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Hi, one thing that really boils my p*ss is the discontinued market, now this isnt the fault of rolex, they would much rather sell you a new watch then let you go some where else to by a used one. Grey market however drives me made when something is discontinued or about to be. The reason its discontinued is because its obsolete out of date and out of fashion, but they use this to charge more than a new one in many cases. The new one is better improved and over all a better purchase, but stupid people buy them, like being offered a brand new sony PS5 and saying " no thanks i am going to get a PS3 at twice the price of the 5, its been used for 6 years solid and is about to die but the dealer says its rare becuase its discontinued" erm Doh.
I had a wonderful Breitling for several years, but I’ve seen daily the Rolex on the wrist of my wife. There was always the feeling of “yeah Breitling is nice, but Rolex is perfect”. And yes finally sold my Breitling and got a Rolex (below the list price on grey market). Rolex is a very boring perfect imperfection. But that’s why it will be always classy.
Great Video, realized that when I was traveling by plane. So many people with datejusts. Put me off to buy one. - Maybe a turn o graph? Maybe I’ll get a fifty fathoms. Somehow have the feeling that these are more enthusiasts watches and less common to see on every wrist….
I'd love to buy an Explorer, and I've halfway convinced myself that the 36mm Explorer market is not big enough for counterfeit watch makers to even bother, but I'm probably just fooling myself.
@@poolmonkey I picked up the 124270 36mm Explorer a few months ago. It's awesome, and you can obtain it as a first watch. But yes, there's good clones of it. The top Chinese factories make clones of every watch. Who cares, though. Losers buy them because they're only interested in a status symbol. You realize that when you talk to them.
@user-oo1mz9cj4s that was just a prick trying to impress others. Same thing in the car world. I see people all the time that have awesome cars that know nothing about them other than the name.
There are two types of Rolex owners. One who can tell you the model and movement reference and the other who will tell you how much they paid and how much it’s now worth!
126711CHNR (3285) literally embedded in my brain. You're welcome :D But then, so are my G-shocks, and Grand Seiko's 😂😂😂 But I'm not any good at my Omega watch references... only the movements 9900 & 9904
Same experiences here. Purchased my first white face explorer II in the 90s and it was a great experience. I went to an AD last weekend and was looking at a Deep Sea with the gradient dial. Two on display and neither were for sale. Salesperson said I had to create a profile and a submission to Rolex would be made to see if I was approved to buy the watch. I went to an Omega and they were more than happy to see me an Ultra Deep. What a huge contrast in the experiences.
I have one rule, learned over five decades of starting and running small businesses: I will never beg anyone to take my money. If I'm your customer, you must value my custom. And when you get into the strata of luxury cars, airplanes and luxury watches, you had better regard me with concierge-level personalization. I have walked out of many stores, shut down more deals and left sellers in silence because they thought they could make me feel awkward or unappreciated. Money is hard to make, if you want mine, you'd better offer value and respect. That's why there are no Rolexes or Seikos in my watch collection.
@@TheChzoronzon You're thinking solely about price and prestige; I'm talking about brand seller attitude. You don't have to have the price tag, if the arrogance and seller contempt is in place.
LOL. Concierge service is just paying a premium for some lowly paid workers to flatter you. Nobody who is actually important demands anybody to 'respect' them.
Totally agree with your assessment of Rolex. Visited my local AD in San Diego (UTC Mall) and was put on a "waiting list" for a Sky Dweller. My salesman told me he would update me every quarter as to where I stood. After 15 months of no contact, I reached out to him to see where I was. I was told that the CRM application used by the AD had crashed, and that he had no way of telling me where anybody was on the list. I was told to check back in a month. When I visited, in person, three months later, I was again told that the CRM application was still down. When I asked him how he was allocating watches to anybody, I was told he was just selling the Datejust model. He them told me to let him know if there were any other models besides the Sky Dweller I was interested in acquiring, as he would be happy to put me on "The List." I then asked, "I thought your CRM app was down?" To which he just smiled at me. Result: I now own a VC Overseas Dual Time.
As an owner of the Skydweller (blue dial), your VC is better. However, this guy in the video trying to say it's hideous, lol, yeah sure buddy. It's a gorgeous piece and the setting function with the bezel is brilliant. If the dial looks too busy then you must also hate every perpetual calendar and chrono in existence or complications greater than a date function in general. I'm in AZ, and the only reason I have the Skydweller, is because when I started buying from this AD, it was a Grand Seiko I wanted. After that I wanted a IWC Big Pilot. Then the year after that I asked for a Batgirl. Took 4 months. Then asked for a Starbucks the year after, took 2 Months from when I asked. Then earlier this year I asked for a blue Skydweller, they called me in a week. So basically, I acknowledge they saw the purchase history and none of the rollies showed up as flipped yet lol. But I never had to buy anything I didn't want, everything was progressive based on what I wanted at the time. I own Omega, Tudor and JLC as well, but they were from different stores than this AD. Presently, I'd say JLC is my favorite brand. I'm really eyeballing that latest blue dial Triple calendar chrono from the MC line! This guy throwing shade at Rolex though...lol, whatever makes you feel better at the end of the day. They won't cease to be the most sought after brand in the industry over RU-vid opinion. They are far too entrenched into the global consumer consciousness.
100% spot on. I am so over dealing with the attitude of Rolex ADs, especially if they are part of a larger jewelry store and push you to buy unwanted jewelry just to get their attention.
