What Happened to Prices on 16618

[Hpozzuoli]

Holy smokes. Things have tripled in the matter of 2 years. I took a little break from the forum due to being overly busy building my business. My free time evaporated and here we are some time later.

I always wanted a 16618 so I decided to get one. When I started looking for the watch I discovered they weren’t 17k anymore for early 2000’s, they have now become 25-30 for that same watch, no papers or box to boot.

If I am going to spend 25+ I might as well buy another excavator or work truck and make money with them.

What the hell happened? I blinked and things changed dramatically. Are these prices here to stay? Has this passion become a game for athletes and movie stars? Did I miss my window?

[1st amg]

Yes, window gone and shut....everything is nuts. Buying or finding one at MSRP is a unicorn for many of us here.

[pk552502]

Part of it is inflation. I bet the cost of trucks and excavators has risen over the same time frame too.

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

If I am going to spend 25+ I might as well buy another excavator or work truck and make money with them.

Sounds like a plan

[Hpozzuoli]

Well thanks for the reality check.

1st amg-you made me laugh. Msrp has become the new unicorn. I am sure kicking myself now.

I was about to do it 2 years ago and the one I wanted got sold so I said I would wait it out. I guess I waited too long.

Is the concensus these new levels will remain? I am sure bummed.

[Hpozzuoli]

Originally Posted by AzPaul

Sounds like a plan

Sadly I think this what I am going to do.

20k was always my threshold for this hobby. I can’t see spending more even for a grail piece.

I am sure kicking myself now.

[GB-man]

About 6 months ago dealers started buying up 5 digit gold because it was such a great value. When new subs were widely available 25% off for mid to high 20s then the market was fine with high teens for the 5 digit counterparts. Today you’re looking at 46k for a NIB 126618 unless your AD offered you one and you live in a no sales tax state.

The short of it is gold Rolex went from discounted to 10k over across the board and old gold in tow.

[Atone]

Originally Posted by GB-man

About 6 months ago dealers started buying up 5 digit gold because it was such a great value. When new subs were widely available 25% off for mid to high 20s then the market was fine with high teens for the 5 digit counterparts. Today you’re looking at 46k for a NIB 126618 unless your AD offered you one and you live in a no sales tax state.

The short of it is gold Rolex went from discounted to 10k over across the board and old gold in tow.

Exactly

[Hpozzuoli]

Originally Posted by GB-man

About 6 months ago dealers started buying up 5 digit gold because it was such a great value. When new subs were widely available 25% off for mid to high 20s then the market was fine with high teens for the 5 digit counterparts. Today you’re looking at 46k for a NIB 126618 unless your AD offered you one and you live in a no sales tax state.

The short of it is gold Rolex went from discounted to 10k over across the board and old gold in tow.

So are we thinking when inflation dies down and gold drops a little, will the gold watches? I just saw a NIB listed on this site for 45k. To me that is nuts, but if that’s what the market will bear I guess it’s my problem.

I literally lost track of time and poof, things went crazy. I guess the fact that my temporary truck purchase has appreciated is a sign of how screwed up things are right now.

The watch I wanted got sold and instead of finding another I decided to wait until another came along…..wrong move on my part. I am so mad at myself.

[afmars]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

So are we thinking when inflation dies down and gold drops a little, will the gold watches? I just saw a NIB listed on this site for 45k. To me that is nuts, but if that’s what the market will bear I guess it’s my problem.

I literally lost track of time and poof, things went crazy. I guess the fact that my temporary truck purchase has appreciated is a sign of how screwed up things are right now.

The watch I wanted got sold and instead of finding another I decided to wait until another came along…..wrong move on my part. I am so mad at myself.

Inflation is not going to reverse and the price of gold has nothing to do with it. The only thing that will make the price of the watch go back down is a culture change where Rolex is no longer as desirable as it is now.

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

So are we thinking when inflation dies down and gold drops a little, will the gold watches? I just saw a NIB listed on this site for 45k. To me that is nuts, but if that’s what the market will bear I guess it’s my problem.

