Is the Batman losing popularity? Why does it seem like that?

[pj1369]

Originally Posted by Ihatecheese

The fad will surely always change from time to time. I wonder what colour bezel will make the internet explode next.

I love that term batgirl. Never heard it prior but will endevour to use in future to anyone i feel might be horrified by associating with femininity. :D

Love this. Agree.

[locutus49]

All you do is spread bitterness and resentment. And you state opinions as if they were fact. Your hatred of greys is clouding your judgment IMO.

Originally Posted by peterpl

pretty much. Thats why you never use the TS on here as benchmark. They are not present in the biggest watch fairs around the world.

The news from the big dealers is that the current watch market is soft. Big decrease in demand from only 6-12 months ago and the concensus is that its going to keep dropping in the gray market.

No-one here is saying the BLNR/BLRO or whatever is going to sell under MSRP anytime soon but those ridiculous crazy markups are long gone and ppl are just not jumping on them at listed prices from the grays on here.

There is a massive gray market world out there outside of TRF.

[Santiago32]

Trending seems down for the oyster.

https://watchcharts.com/watch/739/overview

[Onikage]

Any BLNR is still pretty hot. Minor adjustments here and there but overall the world is still utterly bat&#!£ for batpersons.

[10klakes]

Haven’t seen a single BLNR in AD display cases yet. Losing popularity? I think not.....

[HTX1990]

While this is not a direct answer to the OP question, it is surprising to me why the Pepsi is so much more popular than the BLNR on jubilee. The Pepsi seems to be gaining in popularity/demand vs. the newly released BLNR

[Hollie_Rollie]

I think it’s still popular but not moving at the current insane grey prices like it once did.

[sambb]

Originally Posted by Manu74

This!

Rootbeer, Hulk, Bluesy, Smurf and BatMAN are all ok, but BatGIRL isn’t?

agree, it is really odd that batgirl isnt ok, but hulk and smurf are? seems gender biased or gender based. perhaps it is insecurity. nevertheless its a nice timepiece.

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by franktehtank

I think it's hilarious that people get offended by the "Batgirl" nickname. Are people honestly that insecure?

[Ihatecheese]

I'd debate that most of whom are bunched into that snowflake adjective are not worried about gender and the association with manliness. We all know the generation who are :)

Originally Posted by AK797

Surely you've noticed that social media is turning into just one massive snowflake of mental illness, so yeah people who are trying to show off are a little bit sensitive to their prized possession being ridiculed, kind of defeats the purpose.

[watchspike]

My take on the situation; when the "Batgirl" (silly name IMHO but so was calling the previous version the "Batman") was announced, loads of people who originally bought the previous watch with a view of turning a profit some time down the line looked at the current state of the market and couldn't resist the $$$ signs. They took the discontinuation of the 116710BLNR as the right time to dump this exact piece of jewellery that was only ever intended to be bought to make money as their main motivation for buying it in the first place.

So crap loads of owners of the BLNR flipped whilst a bubble was brewing as others saw the rise in price and bought one through both FOMO on a supposedly rising "asset class" item, and lusting after a shiny popular Rolex.

Then supply (in the grey market) exceeds demand as loads of BLNRs end up in the grey sellers stockroom without moving and we get to the point where the greys won't buy the watch anymore. This was confirmed to me on a recent trip to London as I went into a second hand watch store to have a nosey at the recent price tags to see the current state of affairs. I was wearing my 116710BLNR at the time and the grey dealer told me they weren't accepting that watch anymore.

He probably thought I would be disappointed but the news brought a smile to my face as I had no intention of ever selling my watch but also took it as a sign that perhaps this is the beginning of the end of this bubble madness.

It could just be watch specific, as the events described above may have contributed to a glut of 116710BLNR in the hands of greys who can't shift them at their inflated prices as no one wants to bite due to satisfied demand from real Rolex WIS and also speculators spooked by the softening of prices.

