How to Buy a Rolex NOW - A Tale of Two Metals

Just when you thought the 'FOR SALE' signs were going to go up in the Rolex AD shop windows, with Submariner, GMT, and Explorer opportunities presenting themselves at every corner...... crickets! No you still have to pay the Pied Piper if you want any of those hot steel models, however there are some models that are now attainable on the day as walk-in purchases from your Rolex AD. But you still have to be smart about it, and here's how!

[@BLR653]

You are exactly right. I got a GMT BLNR the last few weeks. I waited 3 days. I’ve been a customer of the same AD for 14 years and wanted the watch to commemorate a milestone. I was able to talk to the owner who made it happen. I do buy jewelry and other things from the store but never anything I didn’t actually want.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Spectacular! Congratulations! That's the power of having a genuine 2-way relationship

[@coldhp361]

Hi Mark, Im another new watch enthusiast. Walked into the hour glass in may. Had a chat with a sales person. Tried a few watches on. They put me on a waiting list for 36mm Explorer 1 (both ss and two tone) and yacht master rhodium 40. As i was seeing so many info regarding how hard it is to get a rolex watch throughout the world i was expecting one of them to be available in a couple of years. Got a call in early July and bought a yacht master. Not sure the market is changing or i got lucky (plus i blieve YM is one of the least popular watches)

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

@coldhp361 hello and congratulations on the yachtmaster. You did very well to get any Rolex from The Hour Glass, as they have a long list of wealthy clients that they bundle a lot of their watches to. But yes anything bimetal is easier to get than it used to be. The Yachtmaster is an excellent choice and congratulations!

[@raymondlenaghan3320]

Great to find your channel Mark. Really enjoyed this video. I live in NZ also, near Wellington. Fairly new watch enthusiast but loving the start of the journey. Just bought a lovely Farer field Lomond. Maybe not quite a Rolex but I love it all the same. Look forward to more videos now. 🤙🏾

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Welcome to the watch 'journey' Raymond, and a lovely watch you have there to enjoy. My advice would be to consider your purchases very carefully, and as with all things, if you think you can get what you really want, by waiting a little longer to save more money or whatever, then do that! The watch hobby is expensive, so patience is definitely a virtue!

[@barkmark]

In Singapore two tones are available for sale, but there's a different model every week displayed in store so you have to check in weekly to see if the model is what you want

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

I would love to come to Singapore, and walk down Orchard Road and snag a couple of Goldies. That would be my idea of a good shopping experience! Then I would go to Gnomon and buy a Damasko!

[@barkmark]

@@TheRandomWatchDude looking forward to the vlog someday!

[@AnotherDaveInParadise]

From my recent experience any steel or Rolesor sports model in the window will not be available to purchase. I tried on both bi-metal GMTs (CHNR, GRNR) from the window and jokingly said I'd take the Rootbeer. It was a no. They did however have the full gold Rootbeer and Rolesor Sky Dweller (black dial/oyster) inside the store and ready to take away. I put my name down for the Rolesor Rootbeer at my usual AD (same group) a few days later and it came in 8-9 weeks later. I can't comment of non-sports in the window, so they could be readily available.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Good outcome and congratulations on the Rootbeer GMT!

[@user-sy8sr6bw1f]

These jewelry shops using Rolex to sell other watch brands or jewelry is just plain dirty. A lot of watch enthusiast will remember how these AD's treated them as customers. This was not even the case pre-covid, you can basically walk in and get the Rolex you want besides of course the desirable pieces. Now you need to have a "relationship" which is just bogus.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Yep it's BS! But that is the way it is now, and here in NZ people are still buying watches they don't really want to impress the AD

[@simonkramer9463]

I got my 126613 bluesy within 24 hours of walking into a London boutique. And that was in 2022 🤷‍♂️

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Congratulations! Did you have a spend history?

[@simonkramer9463]

@@TheRandomWatchDude nope

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

@simonkramer9463 well done. You must have made a good impression on someone 😉

[@simonkramer9463]

@@TheRandomWatchDude I think if you can demonstrate that you actually want the watch, are enthusiastic about the brand and will keep it; they will want to help you out. I’ve got him on WhatsApp now and pop in for the odd coffee and chat.

[@machyne82]

This is 💯 correct advice.

[@mattsa]

Oh dear, sounds similar to the disastrous negative gearing of real estate we have in Oz… And still love ‘my precioussss!’

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

As long as we have our watches, we'll be fine!

[@JohnBowman-ut4dz]

Hi Mark great video the watch market in the UK apart from Rolex is dead (retail) and the two tones are more available but it's cheaper to buy a new Rolex two tone from the Gray market than it is from Rolex (how things have changed)and even some steel sports models like explorer 2 and some of the starter models are now about the same price as retail on the Gray market. Even the more popular ones like the Starbucks are only 2k more than retail so I think soon the market will be back to what it use to be 😁.hear in the UK the opposite is happening politically we are going auntie business left wing labour as a landlord in Wales we have massive new rental regulations can't offset mortgage interest against tax one in 3 landlords have left the sector causing chaos and now the new government are going to bring in rental caps to control the price of rent in the private rental sector because they now have a supply and demand problem pushing up the price of rent s . great video thanks John.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Thanks John. You have a healthy grey market there, whereas here in NZ there are a couple of posh awn shop traders who sell flipper's watches for stupid premiums. But it's a tiny market here in NZ. I reckon next time I come and visit my family in the UK I'll have to buy myself a Rollie!

