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Old Expat Beast · 20 December 2013, 08:52 PM

As promised last week, here's another selection of window shopping pics from today's foray into the dazzling world of Hong Kong's used Rolex dealers. Sorry for the poor quality iPhone pics again. Please enjoy.

travisb · 20 December 2013, 08:55 PM

Nice!!
Thanks for the pics.

Gaijin · 20 December 2013, 09:17 PM

Thank you!

brettpaul · 20 December 2013, 09:50 PM

Amazing pics - especially loving the Comex subs!

mjclark32 · 20 December 2013, 10:00 PM

Great window shopping!

408cissss · 20 December 2013, 10:09 PM

Nice! So many at one place!
Thanks for sharing

up2nogood · 20 December 2013, 10:11 PM

Great work, Adam! Nothing like that here.

Urosfan · 20 December 2013, 10:11 PM

Great shots

Bangel · 20 December 2013, 11:15 PM

Thanks for the pics. They really pack 'em in!

Floorguy · 20 December 2013, 11:42 PM

How were the prices?

underdog33 · 20 December 2013, 11:45 PM

Wow! Thanks for sharing these pics.

polarinda · 20 December 2013, 11:54 PM

Don't think it's cheap. Checked out some online hk 2nd hand dealers...not the best of pricing.

roadking40 · 20 December 2013, 11:54 PM

Adam, great shots. HK blows me away with the number of both new and used Rolex's. How are prices holding up?

VADanno · 21 December 2013, 12:02 AM

Is it just me? I wouldn't buy a watch from the dealer that has them stacked like cordwood. These are nice watches, and there's no respect in that watch case!

Lgear080 · 21 December 2013, 12:47 AM

You've never seen a real dealer then danno... Some of these guys
Are literally crammed with their own inventory. The gold speedmaster
Is a rare bird.

dysondiver · 21 December 2013, 01:02 AM

some stunning watches ,,, how come so many , is it just the high population , or a spin off from the business community

Cc1966 · 21 December 2013, 02:40 AM

Wow Adam, its "standing room only" in their display windows!

jvo300 · 21 December 2013, 02:44 AM

Great photos. I aspire to one day recreate those shots in my home !

FTX I · 21 December 2013, 02:51 AM

kcmo · 21 December 2013, 05:29 AM

Wow, amazing inventory!

Laszlo · 21 December 2013, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bangel

Thanks for the pics. They really pack 'em in!

Space is a premium these days in Asia.

Reu · 21 December 2013, 08:34 AM

Great pics!

93 Turbo · 21 December 2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dysondiver

some stunning watches ,,, how come so many , is it just the high population , or a spin off from the business community

What's shown barely scratches the surface of whats available in HK both new & used. J

viper9669 · 21 December 2013, 09:45 AM

Thanks for sharing, city of Hong Kong is crowded, showcase is crowded, nice pics!

bayerische · 21 December 2013, 09:45 AM

2 comex divers, and a bakelite GMT in the first pic!

bayerische · 21 December 2013, 09:46 AM

All I can say is... If I had the money... Bakelite GMT it is....

Ceramic... Bah Humbug!

nauticajoe · 21 December 2013, 10:05 AM

Nice!

Old Expat Beast · 21 December 2013, 12:12 PM

Most of these window displays, and the shops behind them, are very small, so everything is crowded together. But why are there so many Rolexes in Hong Kong? I’ll try and explain.

Rolex watches have been a status symbol in Hong Kong since before the Second World War. After the Communist Revolution in the late 1940s, millions of people came to seek refuge in Hong Kong (up to the 1980s and even a few in the early ‘90s). The first wave of refugees were relatively wealthy but often had to leave much of their cash and belongings behind. An easy way to show their (former) status was to display a gold watch. Those first arrivals, just like Hong Kong’s native Chinese, went for the Datejust, as it was relatively new and had a date function which was quite the thing back then.

From the late 1950s refugees were poorer, more desperate folk, often fleeing starvation or the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 76 approx). Many were single men, and for them the first item on the shopping list was a transistor radio, but the grail was a Rolex watch, or at least a Tudor, a brand for which many settled (as in those days they looked exactly like Rolex, thereby giving some ‘face’ at least from a distance), and which is still very popular today.

