Purchase New Rolex to Pass on to First Child

[djgallo]

Originally Posted by BillA

Hey OP, it is a nice gesture on your part. Let me ask you this: When he is 18 yrs old and ready to go to college, would you rather have money for his college or a Rolex watch? Look into a 529 Plan for him, the gains build up tax free, and if you use the monies for a qualifying event, such as college, the gain will be forgiven and received income tax free.

Good luck and congrats on your baby. Wishing you and he good health.

^^^^ Great Advice!!!!

[gerobak]

I am not sure why people gave OP financial advises, such as: to invest other than Rolex for his first child. He already clarified that his question was not he should or not buy Rolex for his baby, but how to get one.

It was the same case with mine actually for a couple of months ago. I already have other investments placed for my next-gen, but I wanted to buy my first Rolex for an heirloom. Of course, the Rolex would be and worn by OPs until the child became grown-up and deemed worthy of the watch.

OP, I was in your shoes exactly at this time of last year. At the beginning of 2019, I stopped by several ADs. All of them (kind of) looked down on me because I never had a purchase history until I stopped by on 1 AD nearby where I worked. I told the SA my story and intent (exactly the same with yours), and also told him that I really wanted SD43. But he suggested me to go with Black SubC for the first Rolex. I checked with him about once or twice a month. And I got it after waiting for about 8 weeks.

Hope this helps.

[blankapdx]

Originally Posted by gerobak

I am not sure why people gave OP financial advises, such as: to invest other than Rolex for his first child. He already clarified that his question was not he should or not buy Rolex for his baby, but how to get one.

It was the same case with mine actually for a couple of months ago. I already have other investments placed for my next-gen, but I wanted to buy my first Rolex for an heirloom. Of course, the Rolex would be and worn by OPs until the child became grown-up and deemed worthy of the watch.

OP, I was in your shoes exactly at this time of last year. At the beginning of 2019, I stopped by several ADs. All of them (kind of) looked down on me because I never had a purchase history until I stopped by on 1 AD nearby where I worked. I told the SA my story and intent (exactly the same with yours), and also told him that I really wanted SD43. But he suggested me to go with Black SubC for the first Rolex. I checked with him about once or twice a month. And I got it after waiting for about 8 weeks.

Hope this helps.

This!

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by BillA

Hey OP, it is a nice gesture on your part. Let me ask you this: When he is 18 yrs old and ready to go to college, would you rather have money for his college or a Rolex watch? Look into a 529 Plan for him, the gains build up tax free, and if you use the monies for a qualifying event, such as college, the gain will be forgiven and received income tax free.

Good luck and congrats on your baby. Wishing you and he good health.

This!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[ganiccus]

you should buy that watch for yourself first, who knows if your son will even appreciate mechanical watches when he becomes a young man. and i would definitely try to wear the watch as much as possible while he grows up instead of stashing it in a safe, that way he will associate the watch to you and create a stronger emotionnal attachment.

[RolexZen]

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

I am realizing that it's not so easy. I had no idea that you can't just want into a store and walk out with the Rolex that you want.

So now you know.

And you might not want to wait until just before your 10th Wedding Anniversary to pick up a Kelly or Birkin.

That’s the reality of luxury markets.

Fortunately, you have time to decide what you want to do—build a relationship with an AD, save to pay a premium on secondary market, find your way to get yourself on and wait out a waitlist, choose a less in demand watch* or brand, or maybe choose a non-luxury heirloom altogether.

*Your 18 year old might be into a two-tone yellow gold Rolex. :-)

[snypa]

My daughter was born 4th Feb this year, I took her into my local AD at 3 weeks old explaining I would love a steel sub/gmt as a birth year watch to pass onto her. Got the call 3 weeks later and picked this up. I hope you have similar luck, I'm certain she swung it for me

Sent from my LYA-L09 using Tapatalk

[pandrew6l]

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

Hi

I will start off by saying I am very new to the watch game.