[@JohnBowman-ut4dz]

@@TheRandomWatchDude hi Mark I sent you a second reply about the current state of the watch market in UK it seems to have disappeared is this KZbin censoring the truth because I named the retailer and brands involved?????? Can you please let me know (because this can make conversation very difficult) thanks John.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

@@JohnBowman-ut4dz No 2nd reply on this thread of comments John... Rolex has censored you!! LOL!!

[@JohnBowman-ut4dz]

@@TheRandomWatchDude hi Mark what I was trying to tell you was I was thinking of trading in two watches with the biggest watch retailer in the UK and maybe Europe and adding money to buy a watch they had for sale.one watch was a Tudor chronograph wight face panda 🐼 less than six months old fully stickered box and papers retail price £4750 trade in offer £1900( this watch not that long ago had about a year wait list) and the second one was a breitling super avenger 2 less than one year old in immaculate condition box and papers. retail price £5150 offer price £1250 so this says a lot about the state of the watch market in the UK no one is buying watches at retail because only Rolex are holding their values. I hope you get this message this time as I haven't named the retailer thanks John.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

@@JohnBowman-ut4dz Thanks John yes I got this message. That's a really strong indication as to the weakness of the market I agree. All those hard-to-get watches from just a couple of years ago have no demand now. So is that because they suddenly became ugly watches that nobody wanted, or because now they're easy to get - the desire to own one has dropped? I'm picking it's the latter.

[@joelbolt88]

You’ll be disappointed to know I just went to the grey market (reputable seller) for a Pepsi on jubilee. My first luxury watch ever and to commemorate my 30th bday and travels this year. Hopefully it can scratch my itch for a few years, or at least months 😂

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Not disappointed at all. Grey market is a different ball game. Congratulations!

[@ericsherer3505]

Love the Draken hat.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Thank you. I don't actually own a watch but I like the hat!

[@nikolastojanov8749]

The problem Rolex now has is once you go unobtainium, you cant go back. You cant just remove exhibition only signs, here is why. Most of Rolex buyers, especially non enthusiasts, buy Rolex cuz they perceive it as a hard to get status symbol. Secondary, its an object that you can sell later at a profit or breakeven in worst case. This was the mainstream percetption for the last few years. Now, people are waking to a different reality. Rolex are not so hard to get, a lot of them lost market value, and they are not as rare as people thought. This could create a backlash in the market, to turn the sentiment around. Cartier cant damage the Rolex monopol. Neither can Omega, Tag, Breitling nor anyone else. But Rolex could. Now their life depends on those false truths being as close to reality as possible. Maybe they didnt push them, but they enjoyed the increased demand and profits, and they could a real fall from grace story if they keep the stupid tactics

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Couldn't agree more!

[@JohnBowman-ut4dz]

Hi you have a lot of good points but my experience in the UK is that all the other brands took advantage of the bubble and massively increased their prices (omega being the worst semester went from £3100 to £5400 at retail in three years) if you work out the percentage increase Rolex is on the lower side. all the watch brands you have mentioned are struggling to sell watches at retail prices (apart from Rolex) because the used market are at around half the price of new ones and breitling are even worse. Rolex wait list has reduced but they still have more demand than supply that's why people still have confidence in the brand it's going back to how it always was.thanks John.

[@nikolastojanov8749]

@@JohnBowman-ut4dz I agree. I have no insider info, but I am sure all the other brands are struglling even more than Rolex, probably much more. I am sure everyone who did agressive price hikes in the last few years will feel the pain for at least the next few years

[@Andy-ys8sj]

I think the watch industry and a lot of others are in for a rude awakening over the next few years, people will just not have the money for rolex, There isn't enough money to go around for them to play people the way they have been. I genuinely believe twelve months from now you will be able to get one as a walk in

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

@Andy-ys8sj I would really like to think that's possible. Here in NZ it's still not possible to get any of the desirable models in a reasonable time frame.

[@Andrew-yy2ye]

I get you making content for views, so no complaining, but can never agree with the silly games from the Ad's,also i don't think you are taking into account how much Rolex have pissed off the general watch buyers. I feel that they will soon be like five or six years ago, when you can walk into the Ad's and get them with discounts as the world economy is in the toilet all over the world and Rolex still have to shift one million watches a year. It will be interesting to see Rolex prices over the next four to five years, they used to be good value for a good quality watch.now you have good watches overpriced. time will tell 👍

[@alexbizz]

G'day from over the ditch

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

G'day!

[@satai]

Who does not like a blowy day once in a while 😜

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

Exactly!! 😂

[@dominicfarrello3860]

you should of kept your mouth shut on politics unsubscribe

[@linushyden7634]

No need to be rude about it.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

X-NZ landlord subscriber...

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

I knew a little bit of politics was a bad idea!

[@linushyden7634]

@@TheRandomWatchDude But it doesn’t give @dominicfarrello3860 an excuse for being rude. See it all the time on KZbin unfortunately

[@jasonsiemens2694]

The rich don’t continue to get richer. Some rich people get richer in poor economies and some rich people get poorer. They aren’t the same individuals.

[@TheRandomWatchDude]

If you define rich by people who actually have money, then as long as they're not stupid they will get richer irrespective of the economy. It's the people who pretend to be rich but it's all borrowed money, or locked into high risk investments, that have a problem. Just my thoughts.