I literally lost track of time and poof, things went crazy. I guess the fact that my temporary truck purchase has appreciated is a sign of how screwed up things are right now.

The watch I wanted got sold and instead of finding another I decided to wait until another came along…..wrong move on my part. I am so mad at myself.

Not tied to gold spot at all. Gold is strangely on the sidelines in this run on luxury goods.

Don’t worry about it man. We are all in the same boat. I passed on many and sold some I shouldn’t have. If I told you all the wrong moves I made in watches alone the past 2 years you’d laugh.

[TswaneNguni]

I should have bought more Rolex ,over the past 20 years .

[Hpozzuoli]

I just saw a BNIB hulk for sale at 22k. It’s official, things are inflated to a level most have never seen. I have come to the conclusion, unless I want to burn my extra money in a fire pit, I should wait until this bubble bursts. Even used subs are advertised for 15k +.

Again, I honestly got caught up in life and when I came back on the forum it was like a different world.

If anyone has an older 16618 they wants to sell drop me a line. Otherwise I will see everyone in a year or so when normalcy returns….I hope.

[fania123]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

I just saw a BNIB hulk for sale at 22k. It’s official, things are inflated to a level most have never seen. I have come to the conclusion, unless I want to burn my extra money in a fire pit, I should wait to this bubble bursts. Even used subs are advertised for 15k +.

Again, I honestly got caught up in life and when I came back on the forum it was like a different world.

If anyone has an older 16618 they wants to sell drop me a line. Otherwise I will see everyone in a year or so when normalcy returns….I hope.

I wouldn’t expect prices to drop, stabilize maybe, drop no way.

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by TswaneNguni

I should have bought more Rolex ,over the past 20 years .

Touché!

[Cigars&Watches]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

I just saw a BNIB hulk for sale at 22k. It’s official, things are inflated to a level most have never seen. I have come to the conclusion, unless I want to burn my extra money in a fire pit, I should wait to this bubble bursts. Even used subs are advertised for 15k +.

Again, I honestly got caught up in life and when I came back on the forum it was like a different world.

If anyone has an older 16618 they wants to sell drop me a line. Otherwise I will see everyone in a year or so when normalcy returns….I hope.

Sounds like you're in the construction perhaps landscaping line of work. Prices have skyrocketed there as well. An indicator for you may be when prices lower in your business

[Hpozzuoli]

I build new houses and do large scale remodels. Most of the jobs I am working on now were booked prior to this virus. I had a huge backlog prior to the world going crazy. I am honoring all my prior quotes and only charging the difference in materials, no labor up charge. Like most, I can’t find help. Pre Covid I had 10 guys working for me aside from the subs I use. Now I have 1 guy that stuck around and subs are very hard to book because of the volume of work.

When the virus hit I expected to slow down. The opposite happened, I booked more work during the first few months of Covid than I did the previous year. I understand people are stuck at home and see everything they want to change. What I dont understand is how the vast majority don’t work, but manage to get loans for this work. The few new houses I had saved for a rainy day immediately sold. I can’t find land to build on right now so it’s just remodels for the time being.

Lumber and material prices have begun going down. The $8 2x4 is now $5, but not near the $3 it was pre Covid.

[thesharkfactor]

The prices for 16618 have risen dramatically. Any time I look, all I see are watches ruined by polishing wheels, all soft edged and rounded, ruined. Yet, they still want £25k. They can keep them.
There are hardly any nice unabused ones to be found.

[tmoy810]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

I build new houses and do large scale remodels. Most of the jobs I am working on now were booked prior to this virus. I had a huge backlog prior to the world going crazy. I am honoring all my prior quotes and only charging the difference in materials, no labor up charge. Like most, I can’t find help. Pre Covid I had 10 guys working for me aside from the subs I use. Now I have 1 guy that stuck around and subs are very hard to book because of the volume of work.

