Is anyone actually still paying over MSRP for watches from Greys right now?

[Sandpit]

Originally Posted by RolexFan0049

The 126710BLNR was around 20k euros when it was launched and now it's hovering around 13-14. Similar thing happened to the SD Red Letters. That's not something you should take for granted. I bought a ceramic LV with 25% discount very very few years ago as a random customer. Don't put your faith in false Gods.

It happens all the time in different hobbies, with different brands. Trends come and go. Not long ago everybody was criticizing Rolex for their small sizes. They even released the YMII for that purpose: nobody wants it these days. Vintage Panerais were king of the hill. The ROO was the hot watch of the moment, 15300st were cheapo watches. Experience gives perspective...

In April they dipped below $12k for unworn. Since then, prices have continued to accelerate.

Nobody knows where this will end but the supply and demand for these pieces are further apart than ever before. Everything seems to be getting hoovered up.

Look at the 5 digit prices now too. Polar explorers are hitting $8-9k - if not more for the 3186 movements.

I was one of those that saw a huge dip in prices for a sustained period. How wrong I was.

[mykii]

Originally Posted by RolexFan0049

The 126710BLNR was around 20k euros when it was launched and now it's hovering around 13-14. Similar thing happened to the SD Red Letters. That's not something you should take for granted. I bought a ceramic LV with 25% discount very very few years ago as a random customer. Don't put your faith in false Gods.

It happens all the time in different hobbies, with different brands. Trends come and go. Not long ago everybody was criticizing Rolex for their small sizes. They even released the YMII for that purpose: nobody wants it these days. Vintage Panerais were king of the hill. The ROO was the hot watch of the moment, 15300st were cheapo watches. Two tone and solid gold watches were gipsy's watches. Then again some years before that an expensive watch should be solid gold, nobody would buy steel.

Experience gives perspective...

I think there are more than a few things being conflated in this post.

[peterpl]

Rolex prices at the current time are screwed up bigtime!!!

They are the highest they have ever been EVER!!. Each and EVERY damn model SS/TT/PM all trading at astronomical prices on the gray market. Even traditionally weak TT are on the way up. Precious metal ask prices are Ludacris these days.

Covid has caused everyone to have money staying home and looking to spend their holiday money or the grays are hoarding more than ever before.

Something has got to give sooner or later. Makes zero sense for every single model to be hot on a watch brand that produces 1M Plus watches per year.

It actually feels like a feeding frenzy happening at the moment. Whatever no matter which models sells like hotcakes. Crazy crazy sh|t.

[RolexFan0049]

...repeated

[Deroya]

Guessing anyone who does the reasoning is simple. They do not want to wait and have enough money to not care at all

[Matty99365]

I bought a new BLNR gray for £11,000 in April which I vowed never to do to but I did as I was tired of waiting.

However, I then got 'the call' last week from an AD whose list I had been on for 12 months so sold the April purchase back to the gray market it came from and bought from the AD at £7750.

[dunedc]

Originally Posted by Matty99365

I bought a new BLNR gray for £11,000 in April which I vowed never to do to but I did as I was tired of waiting.

However, I then got 'the call' last week from an AD whose list I had been on for 12 months so sold the April purchase back to the gray market it came from and bought from the AD at £7750.

You were fortunate there to get the call...
So what did the gray seller value the watch at upon return? Was it a good deal after all?

[Matty99365]

Originally Posted by dunedc

You were fortunate there to get the call...
So what did the gray seller value the watch at upon return? Was it a good deal after all?

They gave me back what I paid for it and sold it for £12,500 within 24 hours. So basically, I borrowed it for 4 months for free!

[btrizzy]

Never paid over MSRP on any product and never will. I am not playing this stupid game the AD's and grey market dealers are playing. Cheers to all the other fools and their money...

[JRell]

Never would. I don’t even trust it unless it is from a local AD. Would always wonder if it was real. Also you don’t get that buying a new watch experience. Would also feel ripped off every time I look at it. Would recommend waiting or falling in love with a watch you can get.

[m0butt]

Paid pretty high for my BLRO but it’s coming in tomorrow and I just didn’t want to wait. I have no prior AD relationship so it was probably never going to happen through AD anyways. Now I’m broke for the foreseeable future but at least I’ll have my BLRO.

Also tbh, I don’t see it dropping very much.


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[Shaney]

No qualms, you are paying for the availability in my mind.

Unfortunately I doubt I'll spend x amount with an AD just to be in with a chance (an unlikely one at that) when I could save the money and spend more to secure it.

[m0butt]

Originally Posted by Shaney

No qualms, you are paying for the availability in my mind.

Unfortunately I doubt I'll spend x amount with an AD just to be in with a chance (an unlikely one at that) when I could save the money and spend more to secure it.

See this is how I see it, I’ve just gotten into this game, and ADs scoff when I ask, quite nicely, for an OP39. I asked DavidSW and had it the next day. For the BLRO I figured it’s almost as elusive as a Daytona so there’s no realistic shot at that for me at all. Went grey.


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[Sandpit]

Originally Posted by m0butt

See this is how I see it, I’ve just gotten into this game, and ADs scoff when I ask, quite nicely, for an OP39. I asked DavidSW and had it the next day. For the BLRO I figured it’s almost as elusive as a Daytona so there’s no realistic shot at that for me at all. Went grey.


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I got 7 months into a quoted 3 month wait for a DJ41 and decided enough was enough. Especially when my local classifieds market was swamped with them.

I refuse to beg an AD to take my money for a watch.