If the "Hulk" gets a new reference and something else to distinguish it from the current model then I suspect something similar may happen to that watch. As to questions for why the BLRO is more popular than the BLNR, the BLNR has been around for 7 years and has a bezel that is easier to produce and pass quality controls whereas the BLRO in steel has only been around for 2 years and has been rumoured to be difficult to produce due to the bezel, so simply laws of supply and demand. After a decent chat with an AD from a chain I have history with, I found out that they get approximately 2 BLRO in steel every month but they have well over 250 people on their waitlist. Now many of those are likely to be speculators without the cash or credit to make the purchase immediately, and over 85% of them had no history with the AD so fat chance of getting one anytime soon but still at least we know Rolex are pumping them out as fast as they can. Just a shame they always end up at the greys, but hey, that's what greed does to people. Pride is the only sin for why I want one of these shiny round bits of steel so it can be worn on my wrist.

Personally I wanted one ever since Basel 2018 due to the fact that the Pepsi is the iconic GMT colour way plus I wanted to get the modern version to complete my set of GMTS. But alas, I can't convince myself to take part in all these crazy shenanigans reported by others in order to get one and will just continue growing my collection of other brands.

[Delhiwatchjunkie]

Thank you all! I finally bit the bullet! bought the Bat-whatever. Love it! And love it even more because I got it at MRP. Patience pays!

[Manu74]

Originally Posted by Delhiwatchjunkie

Thank you all! I finally bit the bullet! bought the Bat-whatever. Love it! And love it even more because I got it at MRP. Patience pays!

Congrats!

[watchspike]

Originally Posted by Delhiwatchjunkie

Thank you all! I finally bit the bullet! bought the Bat-whatever. Love it! And love it even more because I got it at MRP. Patience pays!

Congratulations! You'll enjoy the way the blue hue of the bezel takes on a different look upon different lighting. Wear it in good health and I hope you give it plenty of wrist time.

[WatchLurv]

Originally Posted by watchspike

My take on the situation; when the "Batgirl" (silly name IMHO but so was calling the previous version the "Batman") was announced, loads of people who originally bought the previous watch with a view of turning a profit some time down the line looked at the current state of the market and couldn't resist the $$$ signs. They took the discontinuation of the 116710BLNR as the right time to dump this exact piece of jewellery that was only ever intended to be bought to make money as their main motivation for buying it in the first place.

So crap loads of owners of the BLNR flipped whilst a bubble was brewing as others saw the rise in price and bought one through both FOMO on a supposedly rising "asset class" item, and lusting after a shiny popular Rolex.

Then supply (in the grey market) exceeds demand as loads of BLNRs end up in the grey sellers stockroom without moving and we get to the point where the greys won't buy the watch anymore. This was confirmed to me on a recent trip to London as I went into a second hand watch store to have a nosey at the recent price tags to see the current state of affairs. I was wearing my 116710BLNR at the time and the grey dealer told me they weren't accepting that watch anymore.

He probably thought I would be disappointed but the news brought a smile to my face as I had no intention of ever selling my watch but also took it as a sign that perhaps this is the beginning of the end of this bubble madness.

It could just be watch specific, as the events described above may have contributed to a glut of 116710BLNR in the hands of greys who can't shift them at their inflated prices as no one wants to bite due to satisfied demand from real Rolex WIS and also speculators spooked by the softening of prices.

If the "Hulk" gets a new reference and something else to distinguish it from the current model then I suspect something similar may happen to that watch. As to questions for why the BLRO is more popular than the BLNR, the BLNR has been around for 7 years and has a bezel that is easier to produce and pass quality controls whereas the BLRO in steel has only been around for 2 years and has been rumoured to be difficult to produce due to the bezel, so simply laws of supply and demand. After a decent chat with an AD from a chain I have history with, I found out that they get approximately 2 BLRO in steel every month but they have well over 250 people on their waitlist. Now many of those are likely to be speculators without the cash or credit to make the purchase immediately, and over 85% of them had no history with the AD so fat chance of getting one anytime soon but still at least we know Rolex are pumping them out as fast as they can. Just a shame they always end up at the greys, but hey, that's what greed does to people. Pride is the only sin for why I want one of these shiny round bits of steel so it can be worn on my wrist.

