Put one watch away for 20 years...

[Casey VP-26]

Anyone who put a 16520 or a 16710 or even a 16610LV away BNIB is doing OK . especially if they also had a matching one of each they are wearing. OMHO

[zaydans]

Back in 2015 I got mint condition 5 digit sub with b&p that was 8 years old already with the intention of giving it to my boy when he graduates sometime in 2035 (he’s only in 3rd grade now)!! I hope it will be worth more but my greater hope is that he keeps it for the sentimental value. As for being a safe queen that’s true but I have a few other Rolex’s to play with so doesn’t bother me too much.

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by GONZO2LR

and what happens if something happens to you and maybe it stays in the safe for another 50 years and a relative finds it a 100 years later?

We'll get a "My Granddad" post and half the respondents will call it a fake.

[sgwatchguy]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

We'll get a "My Granddad" post and half the respondents will call it a fake.

[R_Rated]

Gold G Shock. Not kidding. Mechanical watches will always look similar to how they do now. The G shock is going to be very retro and way different than what will be available. Also, Gold will appreciate:)

[alphadweller]

SD43 mk1, they probably made less than 10,000 over just one year - 2017, the 50th anniversary year - before the first mk2s started to pop up in 2018.

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[jatco]

Originally Posted by REFZ

None, because I don't see the point of owning a safe queen.

I was going to say none because I'd never see it again. Doubt I'll be around in 30yrs.

[mic6]

Kermit only.
The collectible Rolex of the future, proven facts not guessing.

[knighty88]

For me it has to be a Platinum Daydate with that Ice Blue dial - wow what a piece... It's timeless, and in 20 years time I would imagine (hope) Platinum to be worth wayyyyy more than today.

That way if I didn't want the watch I could have it melted down for the intrinsic value... Who am I kidding, I'd never not want it :)

[shaunylw]

Originally Posted by Marcjvr

lol use your imagination guys.

Op is just asking a hypothetical

Impossible. They wonder why we talk about the same stuff to redundancy. It’s because when someone creates a new topic of discussion they get answers like “ i would never do that, waste of a watch”. Cool story, nobody cares.

I think it would be interesting to put an explorer away. I think that watch is so great and if they make any meaningful changes to the case or configuration, it would be nice to have a proper model tucked away.


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[fsprow]

No idea, but I'd guess a Patek 5711.

[pav333hp]

I have actually thought about this a bit. I mean it could pan out really nicely like for this guy who's $345 Rolex Daytona is now worth somewhere around $700,000 - Antiques Roadshow Tells Veteran His $345 Rolex May Now Be Worth $700,000. Not a bad return on a relatively small investment.

So you never know, you might get very lucky one day.

[tmilnthorp]

Originally Posted by pav333hp

I have actually thought about this a bit. I mean it could pan out really nicely like for this guy who's $345 Rolex Daytona is now worth somewhere around $700,000 - Antiques Roadshow Tells Veteran His $345 Rolex May Now Be Worth $700,000. Not a bad return on a relatively small investment.

So you never know, you might get very lucky one day.

I somehow doubt that will happen with today's (available) watches. Rolex produces far too many, and today's speculator driven market has a lot of these being boxed away. Watches were once viewed as a tool or something to be worn, and not viewed through the crazy lens of some sort of an investment. Finding NOS from 40+ years ago is an exception, not the rule. I bet there are tens of thousands of watches stashed away in hopes of a frenzy.

Your best bet would be to do the impossible: somehow guess the perfect time where you sell the first mint reference for the maximum price, before everyone rushes to sell to cash in on the precedent.

Now if you have something truly unique: a dial error, a reference that can be verified as having a famous/infamous owner, etc. that may be possible.

I also thought the stock market was going to crash hard at the beginning of COVID

So my answer would be: obtaining John Mayer's rainbow Daytona (especially if it had a dial error)

[pearson1995]

I never would, but if I was...

BLNR, first two coloured ceramic bezel, oyster bracelet which is now rare on steel GMT and a pretty flawless watch. Night day, black and blue, I love it.

[JParm]

None.

Buy to wear for me.

[bogdoc]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

We'll get a "My Granddad" post and half the respondents will call it a fake.

[startrolexendrolex]

I would say some tudors rather then rolex. Why? No one is putting a tudor in a safe. They are all daily beaters. The black rose eta would be my choice.

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[kenlperry]

Nice, fun post. It's good to use the imagination sometimes... With that said, I think I'd keep it simple and go with a classic Datejust 36 two-tone with gold(champagne) dial with the lume indexes.

[JTL31]

Originally Posted by jatco

I was going to say none because I'd never see it again. Doubt I'll be around in 30yrs.

My thought was IF I’m still here I won’t remember where it is placed...safe or no safe.

[Chester01]

Lol, for what purpose. I buy my watches to wear and enjoy. People love to think they are owed more time on this earth and we are not. Life is too short to not wear cool watches right now. I’ll buy my stocks to sit for 30 years and make me money.