[m0butt]

Originally Posted by Sandpit

I got 7 months into a quoted 3 month wait for a DJ41 and decided enough was enough. Especially when my local classifieds market was swamped with them.

I refuse to beg an AD to take my money for a watch.

Yeah, and that’s for a DJ41, which is a relatively “easy” watch to get. Everything is actually easy to get if you’re just willing to pay for it. This is why I’ve decided I don’t really care much for MSRP prices, going to just look at grey prices from now on as that’s the price I’m realistically going to be paying.


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[Sandpit]

Originally Posted by m0butt

Yeah, and that’s for a DJ41, which is a relatively “easy” watch to get. Everything is actually easy to get if you’re just willing to pay for it. This is why I’ve decided I don’t really care much for MSRP prices, going to just look at grey prices from now on as that’s the price I’m realistically going to be paying.


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Personally I’ve switched attention to older models now. The 6 digit ceramic hysteria has kinda ruined it for me and in any case I really love the charm of the 4 and 5 digits.

[Nikrnic]

Not me, never did never will while it's in production. Good thing im not a Daytona or Blue Sky fan..

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[Xerxes77]

I pay over MRSP if I really feel that watch is THE WATCH.....
But if I want to mark an event in my life then I will try to have it from AD with my name on 📝

[mykii]

Originally Posted by Xerxes77

I pay over MRSP if I really feel that watch is THE WATCH.....
But if I want to mark an event in my life then I will try to have it from AD with my name on 📝

Good luck, names are no longer on the new warranty cards. Wish they were, though. .

[atxdivebezel]

Originally Posted by mykii

Good luck, names are no longer on the new warranty cards. Wish they were, though. .

I'm fairly certain the name is now 'electronically' attached. Just got my BLNR last week and that's the explanation I was given.

[mykii]

Originally Posted by atxdivebezel

I'm fairly certain the name is now 'electronically' attached. Just got my BLNR last week and that's the explanation I was given.

If that is the case I don't know how my AD knows my full name off-heart. When I picked up my Hulk I didn't provide it, and pretty certain they don't know it. . Maybe its on file, who knows, all I can say is that my SA purposefully pointed at the card and said they "leave them blank" now as it was right as COVID restrictions lifted here in NYC.

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by atxdivebezel

I'm fairly certain the name is now 'electronically' attached. Just got my BLNR last week and that's the explanation I was given.

In the UK I'm fairly certain this is not the case. My last watch came with the new warranty card. My AD keeps a record of what they sell me (among other things). Rolex do not have this information. The data protection regs have been tightened up a lot here.

If in doubt and you want to check, you can ask any Rolex AD, chain, distributor or RSC what information they hold on you. They have to tell you by law. Or at least they do in the UK and EU.

[Singslinger]

Originally Posted by mykii

Good luck, names are no longer on the new warranty cards. Wish they were, though. .

This is news to me.

I just bought a SkyD in July from am AD and had to write my full name as per the records in their database on the card.

[M45]

At one point there were people willing to pay $5000 over MSRP for a PT cruiser.

[Podbert01]

I cant handle the self serving judgemental AD's who seam think you need to look like a person who deserves to wear a Rolex ! I've pad significantly over retail for the watch I want and happy happy to do so I don't not have to deal with the AD's !. I've been to one specific AD twice for new models and they won't even entertain putting me on the waiting lists. Does not leave a nice taste in your mouth !

[tufty]

Originally Posted by Podbert01

I cant handle the self serving judgemental AD's who seam think you need to look like a person who deserves to wear a Rolex ! I've pad significantly over retail for the watch I want and happy happy to do so I don't not have to deal with the AD's !. I've been to one specific AD twice for new models and they won't even entertain putting me on the waiting lists. Does not leave a nice taste in your mouth !

HHhhmmm can probably guess which AD you are talking about. WB??

[HiDive]

I have never gone to grey market because I have had no trouble getting any Rolex at or below retail in a short period of time from my favorite AD.

[RedViola]

Originally Posted by HiDive

I have never gone to grey market because I have had no trouble getting any Rolex at or below retail in a short period of time from my favorite AD.

If you'll pardon the curiosity, how long have you known your AD and were you able to get watches at/below retail at the beginning of your relationship?

[HiDive]

Originally Posted by RedViola

If you'll pardon the curiosity, how long have you known your AD and were you able to get watches at/below retail at the beginning of your relationship?

I have been buying Rolex and other watches from the same great family owned business since about 2006. I got a nice discount the first time I bought from them. I went in one afternoon and bought a Sub LV a two tone GMT and a Glashutte Original pano date Diver in one purchase with cash (actually a check). I believe that they gave me about 10% off on that deal. I have probably purchased about a dozen watches from them since the initial deal as well as many pieces of jewelry for my wife. They do not always have a discount for me but never above SRP. And when I get on a list for a watch it has always been very quick to come in. I moved to Hawaii about 6000 miles from them but I still buy watches from them when I travel back there. I would not ever consider buying elsewhere.

[eskiserkan]

I got my hulk&batman from the ad 3 years ago and waited 2 years for white DaytonaC. Then fed up with calling&asking so went to grey route. I got it at Feb, 2019 and still waiting the call from AD :)
Now unfortunately, NO ADs will be selling the 17k blro at list price without taking an arm&leg. Those days are gone. Same for AP and Patek. Premium cost always will be added in some way by the AD + waiting time and list games.
Try selling a Daytona C at 22k usd and see yourself its gone at the second day. So, why the ADs will gift that 7k to the customer without getting anything.
With new warranty cards i dont see any improvement for the current situation, since it is driven by Rolex itself