Happiness Is a Warm Rolex

[BristolCavendish]

For countless baby-boomers (aka the youth of the late 1960s), the title of this thread was intended to go along with the melody from that Beatles song off the White Album. Feel free to hum along.

Based on the countless OPs in the Rolex General Discussion section regarding trading, flipping and upgrading (along with the endless 'Should I buy this one or that one?' inquiries), would it be safe to assume that some individuals (and perhaps a good number of them) are simply never going to be satisfied with anything in their Rolex arsenals?

There once was a time when a Rolex (along with a handful of other high-end watch brands) were viewed as long-term keepsakes and/or functional utility/dress accoutrements. Nowadays (as per the various forum threads) it seems that innumerable Rolex models are being acquired and disposed of with the frequency of speculative stocks.

The pre-eminent 'bag of wind' Dr. Phil might argue or ask if these ongoing Rolex acquisitions and disposals are simply material substitutes fulfilling other emotional needs (i.e. an individual sense of self-worth and outwardly projections of success). One thing is for certain, with all of this apparent 'horse-trading' going on, the ADs and GM-sellers will probably be around for awhile. The question is, has Rolex reached the tip of the bell curve in terms of its overall sales or will they someday be producing even more timepieces to meet the next generation's demand (if any)?

[Patton250]

Or maybe they just get bored of one and want to try something else. Good grief.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Patton250

Or maybe they just get bored of one and want to try something else. Good grief.

Perhaps. But eventual boredom resulting from any previous selection/choice usually equates to a poor decision in hindsight.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Perhaps. But eventual boredom resulting from any previous selection/choice usually equates to a poor decision in hindsight.

Did you have a Willie Nelson break before starting this thread?

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

Perhaps. But eventual boredom resulting from any previous selection/choice usually equates to a poor decision in hindsight.

I spend most of my time training people to stop thinking they know or guessing what other people's intentions and desires are. When they do that it destroys their objectivity. Since you seem to believe you legitimately know so much about people's intensions and desires as well as possess the ability to forecast their mistakes and downfalls you must be a psychic and therefore in my opinion, you should consider gambling on the ponies. It's that time a year now in Tampa. Come on down. You'll be a millionaire overnight.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

Did you have a Willie Nelson break before starting this thread?

Thanks for asking, but no. Just reflecting after making an earlier run through the OPs in General Discussion.

BTW, doesn't Willie Nelson also wear a Rolex? I vaguely recall seeing a photo of him wearing what appeared to be one.

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Patton250

Since you seem to believe you legitimately know so much about people's intensions and desires as well as possess the ability to forecast their mistakes and downfalls you must be a psychic and therefore in my opinion, you should consider gambling on the ponies. It's that time a year now in Tampa. Come on down. You'll be a millionaire overnight.

Appreciate your vote of confidence but I'm no psychic, just a casual and ongoing observer. As far as the horses are concerned, I was once acquainted with a couple of individuals who spent time at the track as trainers. Horse racing is a complex science/endeavor and to gamble on it recklessly (as a neophyte) could prove costly. Thus the 'hindsight' factor'.

[DeeTee]

*

[Lawman77]

It's a real conundrum. That's for sure.

[Cru Jones]

I would not bother getting philosophical based on what one observes on the forums...it's a very small and particular segment of the watch world.

[GB-man]

Life is short and people like to try new things. Not everyone is sentimental.

[77T]

The premise may be true that more trading and flipping occurs but ascribing motive to a broad generational group is faulty methinks. "mistakes"?
Upwardly trading towards a grail will generate a lot of activity to eventually reach a goal. Another reason could be the fact that our twenty-something self will buy something that the thirty-something won't use. Not a mistake as much as the norm.
It's true in cars, clothes, shoes, dwellings, mates, etc.

[TheRolexKingofLV]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

...doesn't Willie Nelson also wear a Rolex? I vaguely recall seeing a photo of him wearing what appeared to be one.