[TankTom]

Originally Posted by 007_Omega

Yes, generally a successful rate of return is doubling your money every 7 years in the market. You want to hit a 10% ROI every year and if you calculate that based on your initial investment it should roughly double every 7 years.

I'd do more research online as there are plenty of resources.

As to the practicality, many people do not invest with expendable income and they do not have the strong hands to ride the highs and lows of the economy. If you put money you can't afford to risk into the market, then you'll likely end up like the many people who buy high and sell low.

Generally, I think a rule of thumb is putting 10-15% of your income in the market. If you really want to get into a strong mentality, act as if you make 10-15% less than you actually do and consider your investing a tax that will be returned to you in the long-term.

Sorry for getting off topic guys but anyway my quick thoughts on the subject.


So, generally speaking a Rolex watch is a terrible investment in the long-term given these numbers. They can be fantastic short-term investments though. You can buy a model and then it gets discontinued a year later and make 30% gains. If you sell after a year at a 30% gain, then you've done very well. Or you could get lucky and get a hold of a watch that isn't hot, then blows up in popularity like the Hulk. The point is, sticking a watch in a safe for long-term gains, at least at the level we are talking about (not piece uniques and extremely rare Pateks/vintage Rolex, and watches like that) is a very bad idea. It's why I cringe when people say they buy watches for their new kids. It's an excuse to buy yourself a watch. You could put the money for the brand new Rolex bought for the baby and put it in the market and then when they are adults they'll have enough money to buy that Rolex and pay a huge chunk of their University tuition...

30% gains? You can make 70-100% without the watch even being discontinued. Buy a Daytona, Hulk, Pepsi etc. at retail and you’re well above 30% the second you walk out of the door. If the hulk gets discontinued tomorrow and you bought it for £6,600, it’s immediately worth nearly TRIPLE. So you might have missed a 0 off your figure of 30.

[MrMercedes]

Originally Posted by REFZ

None, because I don't see the point of owning a safe queen.

[007_Omega]

Originally Posted by TankTom

30% gains? You can make 70-100% without the watch even being discontinued. Buy a Daytona, Hulk, Pepsi etc. at retail and you’re well above 30% the second you walk out of the door. If the hulk gets discontinued tomorrow and you bought it for £6,600, it’s immediately worth nearly TRIPLE. So you might have missed a 0 off your figure of 30.

I seriously laugh at comments like this.

99% of people can't get a Daytona, Hulk, or Pepsi at retail. To do that, you usually have to spend tons of money to get the privilege. In the process of spending that money, you'd usually lose on the undesirable pieces and/or jewelry bought in the process of getting the status to buy the hot steel models.

Now, there are always exceptions. Some people get lucky and are able to get these models without having to spend a boatload of cash on other models.

It's nice to think making 300% gains on a watch is as easy as walking into an AD or putting your name on a list. Buying your wife a $20k piece of jewelry that is in fact worth $6k if sold on the open market to wait a year to get a Pepsi that is worth $7k more than you paid is a fantastic investment.

You know those grey market dealers you see on these forums. They are usually making 10-15% on the hot Steel Rolex models. Not 300%. You want to know why? It's not as easy as just walking into a store and buying them, and the competition between them to buy one is immense.

But keep thinking your Rolex purchases are fantastic investments. Maybe you've hit the goldmine with your AD and simply purchase hot steel Rolex models, without any expectation to grease their palms with PM purchases and jewelry. Hey, it happens with some older members who have been buying Rolex from the same AD for decades. Otherwise, keep dreaming in the lalaland you live in.

I've beaten the market with Rolex sales. It doesn't mean they are good investments. That's called a short-term flip. Should I have held onto those watches long-term rather than selling within a few years for the profit, I'd have gotten crushed by the market. Good thing I love my watches for wearing and not for my 401k plan so the point is mute I guess.

[ttomczak]

Originally Posted by timepiecegentleman

If you were going to put a brand new watch away in the safe today for roughly 30 years, solely for the purpose of having a true new vintage piece, which one would you choose?


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To answer the question as asked...

A sub, the older the better, I would think it was cool to have a true vintage one.

[MRPWRPATX21]

I love how people always act like this is a mutually exclusive hypothetical...”I’d invest the money, blah blah blah.” Just suppose you had more money than God or Bezos and simply needed some hobby activities (at that point, many of your hobbies involve wasting money so who cares).

If restricted to the current line-up, I think I would go Daytona, just to see how it ages relative to later models. The Sub/GMT/etc change so little over the years that the Rolex community hangs onto micro changes along the lines of font “errors” and spacing (minus color variants on GMTs or “special” Subs) while the Daytona does evolve/devolve/revolve a bit more. That and maybe a YM to see if it ever catches on huge and you’re the only one with the next popular watch in pristine state.

[mwatt65]

I put away a 16610LV back in 2007. I bought two, had to beg my brother to take one of them & decided to keep mine as a safe queen. I have a 16610 & 116710LN that I just love, the 5 didgit models feel cheap in comparsion.