Personally I wanted one ever since Basel 2018 due to the fact that the Pepsi is the iconic GMT colour way plus I wanted to get the modern version to complete my set of GMTS. But alas, I can't convince myself to take part in all these crazy shenanigans reported by others in order to get one and will just continue growing my collection of other brands.

Hong Kong protests started and the premiums took a hit, but good read otherwise

[mml4]

Originally Posted by mash_taylor

I think there are market changes that aren’t exclusive to the BLNR, but also Jubilee just isn’t as popular as Oyster.

This!

[superdog]

I like the BLNR.

[macrowatch]

Good 'ol mean reversion happening at the moment and classic supply/demand economics, with a extra mean kick since nothing kills hype fueled from rarity as the realization that all of your friends also now have that 'rare' watch. Admittedly this is a first world, very fortunate to have issue. But if I'm being perfectly honest with myself, while I love the watch, if I sit down at a dinner table and there are 3 other BLNR, human psychology of luxury goods is simply it now feels less exclusive and therefore less luxurious.

I think from a longer time frame horizon. I remember buying the first ceramic GMT. Was always a slow seller even compared to the yet to be updated Sub. Design wise, the world wasn't gaga over GMT's, it was all about the sub in a heads up matchup, only the WIS leaned towards heavily on the GMT, event back on the Timezone forums of those days.

Fastfoward to today, the production of the TT yellow gold has probably shifted to the CHNR in about the same volume. The LN production capacity shifted to the BLNR and maybe even increased it slightly since there was already a BLNR, and now all the SS goes into BLNR, and supply just drips drips drips back into the market. I'm not saying the end is near, but I am saying while the BLNR is a nice watch, the general public never quite took to it the same way the WIS did, and only recently jumped in on the bandwagon (same for LV).

In the long run, supply will catch up with demand I think on this one. Plus another few price hikes, and I think we settle into MSRP and gray market prices being the same around 11k-12k.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Ihatecheese

I'd debate that most of whom are bunched into that snowflake adjective are not worried about gender and the association with manliness. We all know the generation who are :)

Just had a look on Watchfinder and the Batman, BLRO on Jubilee and Hulk are selling at highest ever prices, around £16-17K, whereas the Batgirl has been chopped down to £14K, so this watch is an outlier to the others and the nickname is certainly not helping.

People are not worried about being manly, in any generation I would assert, but that is very different to being thought of as effeminate or girly. Insta guys trying to pull birds know, even in 2019, the neanderthal Love Island guys, the muscle men, the money and Porsche men, they get the top tanned totty; the sensitive and good sense of humoured rest are friend zoned, as ever.

[904VT]

Originally Posted by franktehtank

I think it's hilarious that people get offended by the "Batgirl" nickname. Are people honestly that insecure?

Originally Posted by Manu74

This!

Rootbeer, Hulk, Bluesy, Smurf and BatMAN are all ok, but BatGIRL isn’t?

Well see here’s the difference. Those other nicknames developed organically while Batgirl was because someone forced the other and wanted to be the first to name a watch that didn’t need a nickname. It’s still the BLNR.

Everyone wants credit with a new cool social medial friendly nickname and just throws to see what sticks. The Kermit, Pepsi, Coke, PanAM, Root Beer, Blusey (JJ owned this nickname before they were forced) were more organic. Batman I remember being a nickname some forum members tried to shove down everyone’s throat along with the black 116500 Darth Vader

May as well keep going with ridiculous nicknames you know:

YM blue dial is Aquaman
TT SD43 must be Bumble Bee
The Day Date TEM is the Ms Federer
New 126660 D Blue replaces the 116660ln as the new Tiger Woods
YG Day Date 36 is the Jack Nicklaus

Should I go on with more ridiculous nicknames for those that can’t remember reference numbers. I mean every watch deserves a nickname in 2020 right?