I have literally hundreds of thousands with Bucherer over 10+ years, before Covid and all this craziness. I went to ask for a Pepsi GMT 2 (at this point the only Rolex I want and it's only because of my love for flying and Pepsi's links to flying). The lady told me I need a long purchase history and told me to look at their Bucherer branded and used watches. Then she passed me off to a junior associate to show me their used stock. The experience was just so offputting I decided to just sit on the wait list FOREVER if I have to.
@@modash1231 I am by no means a serious collector of Rolex but I do have a Pepsi, Daytona and Datejust in my collection. I recently went into an AD to ask about a yachtmaster and was wearing my Pepsi. The look of disdain from the twenty something year old sales dude who said something along the lines of, “..you should know better than to walk in and expect to buy a Rolex. It just doesnt work that way”. Haha I laughed and left.
@@user-oo1mz9cj4sright. It’s actually crazy to me how Bucherer treats me now. They used to sell me Pateks on discount and then bundle day dates on even fatter discounts. They bent over backwards to serve me and find the watches I wanted. Now they won’t even talk to me unless I am ready to take the Bucherer and used stock that nobody wants.
I went into the Rolex AD store in La Jolla, CA about a month ago to look at the Explorer, and it was a very pleasant experience. Granted, they did not have one to sell me of course, but the woman was extremely patient, helpful, friendly, and let me try on several different models. When I told her I was from out of town, she gave me her tips on how get one from my local AD. Still, I agree it's frustrating and dumb to have a brick and mortar store that won't offer their product to buyers.
I completely agree with this list, especially the "false rarity" comments. I was watch shopping in Japan at some of the well established 2nd hand watch stores (Ginza, Osaka, etc.), and there were literally hundreds of Rolexes in cases ready to be sold. Now, you may ask "Which models were they"? I have no idea, because THEY ALL LOOK THE DAMN SAME! I'm a relatively new collector, and I'm proud to say that my collection will never contain a Rolex.
Friend went into Reis-Nichols in Indianapolis, told them he wanted a blue datejust, jubilee bracelet, fluted bezel and salesman said give me 3-6 months. Less than three months later they called him and said we have your watch for you. It was his first Rolex. They didn't screw with him at all.
I was going to buy a Rolex, but bought a Hamilton, two Loriers, a Sinn, a Citizen, and a Garmin instead...I have a watch for every occasion and still have 6000k left over.
But none of your watches will increase in value - they will decrease in value. One thing my friend Rolex isn’t just a watch, it’s an investment too. A submariner can triple in price over 2-3 decades and some models x50 in original price in 30 years. In 30 years all your watches will be garbage mostly
@@APBCTechnique So what? he rightly wants to enjoy wearing his watches right now, not hiding them up his sleeve in case he gets mugged, being fearful of scratching them to reduce their resale value or having to keep them in a safe/safety deposit box.
@@APBCTechnique No new Rolex will 50x the price in 30 years. There is just too many being produced, unless it is some super rare limited edition one. And who cares if a Submariner triples in price in 3 decades, that's 30 years. From 15k to 45k in 30 years is not a great investment. You could make that amount of money in way shorter time on the stock market or other businesses.
I work around many people from mainland China and HK with Rolexes, and not a single one of them knows anything about watches. Just the cost/price and status associated with Rolex. They think it is the summit. Don't know or care about other brands and assume they are inferior. Old school Rolex owners who bought at a much lower price point are generally different. A colleague of mine bought one 25 years ago. Walked straight into an AD and made a purchase. In and out. He just wanted a watch built like a tank that looked good, and it still looks good now. He is shocked at how much people pay for them now. Are they good watches? Absolutely, but the hype is out of control and doesn't match reality.
Most of your observations are towards how the public perceives rolex and not criticism towards rolex itself, it is fair to say that rolex has done an amazing job and therefore earned the level of hype it has achieved, whether you think the hype is overestimated or not.
What I found interesting is Rolex has been fined for 100 million dollars in the end of 2023, yet NO major watch RU-vidr made a video about it or mentioned it in any video at all. 100 million fine is a pretty significant number to me, and I think it's supposed to be a big news to the watch world.
I'll do some research on this... I'd be happy to make a video discussing this topic. We did just record a video around some lawsuits. So stay tuned for more videos and for other watch brand highlights.
You’re wrong about that. Time and Tide did, WatchCrunch, Luxury Bazaar, I believe Adrian Barker did. They may not have made a separate video just about the fine but they certainly talked about it. Not sure who you are considering a major watch RU-vidr but those are pretty popular
@@dukes70 Haven't found any from those watch channel you mentioned, and feel free to send me some links if you don't mind. Some of the "major" RU-vidr I follow are Nico, Adrian Barker, Teddy, Watchfinder, Jenni Elle, and Britt Pearce, and please lmk if you see any of them talks about it!
My son is an attorney. I told him I was on a waiting list for a Pepsi. He rightfully said, “If you are on a waiting list, you aren’t getting the watch.” Meaning, if you are a VIP, they will have the watch you want, when you want it. If you’re not a VIP, forget about it. He’s right.
Rolex is king. Best watch at the price point. Best value retention (if you buy the right model at the right price). The only brand you can trade and make money.
