating we've been getting since 2022 with no signs of recovery. Rolex has to play this perfectly or they could see themselves stuck holding the bag of watches with no buyers in sight.
There needs to be enough production to meet most demand while still be able to charge list price. If you want a Black Sub a Yacht Master or and explorer there should be enough production to get those at list with no wait. Now if you want a Panda or Pepsi maybe its in Rolexes best interest to keep them somewhat rare to maintain hype.
I love Vinny's snapshot of the Rolex factory at 1:46. Couldn't help but notice that the technician has blood sample vials, which is symbolic of Rolex taking every last drop/dollar/pound of our wallets, both new and pre-owned!
Rolex got cocky and now they are going to pay the price especially when the global economy tanks in the greatest global depression we have seen in our lifetimes
Vinny, I can see the future. You will get tired, greedy and most definately fat and will have the associated health issues. Rolex AD's will still be there come what may and the grey dealers will do and say anything to avoid going back to double glazing where they belong. I'd love my watches to become worthless (since I buy to keep) as two things would happen, grey dealers would suffer for their lies and deceit often peddling stolen goods and watch crime would end.
Rolex could take control of the gray market by raising prices on its new/unworn stock, and at the same time, pricing CPO pieces below RRP. Now, Rolex lets the AD's pay to bring the pre-owned pieces to the CPO standard AND then Rolex "certifies" the watch in Switzerland, which adds a hefty cost to the watch. If the Rolex cost to certify is removed, the CPO watches could sell below today's RRP. The gray market would then flow through the AD's.
Rolex want the gray market desperately. Otherwise that would not exist. Because guys like me would get a watch at the AD. The gray market raises the value of the brand.
I have seen and had the opportunity of buying explorer 36’mm and 40mm. Explorer 2. Black and polar. . Sea dweller red text . And james Cameroon . Two tone yacht-master Brown dial . All these on display in a small boutique and I could buy one of all id I wanted . no games played . I bought the polar explorer Ans I know I’ll lose money when I sell . it’s fine . I’ve eldest wanted that new ref of this watch :) Times are changing and days are not far. it’ll happen everywhere
In Australia there is no way to get a Rolex... I entered in a dealership and I have been told that waiting list has fifthy thousands request for any GMT master.... basically they are luffing on new customers ready to spend 17k minimum on a watch..
congrats the Polar explorer has always been a favourite of mine, beautiful dial and dimensions. it’s true that they can be picked up now without much effort
Congrats on the Polar. It’s my main goal now. Mind saying what city or at least country. That’s not the case in any big US city - all steel models w numbers on the bezel are going out the back door to their flippers buddies or longtime customers.
Mixed emotions. If Rolex tries to move away from their go to steel sports models it will be a spectacular failure. But agree that they love the free publicity about the fake demand (the demand is only at retail, new - most will either refuse to buy from a grey out of principle or fear of getting a fake). Otherwise they’d raise their popular steel prices 25% and crush much of the grey market.