We just had our first child and I thought it would be a nice idea to purchase a Rolex that I will pass on to my son at some major life event 20 or 30 years from now.

I am realizing that it's not so easy. I had no idea that you can't just want into a store and walk out with the Rolex that you want. I have 4 ADs in my city, none of them have much in stock.

I am looking for a submariner, Daytona or GMT in stainless steel/black face.

I can put my name on the list and likely never hear about anything other than a submariner, which I might get in 6 months to a year.

I realize that I can go on the gray market and pay a lot over MSRP.

Any other advice as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance.

May I suggest putting your $8,000 in a SP500 Index Fund, 30 years later, your son can use the money to buy what he wants ! Most likely, the stock market will out perform your Rolex. Of course, this will not work if this is only a plot to get the wife to let you buy your own Rolex .

[MrMercedes]

Don´t worry….go grey! Prices at the ad will rise nex week anyway!

[Bigblu10]

If you are looking for a black dial/bezel GMT that is discontinued and your best bet would be one of the bigger established watch sellers here on the forum. The last 2 years have been tough times for the first time SS Rolex buyer. Five years ago I bought a BNIB Hulk here from a forum seller for $8100. Look now-15K+

[georgekart]

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

Hi
I am looking for a submariner, Daytona or GMT in stainless steel/black face.

...

Any other advice as to what I should do?

I don't think it is impossible you will get a Sub from an AD in a reasonable timeframe. Also, the premium on them is not too crazy so you might as well go grey and get in now instead of later. If you want a Daytona or a GMT, chances are slim you will get one any time soon if ever. And with the premium I would not pay it.

[brandrea]

Welcome to the forum

[roaddog359]

Put that 10-15 grand into an investment account. That will do more than any watch will do in 20-30 years. And if you so happen to have a watch then you can give it to your child if your child is even into a watch. But I can guarantee you in 20 to 30 years your child will be into and appreciate the investment account.

[H25B]

For crying out loud, the OP isn’t asking for financial or life advice.

To answer his question, the best bet is to go talk to the AD you’ve done business with before. Shouldn’t be a problem if they know you to get on their list/radar for a SS submariner and have it in a few months. I got my Sub Date from my AD with no prior business.

For what it’s worth, I’m planning to do the exact same thing. I wanted to get from the AD so when my son gets it the paperwork and card has my name on it. I sold one I’d bought preowned because I didn’t want him to get passed a watch from some random person’s name.

[Jackie Daytona]

I have been doing the same thing. All my Rolexes will eventually be passed down to my kids when the time is right. I received my first from my father and it meant a lot to me, and a lot of the reason that I want to do it for my kids.

Just make sure you wear it and really make it yours and then pass it down. It’s really meaningless otherwise. They will have the memories with you wearing that watch and see the appreciation and care that you have for it, and that will be enough to carry over to mean something to your child. If it just sits in the safe it really means nothing other than that it’s a really nice old watch, i which case you might as well do the 529 plan.

I would say just find what you like and get on the waiting list. Birth year Watch is cool and all, but just get what you like new and begin to establish the memories, that’s all that will matter in the end.

[MikeyTX]

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

Hi

I will start off by saying I am very new to the watch game.

We just had our first child and I thought it would be a nice idea to purchase a Rolex that I will pass on to my son at some major life event 20 or 30 years from now.

I am realizing that it's not so easy. I had no idea that you can't just want into a store and walk out with the Rolex that you want. I have 4 ADs in my city, none of them have much in stock.

I am looking for a submariner, Daytona or GMT in stainless steel/black face.

I can put my name on the list and likely never hear about anything other than a submariner, which I might get in 6 months to a year.

I realize that I can go on the gray market and pay a lot over MSRP.

Any other advice as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance.