Harsh take on the brand tbh, Rolex didn’t just become crazy wanted after the pandemic, it was always a symbol of success and achievement, I agree with you that the flippers caused a lot of what’s going on right now in addition to some ADs as well, but my AD here in Florida is amazing, always the best experience and I got 3 Rolexes from them since 2022, a bunch of people in the comment downgrading the brand because they got their butt hurt by an AD, but they don’t say anything about Patek and AP dealers cuz they never been there
“Most Rolex owner are not watch enthusiast” that is soo true. Especially the new Daytona, submariner or gmt guy. They don’t care about watches they only care about how people recognize their watch, and they wearing their ceramic submariner like a Patek thinking they are the biggest dog in the room. They put protection film on a brush steel submariner and is just ridiculous. And they don’t even wear them like it should. I end up selling all my Rolex (Yachtmaster40/Submariner41) and got my self into H Moser and Blancpain. Best decision I ever made
Protection film… omg the worst 😂 Agree… I had my AP RO on the other day and I complimented a Rolex on a wrist and the guy asked what I was wearing, and showed him. He looked confused and then asked who made it. I said Audemars Piguet. He said, huh, I’ve never heard of them 🤦♂️
@@TheWatchBros If you'd said AP, he'd probably have heard of it. Not everybody who wears a watch (or a Rolex) knows every other brand out there. Hell, I've seen many a "watch channel" pronounce the silent "S" or the second name as if it were an F1 driver. Let alone the vast number of "watch experts" who cannot pronounce Jaeger-LeCoultre properly. I'm also a whisky enthusiast, and put hours, days, weeks into learning how to pronounce names like Craigellachie, Tullibardine, and Balvenie correctly. If it's your thing, you take it seriously. If all your interested in is that one watch that you liked, why would you know these kinds of things.
You need to understand that not a Single watchmaker produces watches for enthusiasts. They produce products for customers such as any other Company. Most enthusiasts thinking so much about a piece they can bearly afford. Thats a terrible target Group for a Company. Rich people who give a shit about 10 or 20 grand or more... those are the clients they want.
I recently went to Rolex in Malibu, they had over 150 displays of every single model and color. None for sale! I have been on the list for a green DJ 41 fluted/jubilee for 2 years and they had 3 displays! Not to mention the experience was horrible, I felt like I was begging to spend 11K! The sales lady named Paris was very condescending and told me “that’s hard to get”! It can’t be too hard to get when you have 3 displays!!!
I've had mixed experiences. I was hovering outside an AD, and the salesperson came out and asked if I wanted to try some on. Of course they were all display models and they didn't have anything available, but they were very helpful and reveled in the shared interest in the watches. Then I visited another AD, and while they were accommodating, I felt a certain aloofness that I just didn't vibe with. I didn't stay in that store very long.
What she meant to say is "that's hard FOR YOU to get." Every AD is different. Some are aloof and snobby, and some are friendly and helpful. Granted, none of them likely will sell you the watch you really want at that moment. Hopefully that will change as the luxury watch market continues to decline.
I’ve had a GMT Master II Coke model on my wrist for 25 years. My wife bought it at a Dallas jewelry store. She was treated well, given a 5% discount. It had a total price of just under $3,000. It has been a wonderful companion, keeping time within 1 to 2 seconds a day. I am not an investor, I don’t care about its value because it will never be sold. I traveled internationally in my career and this was my working watch.This is what Rolex always used to be about before we started the investor craze in watches and Rolex started pumping up prices: a solid, reliable, good looking timepiece.
If you walk into an Omega or Tag Heuer boutique, they treat you with respect and genuinely want to sell you any watch in their collection. Plus Omega makes better divers, and Tag Heuer makes more interesting Chrono’s.
Well said, short & to the point. There are so many of us who feel the exact same way for all the reasons you mentioned. In the end, millions of us have the money to buy a Rolex, but we also have personal dignity. I have avoided going into Rolex ADs for over a year.
I disagree, since I was a kid I wanted a no date submariner and when I had the money I bought one. I bought it for me not to show off, or for an investment nor any other reason than it was my grail watch and I wanted it. The flippers are a pain but you have your blame every idiot that pays over the RRP for anything, same clowns paying £2-3k for a plastic Swatch with Omega on the dial. I love my sub and yes I had to wait for it from the AD but have nothing but praise for Laings who I bought it from as there was none of the ridiculous snobbery I had in goldsmiths or WoS. Ultimately buy the watch you and don’t listen to the neighsayers, it’s your wrist and your money buy what you want and enjoy it be it Rolex, a Sekonda or Casio but never pay over the odds and remember it’s not an investment, it’s a tool to tell the time.
Actually the reason is to flex to others. Two dudes. One wearing a Sub. The other an A L & S Zeitwerk. Average person on the street would think the Zeitwerk is a quirky toy. Most Rolex wearers buy them for the happy hour flex.
Tudor is what Rolex used to be: solid, reliable tool watches without the pretension. And Tudor is Rolex’s skunk works, experimenting with new designs, features (love the North Flag’s power reserve) and is not shy about crafting with titanium. ‘The Shield protects the Crown’
Tudor movements are definitely inferior though. I wish Tudor would up their game and make their watches thinner and with better movements (maybe the latest black bay gmt is a step in the right direction). If that happens I would never buy another Rolex again.
Started researching watches as I wanted the best mechanical tool watch out there… but was so turned off by the Rolex AD experience. Was quoted $17k for a new no-date sub. Decided to go with a pre-owned Tudor Black Bay Dark instead, which I absolutely love. As you mentioned: The Tudor's solid, reliable and doesn't attract the wrong kind of attention.