When the virus hit I expected to slow down. The opposite happened, I booked more work during the first few months of Covid than I did the previous year. I understand people are stuck at home and see everything they want to change. What I dont understand is how the vast majority don’t work, but manage to get loans for this work. The few new houses I had saved for a rainy day immediately sold. I can’t find land to build on right now so it’s just remodels for the time being.

Lumber and material prices have begun going down. The $8 2x4 is now $5, but not near the $3 it was pre Covid.

That is very honorable. Covid has changed the landscape for small business and the labor force in America. I too own a small business and tried to hold off price increases to my customers for as long as I could, but there is only so much that can be done when the cost of every single raw material and labor goes up on a weekly basis.

When you book some new jobs and start charging market rates, the difference in the price of the watch won’t seem as bad as it does right now. Good luck to you in your search.

[ltmgeller]

Coincidently I'm wearing mine that I picked up 2 years ago. I can't believe how much the price has jumped. I would've never considered it at todays prices. I'm glad I got it when I did. It's become one of my favorites.

[Mystro]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

Holy smokes. Things have tripled in the matter of 2 years. I took a little break from the forum due to being overly busy building my business. My free time evaporated and here we are some time later.

I always wanted a 16618 so I decided to get one. When I started looking for the watch I discovered they weren’t 17k anymore for early 2000’s, they have now become 25-30 for that same watch, no papers or box to boot.

If I am going to spend 25+ I might as well buy another excavator or work truck and make money with them.

What the hell happened? I blinked and things changed dramatically. Are these prices here to stay? Has this passion become a game for athletes and movie stars? Did I miss my window?

Yup, it’s a new Rolex world to stay. After 30+ years of Rolex, I eventually had to adjust and embrace what we have today with how and when to acquire any new Rolex model I want. I totally had to adjust my value system as if a can of Coke went from 25 cents to $1.25.

[Mrngrz46]

You have your own business now, go for it

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

Holy smokes. Things have tripled in the matter of 2 years. I took a little break from the forum due to being overly busy building my business. My free time evaporated and here we are some time later.

I always wanted a 16618 so I decided to get one. When I started looking for the watch I discovered they weren’t 17k anymore for early 2000’s, they have now become 25-30 for that same watch, no papers or box to boot.

If I am going to spend 25+ I might as well buy another excavator or work truck and make money with them.

What the hell happened? I blinked and things changed dramatically. Are these prices here to stay? Has this passion become a game for athletes and movie stars? Did I miss my window?

[kingaustin]

Originally Posted by Hpozzuoli

I just saw a BNIB hulk for sale at 22k. It’s official, things are inflated to a level most have never seen. I have come to the conclusion, unless I want to burn my extra money in a fire pit, I should wait until this bubble bursts. Even used subs are advertised for 15k +.

Again, I honestly got caught up in life and when I came back on the forum it was like a different world.

If anyone has an older 16618 they wants to sell drop me a line. Otherwise I will see everyone in a year or so when normalcy returns….I hope.

Where? That’s extremely cheap for a Bnib hulk

[forgedblades]

Originally Posted by GB-man

Not tied to gold spot at all. Gold is strangely on the sidelines in this run on luxury goods.

Don’t worry about it man. We are all in the same boat. I passed on many and sold some I shouldn’t have. If I told you all the wrong moves I made in watches alone the past 2 years you’d laugh.

Tell me about it!

[Hpozzuoli]

Originally Posted by kingaustin

Where? That’s extremely cheap for a Bnib hulk

Haha that’s scary. The new Hulk is listed here. The used sub is/was on Bobs watches.

[214270Explorer]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Rolex.
Have you seen the "not for sale display models" yet?
Amusing and/or aggravating for potential customers.

[nollie85]

6 Digit 116618LB new ones are like $45k now. The new 126618LB are like $48k.

So its only natural that the older ones also rise in price. $25k-$30k for a full gold is VERY VERY VERY cheap these days.