And we are all apparently WIS that can’t keep track of our watch and comic book hobbies

[Topsyworld]

Ahhhh, who cares! Cheapens then brand, not a fan of Disney anyway and there trash characters and movies.

[jamescarter2a]

Originally Posted by Manu74

This!

Rootbeer, Hulk, Bluesy, Smurf and BatMAN are all ok, but BatGIRL isn’t?

The main problem is : two different nicknames for basically the same watch. That's nonsense.

And it has nothing to do with "feeling insecure" about it.
If the 116710BLNR had been called the "Batgirl", I would say the same about the 126710BLNR being then called the "Batman".
Although a male character's name for a men's watch does make much more sense IMO...

There are so many "Pepsi" with a single nickname.
A Pepsi is always a Pepsi, on Oyster or Jubilee, Steel or WG, black dial, blue dial, meteorite dial... Never becoming a Pep-she, Pepsi Max or Pepsi Cherry.
And a Rootbeer is always a Rootbeer, on Oyster or Jubilee, etc.
Why would the Batman change its nickname just because of a different bracelet ?
It's still the same watch, plus the stupidity of feminising it because of the Jubilee bracelet (Why ? It's not ever a smaller size...).

That's the kind of stuff that might ruin the Rolex nickname game.

[904VT]

Originally Posted by jamescarter2a

The main problem is : two different nicknames for basically the same watch. That's nonsense.

And it has nothing to do with "feeling insecure" about it.
If the 116710BLNR had been called the "Batgirl", I would say the same about the 126710BLNR being then called the "Batman".
Although a male character's name for a men's watch does make much more sense IMO...

There are so many "Pepsi" with a single nickname.
A Pepsi is always a Pepsi, on Oyster or Jubilee, Steel or WG, black dial, blue dial, meteorite dial... Never becoming a Pep-she, Pepsi Max or Pepsi Cherry.
And a Rootbeer is always a Rootbeer, on Oyster or Jubilee, etc.
Why would the Batman change its nickname just because of a different bracelet ?
It's still the same watch, plus the stupidity of feminising it because of the Jubilee bracelet (Why ? It's not ever a smaller size...).

That's the kind of stuff that might ruin the Rolex nickname game.

You’re right that a bracelet change does not mean a watch gets a new nickname. How about this do Datejust on jubilee get called Lady Datejust just because they’re on a different bracelet? The consistency is missing. Shows you how forced these all are. They are all BLNRs simply on Oyster or Jubilee.

[BatmanFan]

Pep-she

[Mystro]

We have a thread conclusion by the OP:

Originally Posted by Delhiwatchjunkie

Thank you all! I finally bit the bullet! bought the Bat-whatever. Love it! And love it even more because I got it at MRP. Patience pays!

Congrats and welcome to our cult.....I mean CLUB.

[Jakey]

Its rare, its hard to get, waiting list = Hype. Its just a GMT, there were many before it and there will be many more to come. I don't think any watch is all that, but sadly internet hysteria drives demand.

[Frakis]

I was at a very well known grey dealer last week. He said he has too many in stock, and they are not moving.

[Dlong]

Originally Posted by Jakey

Its rare, its hard to get, waiting list = Hype. Its just a GMT, there were many before it and there will be many more to come. I don't think any watch is all that, but sadly internet hysteria drives demand.

You nailed it. “internet hysteria “.

[WatchLurv]

Originally Posted by Frakis

I was at a very well known grey dealer last week. He said he has too many in stock, and they are not moving.

So obviously he didnt follow the trend and sat on stock whilst the prices were decreasing. That's partially his own fault for not having a finger on the pulse or hoping it was just a small bump.

The gray market in Hong Kong is like a stock market. If word spreads that there will be a 200 USD decrease in overall price you can be sure that some dealers will cut loss and get rid of the ones they purchased for a price too close to the current price or above the current price. You win some, you lose some. In this case, your grey lost big.

[chris242]

tried one on today in Frankfurt, too flashy for me with the jubilee.. sticker price was 18k€!!