@@puruthacker9700 Black bay 54 is 11.2mm thick. In house movement, COSC certified, 72h power res and +-2 seconds accuracy. The newer Tudors are METAS certified. Less than half the price of Rolex counterparts, and you can just walk in and buy one. What more do you need?
Tudor is awesome. That said, I own both. Got my FXD last month and am thoroughly enjoying it. I‘m considering the 925 58 too though. The Pelagos 39 is awesome too, but I don’t really have room for it in my collection.
Used to have 5 Rolex timepieces. I was very self conscious when wearing one, not to mention the danger to my personal safety they drew. Ended up selling all of them and switched to Omega and Grand Seiko. I enjoy these watches much more than I ever did the Rolex pieces.
I bought a Rolex 4 yrs ago and I was treated extremely well. Hell I was wearing shorts and sandals and the lady behind the counter allowed me to try on any one I wanted. Just my 2c.
Forget Rolex. Walked in AD. And walked out. Totally unacceptable service, products, etc. Went and bought an omega in the same mall and laughed. I would rather support a local gray market company than buy from Rolex. Better service, can buy pieces and have warranty. Sucks. But absolutely not. BOYCOTT ROLEX!!!
@@Udansha Nice! The pre owned market is where it’s at. Japan is the King of a lot of amazing things so I can only imagine the Rolex selection is the same.
Rolex is an aspirational brand and that works for them. We are giving them free advertising by just having this dialog here and that works for them. Love them or hate them people buy them and talk about them. I have six and I’m on here talking about them…and that works for them. What ever we do short of ignore them, helps them. Heavy sigh.
When the watches went from 6k to 27k over a short length of time, and thickos were telling me "time to buy", I knew it was a complete and utter hustle.
I've been to both of the Rolex ADs in San Diego, CA and got the same "Waiting List"/"You can grovel at my feet" treatment; now my wife and I are proud owners of his and hers Omega Seamaster Aqua-Terra. As far as I'm concerned Rolex can KMA!
I agree with alot of this especially the interrogation process at ADs, its embarrassing wtf is that all about. It never stopped me from wanting a sub, its still such an iconic watch and ive appreciatedthem for longer than i can remember. I picked the sub up last wk, now be careful what you wish for, dont get me wrong i love the watch but the wait seems to have been the most exciting part of the process, if your wondering it was a UK AD and the watch was 9k GBP. You start questioning the price when a close friend has a precise clone of the exact watch for 700 quid. That said i wanted a watch a could pass onto my son and i believe the Rolex will fit the bill. Dont forget most clones will be stopped and thrown in the back of the draw after a few yrs if they last that long. I believe Rolex created a very clever buisness model which is constantly discussed but as smart as this may have been i do believe its imploding due to it becoming evermore transparent.
One thing worth noting: not everyone has a Rolex on their wrist; in fact, many people wear counterfeit ones. This can lead others to assume your Rolex is fake as well, similar to the perception issues with Louis Vuitton bags.
I gotta agree. I never followed watches much, but I was ready to retire and decided to get myself a really nice, sturdy sportswatch I could wear in all outdoor occassions. Iwalk into the dealer and look at a Seadweller and said "I'll take it" and the staff looked at each other like I was some kind of a rube. Then they explained the waiting list........WAITING LIST???? F*** THAT. People pay far more for cars and they often drive out with the car THAT DAY. Especially if they're paying Cash. My impression with the whole Rolex attitude was purely "GFY" and F your watches too! Then I drove a few miles to the Omega dealer and when I looked at the Seamaster and said "I'll take it", they said the magic words, "Yes, sir." No waiting list, no secondary market or sketchy used deals, just "Yes sir."
Rolex is a marketing company that happens to use wristwatches to make money! Nike is a marketing company that happens to use sneakers to make money! You see where this is going....
I couldn't agree more. I’m currently on vacation, I decided to try buying a GMT (Bruce Wayne). Knowing the reputation of Rolex, I was apprehensive about what might happen (what an amazing feeling to have about buying a $12,000 watch). Nevertheless, I went for it. As expected, they had the watch on display with a jubilee bracelet. I tried it on, but the seller informed me, "There's a waiting list, and you have to be from here (Hamburg, Germany). Are you from here?" We were speaking English, so it was clear I wasn't local. I sensed she was waiting for me to beg for the watch, but I didn't. For me, the buying experience should be enjoyable; it's a hobby g dammit . Nowadays, watches don't serve the same purpose they once did-any phone can tell the time. I would never buy a fake watch however this type of attitude gives me motivation to buy a fake so they never ever see my money. What a shitty way to treat your costumers.
Goodness sake, YOU are the problem, NOT Rolex. Firstly, you go in referring to it by some stupid nickname from internet forums (you will never hear Rolex call it that and it's a sign that you're not a fan of the brand). Secondly, I guarantee you they will have at least 200 people registered their interest for that particular model, and they will be allocated maybe a few a month. It is simply professional to demand that those watches go to local customers first, as that is THEIR local AD. And it is right that it goes to the people who have some history supporting the brand, and who have showed, at least to some extent, that they're not just interested in buying it to stick online the next day for around 4 grand more. You people are so self-entitled it is shocking.