This as I see it (and I am happy to be corrected by our Hong Kong Chinese members) is more or less how Rolex came to be an integral part of Hong Kong life. Go into the Rolex Service Centre any day of the week and you will see the place packed with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and wealth brackets. Men and women, office girls, rich housewives, old men with their retirement gold Datejusts, and young entrepreneurs with their vintage Daytonas and subs.

The fact that the windows here are piled high with Rolex watches doesn’t show any disrespect to Rolex, but rather, on the contrary, it reflects a huge respect, and huge inventory, that has built up over the last 80 years or so.

Hans Wilsdorf’s death in 1960 made Front Page news in the local papers here. I doubt that was the case in many cities worldwide.

Old Expat Beast · 21 December 2013, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarinda

Don't think it's cheap. Checked out some online hk 2nd hand dealers...not the best of pricing.

Prices here are as good as anywhere. I wouldn't shop online, it's better to go face to face to bargain, with cash in pocket, or the ability to go immediately to the bank or ATM to do a money transfer. And of course, real-life browsing is half the pleasure.

hchj · 21 December 2013, 01:00 PM

Amazing quantity and bling:p

Which asian country gets the most Rolex supply annually? Hong Kong or Japan?

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

20 December 2013, 08:52 PM	#1
Old Expat Beast TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron Join Date: Jul 2013 Real Name: Adam Location: Far East Watch: Golden Tuna Posts: 28,826	More Hong Kong Window Shopping As promised last week, here's another selection of window shopping pics from today's foray into the dazzling world of Hong Kong's used Rolex dealers. Sorry for the poor quality iPhone pics again. Please enjoy. Attached Images __________________ _______________________

20 December 2013, 10:00 PM	#5
mjclark32 "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Real Name: MJC Location: PHL USA Watch: IWC, Rolex, AP Posts: 29,232	Great window shopping! __________________

20 December 2013, 11:42 PM	#10
Floorguy 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Real Name: Rob Location: Parrish fl. Watch: Tt datejust 16233 Posts: 20,952	How were the prices? __________________ Rolex Omega Tag Heuer

21 December 2013, 02:40 AM	#17
Cc1966 "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Real Name: Christopher Location: Georgia, USA Watch: ing the Sea... Posts: 6,713	Wow Adam, its "standing room only" in their display windows! __________________ "I wish to have no Connection with any Ship that does not Sail fast for I intend to go in harm's way." Captain John Paul Jones, 16 November 1778 "*Curmudgeons* " Favorites: 1665 SD, Sub Date, DSSD, Exp II, Sub LV, GMTIIc

21 December 2013, 09:45 AM	#25
bayerische "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Real Name: Andreas Location: Margaritaville Watch: Smurf Posts: 19,879	2 comex divers, and a bakelite GMT in the first pic! __________________ Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

20 December 2013, 08:55 PM	#2
travisb 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Real Name: Travis Location: FL / NYC Watch: Yes.. Posts: 33,493	Nice!! Thanks for the pics.

20 December 2013, 09:17 PM	#3
Gaijin 2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Japan Watch: ing your back. Posts: 16,179	Thank you!

20 December 2013, 09:50 PM	#4
brettpaul "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Real Name: Brett Location: Bahrain, Dubai Watch: Rolex and AP Posts: 5,538	Amazing pics - especially loving the Comex subs!

20 December 2013, 10:09 PM	#6
408cissss "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Real Name: Young Location: Woodstock Watch: Rolex AP PP Posts: 1,271	Nice! So many at one place! Thanks for sharing

20 December 2013, 10:11 PM	#7
up2nogood "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Real Name: Alex Location: Sydney, Australia Watch: Idiot Savant Posts: 1,944	Great work, Adam! Nothing like that here.

20 December 2013, 10:11 PM	#8
Urosfan "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: NYC Watch: Me now Posts: 19,372	Great shots

20 December 2013, 11:15 PM	#9
Bangel "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Australia Watch: 116610LN Posts: 15,802	Thanks for the pics. They really pack 'em in!

20 December 2013, 11:45 PM	#11
underdog33 "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 324	Wow! Thanks for sharing these pics.

20 December 2013, 11:54 PM	#12
polarinda "TRF" Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Real Name: Trav Location: singapore Watch: it Posts: 2,316	Don't think it's cheap. Checked out some online hk 2nd hand dealers...not the best of pricing.