Usually one pays less on the gray market ........ May I suggest our forum seller DavidSW. I've purchased my last 10 Rolex watches through him w/o a glitch. I just purchased a brand new 116613LN from him to replace the 6 mos old 116613LB that was stolen the day after Christmas. The watch left his store in Orlando, FL Friday eve at 17:30 EST. Sat at 08:30 FedEx was at my door here in central TX with the watch ! one cannot ask for better service IMHO.
https://davidsw.com/watches/rolex/

[Chester01]

See. For me, if im going to pass on a Rolex, It will be something I wear, over their lifetimes. They will see the watch and associate it with the memories we share. This ideas of buying a watch, letting it sit in a safe for 20 years and then gifting has little meaning outside of any other gift, and there is no telling if they will appreciate/be into watches. Now, if its a piece you wore, then there is the sentimental value in that. If they are into watches, then gift them your watch, if not it stays on your wrist until you get to the end of the race. At that point he/she can make the call to keep or sell.

[MikeyTX]

^^^ Bingo

[MikeyTX]

All three children are WIS. They each received a Rolex as a 21st b-day gift. Because they grew up with both parents wearing a Rolex daily, it is simply a natural progression. When my shining, 5 star GPA granddaughter graduates from college, she too will be gifted with a Rolex ........ "The beat goes on !"

[DocHorton]

Also, ignore the people who say just invest the money. A good life is measured in happy shared memories, not dollars. That watch worn over 20-30 years with your son will be much more valuable when you are gone than some money in a college account.

[Rori]

I'm with you Johnny, nothing like giving yourself something that down the road it will be cherished, loved and kept as a priceless memory by your son. If I'll give my self a luxury watch so well made that it will for sure outlast me unless I lose it or got stolen, then having a child would be the ultimate occasion to have that watch.
The way ADs or some of the ADs behave in America and Europe is beyond comprehension, greedy to say the least. Forcing you to spend thousands of dollars in order to become a VIP so you get the random chance to get your Rolex at some point, maybe months maybe years!!! what?
I would never go this way. I suggest you find a Rolex boutique instead, "where they sell exclusive Rolex and Tudor, nothing more" I know I know, someone may say but Rolex boutique is an AD, OK, it is, but it sells Rolex exclusively. So the difference is that at the Boutique you won't be asked to buy jewelry to become VIP.
Go there, tell the manager you're new to the watch game, tell him about your newborn son and that you wish to have that particular model for the occasion.
I logic is an universal thing, you should have your watch before you expect and at retail price.
Just make sure to re-visit your boutique from time to time, let them not forgot your face. Ultimately you'll become friend to one of the sales reps or the manager, this is what I did, a year or so ago, and I got everything I asked for within few months of wait.
PS: I'm not VIP, they had never seen my face and yet they got me all I wanted.
Miracles happen.

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

Hi

I will start off by saying I am very new to the watch game.

We just had our first child and I thought it would be a nice idea to purchase a Rolex that I will pass on to my son at some major life event 20 or 30 years from now.

I am realizing that it's not so easy. I had no idea that you can't just want into a store and walk out with the Rolex that you want. I have 4 ADs in my city, none of them have much in stock.

I am looking for a submariner, Daytona or GMT in stainless steel/black face.

I can put my name on the list and likely never hear about anything other than a submariner, which I might get in 6 months to a year.

I realize that I can go on the gray market and pay a lot over MSRP.

Any other advice as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance.

[mjrchabot]

My first son will get the Tudor BB36 I wore when he was born and continue to enjoy.
My next son/daughter due May 2020 will get the Rolex 116000 which I’ll wear for their birth.
Some have asked me, “aren’t you concerned that one is getting a Rolex and the other isn’t?” No... not one bit, because as others have pointed out, it’s the fact it’s “dad’s watch”, not the brand.

And truth be told, there will be other watches they inherit lol ... still have lots of watch buying years ahead of me.

Edit: If the Rolex is the watch YOU want and can afford, then go for it. However, if the goal here is purely sentimental, you can do this by purchasing any watch at any price point. I look at watches purely as pieces to pass down now, but I still buy what I want to enjoy for a few decades first.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RolexZen]

Actually, I don’t really buy the OP’s premise. He says he’s new to watches and had no idea that he can’t just walk into a Rolex AD and buy a highly desirable watch, but he’s fully aware that he can pay way over MSRP at a grey dealer. Hmmm... why does he think those particular watches are marked up at grey dealers?