@@OngoGablogian185 Why does it matter what the customer calls it, as long as they want the watch and can afford it? Nothing he said in his comment indicates that he signaled to the dealer that he might flip the watch. He simply wanted a nice expensive watch and they made him feel like a second class citizen, kind of like you just did with your comment.
@@poolmonkey They did nothing of the sort and neither did I. Listen to yourselves: you sound like professional victims. He wanted something that was unobtainable at the time, that he had little knowledge of, and they politely informed him the truth: that every AD is required to assign these limited watches to their LOCAL customers. It matters what the customer calls it because it's a sign of a serious watch collector or not. Rolex is a huge brand now as well as a fantastic watch maker. Some people go in wanting a Submariner because of its history, their profession, etc. Others go in because they heard their friends talking about a 'Bluesy' and they suddenly want one. Rolex doesn't use the nicknames and most people who collect them don't - the internet hype crowd do, and that's the market they are trying to avoid. Most people today are incredibly narcissistic and this poster sounds like one too. He's motivated to buy a fake now to 'get his own back' because he couldn't walk into an AD from outside his own country and immediately get one of the most high demand watches that have a year-long waiting list, lol. Get real! And these types of people then inspire videos like this. People speak to some guy on the train or plane with his 'Batman' and he has no clue about it. Doesn't know about the brand, makes up some silly story, and comes across as a shallow person. Guess what? He's wearing a fake. The Superclone industry is huge, and people just want the status symbol without having earned it. There's for sure some poor sales clerks out there but Rolex gets so much hate due to ignorant, rude, and self-entitled consumers.
I'm happy that Rolex is (nowadays) fairly hard to get at AD. I do own three, but this way, it made me look elsewhere and I discovered a whole new world of amazing watches, which are not even expensive and are fantastic. Breitling, Tudor and even Tissot (PRX) & Citizen (tsuyota!). Thank you Rolex :)
My problem was every 3-4 years the submarnier with date needed cleaning and adjustment,1990’s it was $400-$500. The last time I got it cleaned it was $700-$800 and the watchmaker was retiring. Plenty of JDM watches that outperform the Rolex with little or no maintenance. Selling the Rolex was easy with the original sales receipt from local watchmaker and receipt for the cleaning, etc. like a boat best day is when you buy and the day you sell!!!
Rolex quality has gone way down hill over the years. Want something for half the price but way better quality? Get a Grand Seiko. Hell, get an Omega for that matter. Rolex today is for people that don't know any better. Used to have one, sold it, zero regrets.
My wife and I bought ourselves silver watches for our 25th anniversary, we put a $5000 budget on each. I am not a watch person but like value for money and only buy what I consider looks good over status. I do very well for myself so can easily afford a Rolex, my brother is into watches so was pushing a Rolex on me. I WOULD NEVER GET ON A WAIT LIST for a watch and cannot see paying $10+ for a watch that I just don’t see worth this money, started my career as a manufacturing engineer costing out what we manufactured so know that Rolex profit,margin is through the roof on each piece. Was going to buy the SS Longines sector dial but at last minute wasn’t crazy over bracelet, looked to feminine so bought a Mido Oceanstar 39 blue gradient. 399mm fits my wrist perfect, been getting tons of compliments, I personally like the thinner nature of it and most importantly tells accurate time. A watch is a device to tell time and I guarantee that mine has a better accuracy per $ than any Rolex. I’m not trying to or need to impress anyone.
Very interesting presentation. I've been a watch enthusiast for over 50 years. I wear a Longines and a Formex. I know that most Rolex owners think I'm impressed, but I quietly suspect that they're unknowingly wearing a counterfeit. Just a matter of numbers. Nothing in the Rolex catalogue interests me, regardless of price.
I would never buy a Rolex. Why would I want to be on a waiting list when you have these dealer that can’t even tell if the watch is a fake or real anymore.
Imagine if you accidentally bang your watch on the edge of a door frame or corridor corner. It's not like you swing your arm very hard to bang it, it's more like it lightly hit the corner with the speed of your walk. Would it make you panic? Would you be concerned about even a slight scratch mark? Would it break your heart if the watch is not in mint condition anymore? If so, that's not a tool watch for you.
I agree with you 100%. I own 14 mechanical watches, including an Omega, Longines, and others. I never considered Rolex for all of the reasons you mentioned. Last week I attended a really great event put on by a local luxury watch dealer, Teddy Baldassarre, that was well-attended by many out of town guests. I wore my Zenith Chronomaster El Primero A384 Revival, with the ladder bracelet, and I received many unsolicited compliments, plus some photo requests. Not gonna happen wearing just about any Rolex I'd wager.
@@shonen84 Teddy is an awesome AD with a great range of brands. It's terrific that he's opened a boutique for four of his luxury brands, which is only about 20 minutes away from me. The event was invitation only featuring Grand Seiko, and included a demonstration by one of their top watchmakers, Hiroomi Suzuki. It was very exiting to be able to spend time talking with other other watch aficionados, plus I got to meet Teddy and Joe Kirk, the Brand Curator. I'm so inspired that I'm going to the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago this weekend!
If I had the budget for a Rolex, I'd skip it and move to a Glashütte Original Seventies Chronograph Panorama Date or a GO PanoMaticLunar, a Girard-Perregaux Laureato, or a Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso. (It'd be a hard decision if I could only buy one!)