20 December 2013, 11:54 PM	#13
roadking40 "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Real Name: Bill Location: PHX AZ Watch: DSSD,Yacht I, II Posts: 102	Adam, great shots. HK blows me away with the number of both new and used Rolex's. How are prices holding up?

21 December 2013, 12:02 AM	#14
VADanno "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Real Name: Dan Location: Austin, TX Watch: Rolex Turn-O-Graph Posts: 408	Is it just me? I wouldn't buy a watch from the dealer that has them stacked like cordwood. These are nice watches, and there's no respect in that watch case!

21 December 2013, 12:47 AM	#15
Lgear080 Banned Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NYC Posts: 3,506	You've never seen a real dealer then danno... Some of these guys Are literally crammed with their own inventory. The gold speedmaster Is a rare bird.

21 December 2013, 01:02 AM	#16
dysondiver "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Real Name: tom Location: northern ireland Watch: my fins Posts: 10,063	some stunning watches ,,, how come so many , is it just the high population , or a spin off from the business community

21 December 2013, 02:44 AM	#18
jvo300 "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: TX Posts: 1,897	Great photos. I aspire to one day recreate those shots in my home !

21 December 2013, 02:51 AM	#19
FTX I "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Real Name: Flavio Location: N/A Posts: 14,654

21 December 2013, 05:29 AM	#20
kcmo "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Real Name: Karis Location: USA Posts: 19,377	Wow, amazing inventory!

21 December 2013, 08:34 AM	#22
Reu Banned Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: London Posts: 1,152	Great pics!

21 December 2013, 09:45 AM	#24
viper9669 "TRF" Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Real Name: Patrick Location: SIN Watch: Rolex Posts: 5,066	Thanks for sharing, city of Hong Kong is crowded, showcase is crowded, nice pics!

21 December 2013, 09:46 AM	#26
bayerische "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Real Name: Andreas Location: Margaritaville Watch: Smurf Posts: 19,879	All I can say is... If I had the money... Bakelite GMT it is.... Ceramic... Bah Humbug! __________________ Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

21 December 2013, 10:05 AM	#27
nauticajoe "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Real Name: Joe Location: PA Posts: 14,774	Nice!

21 December 2013, 12:12 PM	#28
Old Expat Beast TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron Join Date: Jul 2013 Real Name: Adam Location: Far East Watch: Golden Tuna Posts: 28,826	Most of these window displays, and the shops behind them, are very small, so everything is crowded together. But why are there so many Rolexes in Hong Kong? I’ll try and explain. Rolex watches have been a status symbol in Hong Kong since before the Second World War. After the Communist Revolution in the late 1940s, millions of people came to seek refuge in Hong Kong (up to the 1980s and even a few in the early ‘90s). The first wave of refugees were relatively wealthy but often had to leave much of their cash and belongings behind. An easy way to show their (former) status was to display a gold watch. Those first arrivals, just like Hong Kong’s native Chinese, went for the Datejust, as it was relatively new and had a date function which was quite the thing back then. From the late 1950s refugees were poorer, more desperate folk, often fleeing starvation or the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 76 approx). Many were single men, and for them the first item on the shopping list was a transistor radio, but the grail was a Rolex watch, or at least a Tudor, a brand for which many settled (as in those days they looked exactly like Rolex, thereby giving some ‘face’ at least from a distance), and which is still very popular today. This as I see it (and I am happy to be corrected by our Hong Kong Chinese members) is more or less how Rolex came to be an integral part of Hong Kong life. Go into the Rolex Service Centre any day of the week and you will see the place packed with people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and wealth brackets. Men and women, office girls, rich housewives, old men with their retirement gold Datejusts, and young entrepreneurs with their vintage Daytonas and subs. The fact that the windows here are piled high with Rolex watches doesn’t show any disrespect to Rolex, but rather, on the contrary, it reflects a huge respect, and huge inventory, that has built up over the last 80 years or so. Hans Wilsdorf’s death in 1960 made Front Page news in the local papers here. I doubt that was the case in many cities worldwide. __________________ _______________________

21 December 2013, 01:00 PM	#30
hchj "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Singapore Posts: 230	Amazing quantity and bling:p Which asian country gets the most Rolex supply annually? Hong Kong or Japan? Sent from my GT-I8160 using Tapatalk 2

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