I think the OP knew these were hard to get at retail, and wants someone to give him an in at an AD. Nothing wrong with that, except possible dishonesty from a “first time” poster.

[johnnycakes]

Not true. I was just surprised to see how the industry works. Again there are other industries where you can make a quick dollar flipping a product - sports tickets is an example. But it is a fair game as to who can buy the original tickets. Rolex and ADs are fooling themselves if they think that they are not upcharging for a watch if they are practically asking you to "become a VIP" before you get a watch.

Originally Posted by RolexZen

Actually, I don’t really buy the OP’s premise. He says he’s new to watches and had no idea that he can’t just walk into a Rolex AD and buy a highly desirable watch, but he’s fully aware that he can pay way over MSRP at a grey dealer. Hmmm... why does he think those particular watches are marked up at grey dealers?

I think the OP knew these were hard to get at retail, and wants someone to give him an in at an AD. Nothing wrong with that, except possible dishonesty from a “first time” poster.

[Muxi]

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

Not true. I was just surprised to see how the industry works. Again there are other industries where you can make a quick dollar flipping a product - sports tickets is an example. But it is a fair game as to who can buy the original tickets. Rolex and ADs are fooling themselves if they think that they are not upcharging for a watch if they are practically asking you to "become a VIP" before you get a watch.

It is what it is OP. As more than a few have said, your plan is very doable for Submariner. If that is acceptable to you then we wish you good luck on your quest.

[RolexZen]

Originally Posted by johnnycakes

Not true. I was just surprised to see how the industry works. Again there are other industries where you can make a quick dollar flipping a product - sports tickets is an example. But it is a fair game as to who can buy the original tickets. Rolex and ADs are fooling themselves if they think that they are not upcharging for a watch if they are practically asking you to "become a VIP" before you get a watch.

I’ll tell you what—you help me buy Super Bowl tickets for me and my son at MSRP, and I’ll see what I can do about getting you a Submariner for your son.

[joli160]

Buy a Submariner from a grey and wear it today and put memories on it.
If you are a nice dad it will become priceless and the few bucks you pay over MSRP now are meaningless over a period of 20 or 30 years.

[HogwldFLTR]

FWIW, I'm really glad I didn't buy a watch with that purpose in mind for my son who in his thirties was diagnosed as highly functioning autistic. He has over the years shown little care to meet obligations or perform in his education process. Even his college fun was squandered I always chalked it up to being male but the diagnosis after a particularly rough period made me realize that he just isn't going to grow out of it. It is optimistic in the least to expect that thirty years down the road a child will be living up to your expectations. Use the money wisely as investment funds and buy them a watch at the time if you feel they're ready for it.

[1SG MTB]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

FWIW, I'm really glad I didn't buy a watch with that purpose in mind for my son who in his thirties was diagnosed as highly functioning autistic. He has over the years shown little care to meet obligations or perform in his education process. Even his college fun was squandered I always chalked it up to being male but the diagnosis after a particularly rough period made me realize that he just isn't going to grow out of it. It is optimistic in the least to expect that thirty years down the road a child will be living up to your expectations. Use the money wisely as investment funds and buy them a watch at the time if you feel they're ready for it.

I will be passing my watches down to my only son because of the love I have for him and our cherished memories, not if/when he accomplishes goals I believe he should accomplish.

[RolexZen]

Originally Posted by 1SG MTB

I will be passing my watches down to my only son because of the love I have for him and our cherished memories, not if/when he accomplishes goals I believe he should accomplish.

I think expectations and accomplishments are two very different things in this case. I think previous poster may also be suggesting that at year one, you can not accurately predict whether or not a child will cherish his dad’s watch, appreciate mechanical watches at all, act responsibly with luxury goods, etc.