And then there are people telling us what they think about Rolex but sounds like sour grapes…I have 3 watches - a 1985 Submariner which I have worn daily outside of service for 39 years, a 1964 GMT Master from my dad bought 6 days before I was born, and an Apple Watch I wear at night to monitor sleep. All are mint with papers. The craze and hype (and crying) are from people who don’t wear a watch for more than 30 years and keep their watches locked up in their collections.
Asked for an Explorer 39 at a AD in Toronto last Jan. Never owned a Rx, never flipped, wouldn’t know how. Dealer smiled and said “it’ll take a while” and gave me a glossy catalog. In May I got a call “about your watch”. Not to say they had one, but to ask if I still wanted one. It’s now July. If I get a call, I will tell them to shove their tactics. Who does this? BTW I bot a lovely Seiko field watch for 1/20 the price.
100% agree. I’ve had 3 Rolexes and got tired of seeing other people wearing the same watch! Great quality but sadly Rolex has now become such a cliche.
Style, style, style. Rolex designed the best looking watches for men that you don't smell coming from a block away. A mans man luxury watch. Will never change.
If you want to see how scarce Rolex watches are, go spend a few days at the Masters. My 4 days there last year I probably saw somewhere around 8-10,000 Rolex sports models alone. It was almost appalling
My parents bought me a Rolex Oyster gold/stainless when I graduated college in 1971. It worked great for about 4 years, great that is if you don’t mind loosing a minute or two a day. That works out to 8-10 minutes a week. Then it started to break and when it breaks it’s expensive to fix. I have paid upwards of $500 on a couple of the repairs but it is usually $200 to $300 and that’s every other year. A few times when it stopped the parts weren’t readily available and I have had to wait a couple months before I got it back. I wore it out of respect for my mother. In the 80’s I bought a Seiko during a long repair holdover so I knew what time it was. Apple hadn’t come up with a phone yet. The next extensive repair period I just stopped wearing it and put it in the safe, after all the Seiko kept the right time and I’d only paid about $80 for it. Around 8 years and 2 batteries later the Seiko broke. You guessed it, I pulled the Rolex out of the safe and put it on. It stopped a year later and yes back in the safe. I bought another Seiko, self winding, stainless steel and accurate. That was 17 years ago and I’m wearing it now as I type this. If you want a crappy watch that is expensive buy a Rolex. If you don’t want a watch that breaks and want to know what time it is buy a Seiko. I paid just under 100 bucks for it.
Rolex is not the only brand I like but I do like Rolex 1. Not scarce - you’re right in general however the desirable pieces are not common. ADs get a small number of steel Daytonas. Rolex knows to keep the desirable steel models scarce and then try to sell the higher margin precious metal watches. 2. Terrible customer service - agree, but you’re not going to get a better treatment at Hermes, Patek, etc.. Luxury brands treat you like shit to make the people they let in feel more special. You need to go to a more off beat luxury brand like Zenith or Moser to be treated well. 3. Bland designs - matter of opinion … I think they strike a good balance between iconic design and experimentation. At least they have multiple desirable models: AP just has the Royal Oak. 4. Finishing and movement decoration - agree with you here they could be doing more here, especially with movement decoration 5. Lack of Complications - disagree here. Rolex movements are reliable and that’s what I like about them. If I want complications I’ll buy another brand. 6. Lack of history - yeah Rolex history is definitely full of BS and enhanced by their marketing. 7. Everyone has one - I don’t care what’s on other peoples wrists, but I do agree that the brand may signal “new money” to people
Appreciate your breakdown… even if we disagree on a few things here. Atleast you backed up your perspective and I respect that 100%. Hopefully you follow for more content. We have a lot of stuff planned in the near future!
The main reason new buyers 2017-present want a rolex is because they can’t get one easily. Something about “wanting what you can’t have” mindset. You’re right though after you actually get the watch it becomes bluh. My planet ocean is sooo much easier to read time on than my submarine or gmt.
Many things you said sound fair. I like to add they are genious at marketing. After wearing a Rolex for 8 years, nobody told me : ohhh you have a Rolex. 99% of the people know the name and don't recognize one when they see it.
Great video! I would ad that wearing some Rolex models in some cities is a real risk of being attack. That is my biggest problem with Rolex. Other than that I do not hate the brand, I own a modern DJ that is very versatile, but that is it. Great video.
You're absolutely right. Being the most recognized watch in the world, it can be quite dangerous in some places to sport it on your wrist. Thanks for watching the video and I'll plan on discussing this in a future video!
100% agree. I am relatively new to the hobby - but when I began to get serious and go for higher end pieces, Rolex was immediately a turn off for all the reasons mentioned. I took an interest in JLC, Grand Seiko, and Panerai for the reasons of : excellent craftsmanship, welcoming client and purchasing experience, unique design language, fantastic technical specs. Rolex almost immediately seemed like it was outside of everything I love about watches.
100% agree. I sold my last Rolex a few weeks ago, got more than I paid for it, that was just a bonus, I don't buy watches as investments. I then went to my AD to remove my name from the BS waiting list, I must say I felt empowered as I walked out, somehow I felt free :) I then bought my Grail Watch (non Rolex) and couldn't be happier :) I will someday end up buying a Day Date but only if they eventually become available as a walk in. Rolex a Good brand but I'm sick of the stupid games they play and sick of the way some owners think they are something special because they own a Rolex. I prefer other brands even if they cost more. I also own some cheaper watches that are as good or better.