Willie knows what time it is

[superdog]

Originally Posted by BristolCavendish

For countless baby-boomers (aka the youth of the late 1960s), the title of this thread was intended to go along with the melody from that Beatles song off the White Album. Feel free to hum along.

Based on the countless OPs in the Rolex General Discussion section regarding trading, flipping and upgrading (along with the endless 'Should I buy this one or that one?' inquiries), would it be safe to assume that some individuals (and perhaps a good number of them) are simply never going to be satisfied with anything in their Rolex arsenals?

There once was a time when a Rolex (along with a handful of other high-end watch brands) were viewed as long-term keepsakes and/or functional utility/dress accoutrements. Nowadays (as per the various forum threads) it seems that innumerable Rolex models are being acquired and disposed of with the frequency of speculative stocks.

The pre-eminent 'bag of wind' Dr. Phil might argue or ask if these ongoing Rolex acquisitions and disposals are simply material substitutes fulfilling other emotional needs (i.e. an individual sense of self-worth and outwardly projections of success). One thing is for certain, with all of this apparent 'horse-trading' going on, the ADs and GM-sellers will probably be around for awhile. The question is, has Rolex reached the tip of the bell curve in terms of its overall sales or will they someday be producing even more timepieces to meet the next generation's demand (if any)?

I actually think to some degree you are on to something.

For certain, I know that (speaking only for myself) a lot of my flipping is/was due to boredom. The "high" would evaporate after a little while and the fun was, to some degree, gone.

Then I would go looking once again to repeat the process. I have done this so many times, that the excitement is gone.

I am actually wearing a Fitbit and loving it.

Never was it a need to fulfill a need for self-worth or to publish a sense of success. It was simply a way to feel the excitement that a life of consistency sometimes does not have.

[Patton250]

Originally Posted by superdog

Never was it a need to fulfill a need for self-worth or to publish a sense of success. It was simply a way to feel the excitement that a life of consistency sometimes does not have.

You just stated the reason 98% of all purchases are made.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Patton250

You just stated the reason 98% of all purchases are made.

Yeah, I agree completely.

[Ally9]

You're quite a deep thinker and clearly enjoy to wax lyrical about your reflections, thankfully this isn't an observation about one of your friends collegues or someone's marriage dilemma. Hahaha

I have flipped a few but finally became happy when I reached my goals.

I dont think it has peaked, younger generations will come through and history will repeat itself

[BLACKHORSE 6]

I think it's a likely a product of the forum and websites like Hodinkee, etc. Thirty or forty years ago there were no Internet forums where people could look at countless pictures and read stories about different watches. It gets you used to the idea of flipping watches and that the average guy has 100k or more in a 5 watch collection (consisting of the right balance of Rolex/PP/AP).

The average Rolex buyer isn't on the forum and doesn't frequent watch websites. They have one watch that they wear everyday, that was give to them as a gift or that they bought to mark a special occasion.

Been doing business with my broker for over 10 years. Every time I see him, he has on a two-tone Datejust. The bracelet is stretched and the watch has seen a lot of wear, but it still looks great. I've never asked him about it, but I know he's not a WIS. He's just an average bloke who bought a great watch a long time ago and hasn't thought too much of it since. He's probably better off for it!

[BristolCavendish]

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

I would not bother getting philosophical based on what one observes on the forums...it's a very small and particular segment of the watch world.

Originally Posted by BLACKHORSE 6

I think it's a likely a product of the forum and websites like Hodinkee, etc.

The average Rolex buyer isn't on the forum and doesn't frequent watch websites. They have one watch that they wear everyday, that was give to them as a gift or that they bought to mark a special occasion.

Quite possibly the key insights relative to this thread. Outside of compulsive 'flipping' to relieve boredom (or to accentuate the temporary 'rush' that often comes with the acquisition of new and/or status-related goods), the 'real-world' % of Rolex owners are conceivably less involved with watch forums (nor concerned with various trends/priorities such as case diameters, ceramic bezels, vintage designations or countless OCD fixations and Cape Cod polishing cloths).