@@TheWatchBros Then again, the waitlists are there not because Rolex created them, but because the demand far exceeded the supply. The Covid boom is now over, but those waitlists still exist. Over time they will get shorter until AD's can carry stock again, but that may take a while. Especially for certain models. I only hate it when they make you jump through hoops. I don't want your stupid jewelry, and I don't want a ladies watch. Talk to me, assess how serious I am, and whether I will be wearing the watch, putting it in a safe, or flipping it. That should determine the order in which you sell the watches.
Great video! I follow you on instagram and found your channel through that. Agree on all your points. I sell Rolex but only vintage models and for the reasons you state your 'beef' with them. I try and get my clients to pursue other brands with a genuine rich history like Cartier. Also on the production, really well shot, lighting, framing, editing etc. Wish you all the best with your channel. James
Appreciate the kinds words 🙏 I love vintage Rolex… a much different company back then. I felt like I could air out my frustrations since I’ve been a Rolex owner for many, many years now 😉. Share with your friends, we would love to gain some traction and start building a great watch community 👊
I agree with everything you said here. As a watch collector and a nerd, rolex isn't some cool badge of honor for an enthusiast anymore. It means absolutely nothing to anyone, outside of it being a silly status symbol. I was listening to a podcast about watches the other day, and the hosts were talking about rolex and the rolexes they had owned. One of the shills, ....er I mean hosts, was saying a rolex he had owned in the past "didn't count because he didn't get to share the moment!" And by 'share the moment,' he was referring to buying it from an A.D. and sharing the moment with the salesman! 😂 The whole thing is just incredibly cringy. I don't care if one person every 3 years notices I'm wearing an expensive watch, so why in the world would I buy a rolex?
So here’s the deal. Bascially, 90% of what you say is correct. Rolex are not great watches from a collectors or real watch persons perspective. My Brother who is a real watch guy, and spends 100k - 200k on watches, sees Rolex’s as a joke. And it is true, most peeps who wear them know nothing about watches. I got my first Rolex when I was was 23 - new college grad and paid over time. There are tons of fakes out there, but most people know just by looking at the person if they are wearing a real one or fake - so lets put that to the side. So the question is why, are there 10,000 Rolex’s at the Masters??? - No, all these guys are not buying them because everyone else is… it’s a really simple answer. I can’t speak for woman… but for most guys, when they put them on their wrist they look amazing. I have tried lots of watches, and have owned over 20 Rolex watches over my life…. And I know they are not great, but nothing in my opinion ever looks better for guy looking at his wrist than a Rolex. That to me, is why they are desired and bought. Bottom line. It’s why a guy looks better in a Ferrari than a Corvette, as great is a Corvette is, it does not look nearly as good on your wrist. That’s it in a nutshell.
I would never buy an Omega from an AD. The value plummets the moment you step out the door. Better to buy it pre-owned in unworn or new condition. It'll save you thousands.
Thank you for making me feel a bit less weird. Because I have heard so much about Rolex and prestige and wearing one makes you feel great and admired. And I can't make it work. Picturing myself wearing a Rolex, my first impulse is one of... shame, I think. I wouldn't want to be seen wearing one. Because I would look like someone who knew nothing at all about watches and was not interested, but had won some money and had a need to be admired. Every time someone who never cared about watches is in a situation where the matter is adressed - as in the "if I win in the lottery" conversation - they always mention buying a Rolex. And if a razzia at some bandits' den reveals a crate of luxury watches, the caption reads "Blah, blah, Rolex" while ignoring the fact that there is a freakin' A.Lange & Söhne in the picture. The likelihood of your choice of high end watch being a Rolex increases with your lack of interest in and knowledge about the matter. And that puts me off, frankly.
Not really much to argue with and I’m hearing more people express similar feelings these days. I was talking with a friend who works at my local AD and even he was saying that they’re now regularly getting passes from customers on the waitlist when their watches come in and can’t sell a few models at all. It’s karma coming back around as people realize…it’s just another luxury watch.
@@TheWatchBrosI got 1 for a friend who needed to get on "the list" then they offered me a couple which I turned down. I do have a few 5 digit models that I keep but never intend to wear as they're just crass nowadays. Best regards 🎉
I couldn’t agree more! Thank you for putting it out there. So many people who don’t know diddly squat about watches but as soon as they have some (or quite a lot…) pocket change they go get a Rolex because they think it’s “the greatest of them all”. I mean, just like you said, look around, ask a few questions and it becomes clear that they are, conservatively put, overpriced. I’m also a guitar nerd and the same thing goes for Gibson, Fender and Martin (if there are any other guitar nerds reading this). I guess it’s a phenomenon when it comes to branding. Looking forward to next part. Thanks.
I earned a free trip to Switzerland and northern Italy for selling plumbing supplies in 1996. I decided to look at Rolexes while in a big watch store. I wanted all stainless, had an upgraded band, a date with a cyclops magnifier, a smooth stainless bezel and I really liked the blue bezel. I am obviously not a connoisseur, I just wanted to treat myself. I think that it was around $1,800 USD at that time. I had a few things that I should've thought about: You need to wear a automatic winding watch everybody unless you have a fancy watch winder and I was used to keeping my Casio hiking style watch accurate to the second. Today with street crime being so rampant, I just keep it locked up and I now love wearing my Apple Watch all of the time! I can look at eight complications plus the time of day that's always exact. I have the original box, its contents and even the outer cardboard box. The store seemed to have an unlimited number of styles of Rolexes that you could think of. If you had the money or the credit, you could buy whatever you wanted to buy!
I got sick and tired of the waiting list. I called Vacheron Constantin and they were kind people at the Highland Park Boutique in Dallas, Texas. The shop was decorated with some cool items. I got to see and try on several watches. Mine took about 5 months to arrive and it was the Triple Calander 1942. It listed at $24,100 and I am glad I just stepped over the whole Rolex AD game and went with one of the Holy Trinity of watch makers.
I started my watch journey during the pandemic because I had a lot of free time. When you start out, at least today, I think it’s the norm that you get sucked into the rolex cult by default. However, I just held myself back and decided to know more about watch making. And the more I got to know about it, the more I realized how basic rolex is. I cannot afford the likes of A Lange or patek, but i have developed a strong admiration for grand seiko and galshutte original …and owe two pieces of each
It's like burberry right? I don't dislike rolex, or burberry, i just dislike people who wear them. And yes, rolexes all look the same ... apart from maybe cellini
Lots of misinformation in this video. The whole “Rolex isn’t scarce argument” is irrelevant when 10 million people want the product. Why does white oak cost 5 times more than red oak when they’re the same freaking tree that you see everywhere in America? Because white oak has 5 times the demand. I don’t understand how people can’t understand basic economics 101. No one complains when Grand Seiko makes the same watches, or Omega the same Seamaster and Speedmaster the past 50 years. But Rolex the sky falls down. The sky dweller is literally an annual calendar dual time zone instant date change GMT that can be operated with a command ring. The fact they fit it in the case size is remarkable. That and the YM2 are incredible complications. I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Also, the history aspect is not accurate at all. Rolex had the first 360 degree winding rotor. The Datejust was the first watch with an instant date change. Rolex had a patent for the GMT 4 years before glyceine released their GMT. I love how the only argument people have is that “everyone has a Rolex.” Never do you hear someone say something about the build quality 😂 And how many people do you even know in real life who own a Rolex?
Here in the U.K. it’s a bizarre sales process that hopefully the French ruling will change. At the start of the year I visited an AD who firstly refused to talk about Rolex without an appointment despite the store being empty!! After returning to the shop 2 hours later for an agreed appointment I was told an AirKing list comprised of 44 customers already waiting with an annual allocation of 4 watches. So….that’s 11 years then!!
The waiting lists are imaginary, they tell you that in the hopes that you will do something to put yourself higher in the "queue" like perhaps buying another watch they want to sell you.
You could well be right, kind of backfired as I found a beautiful glashutte seaq which I’ll cherish and probably not have any positivity for the Rolex pre sales process!
You are absolutely correct. To me Rolex has ruined its reputation. It's a luxury watch that you get only in black market paying extra. Rolex has surely ruined its reputation.
I would add… the main reason they can sell 1.2 million units is that ADs are forced to buy shipments sight-unseen. If they could choose what to buy, Rolex would have to build another warehouse to hold the unsold stock every year.
This is a myth. AD’s and Bucherer place orders with Rolex as master data every month. On some items there are set number of allocations, but within that, they mostly decide them self what models, dial colours, bands and bracelets they choose, and how many watches they want to purchase. High sought after items like Pepsis and SS Daytonas are some of the models there are quotas on, and AD’s who sell a lot of inventory of other items, are rewarded with things like extra Pepsis and Dayton allocations.
Yes on every point, no longer what it used to be. I don't know how a marketing department could think that making the buying experience horrible was going to be a good thing for the brand. Now wearing. an IWC as a daily.
Rolex makes really good $2,500 Submariner's. . . That they charge $9,000+ for. They are the Harley Davidson of luxury watches. (Anybody who's never ridden a motorcycle thinks Harley Davidson's are "fast bikes", and they are fast but literally any "liter bike" would dust them and even many 600cc would too.) They're just a brand with a catchy name insecure people buy because "somebody at work has one" or whatever. They just have "SUCKER" screaming on their wrist.
Hey tarrman…I can feel what you said in my gut..you know why, because I ride a hayabusa with a shunbun on my wrist. Both Harley and rolex folks hate me haha
1.2 Millions Rolex every year are Not luxury.Its a good Business for Rolex, but Not for a customer. If you Like the Design, buy a Fake , or Omega, Grand Seiko. Safe Money and buy Gold 😂
I sold my Rolex as I slowly came to the conclusion that Rolex has become completely overrated, has a boring design compared to other brands and does not even have an in-house movement for the price I had to pay. Worst of all, in the SE Asian country I am living in, the streets are flooded with high end fakes. Almost every street peddler and garbage collector is wearing one. So the novelty of wearing a supposed to be high end watch is quickly wearing off. As a watch collector I switched to other brands of more appealing design and value for money.
I've had my Submariner over 30 years, only serviced once, is solid as granite and keeps perfect time. It's the most masculine watch in the world, has appreciated in value considerably, and will someday adorn the wrist of my nephew. It's a legacy heirloom, something no other brand can claim.
1.2 million sounds like a lot, until you realize there’s 8 billion people on the planet. I think most of your criticism arises from the fact that (some) people who buy Rolex do so not because they love watches, but because they like owning a “luxury” brand. But for every 1 of those people, there’s people like us that know Rolex just makes a damn good watch.
Nothing went wrong. Rolex is a tremendous brand and whatever "went wrong" has everything to do with collector and flipper induced hype. Just my 2 cents.
