Its crap like this that should piss off a lot of collectors

That's a lot of anger and disgust based upon something that's simply hearsay.

If proven, then yeah, but otherwise...just assume they're saying it to generate YouTube views of people who want to be outraged.

Totally agree with you. But I could be wrong 😂

So I want to go a step further and ask - how does anyone know that these ADs are not receiving any favors or kickbacks from certain individuals. Or worse - are the ones orchestrating this entire black marketing of in demand pieces at higher values? In my opinion - there’s no way to tell. So who knows what’s going on. I’m not saying they do this, I’m not saying they don’t do this. I’m saying - I don’t know.

I'm never going to buy a Rolex, even if I somehow hit the lottery and walk into a AD with actual watches on display. I shouldn't have to hear Sorry Sir but the Hulk you wanted is not available I wonder why.

Oh it’s true. That was a few years ago. https://sports.yahoo.com/collector-bought-rolex-submariner-hulk-170000474.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHTD6GhNVE08QM_kfSb5jvfdszq_BG2nMwpUscAPZiQu51qtdnnpPSE5RWh3OdUYSxIorteEOBli8yR05oo2shTsoVmHEuz3UTRpqhbZXwIAU9RIitAetd0SwK5qKsuDUT8uIAXkPqut6JJCTQt-FQan-I2Py6aCnOdiksBzf_x0

I also saw that video today.

He probably works for the AD or has a friend in the AD.

He isn’t buying them to wear. He’s buying them to hold, and then selling for profit.

I remember when they went up for auction

Considering I will never own a Rolex, I'm finding it hard to be outraged that some rich prick sat on 11 Hulks to flip.

That said, greed is considered one of the seven deadly sins for a reason.

Your spot on, just because someone says something or even has pictures and videos you don’t know if it’s true. Fake news everywhere in all aspects of life

Could have also hit multiple ADs or had others source them

AD sells to buyer. Buyer flips the watches. AD and buyer make $$$.

To me Rolex and Taylor Swift have a lot in common. Overpriced, overrated, and yet in high demand by people who follow trends. People who support companies that manipulate their customers deserve what they get in my opinion.

Some customers do get special treatment.

Every AD, salesperson and customer is different. Luck and personal relationships play a part. It totally sucks but I don't think anyone is denying it.

3 deep breathes… now there’s so many other watches and brands on my list plus accessories like straps, clasps and bracelets. All this YT and Chrono ads are noise. What annoys me are YT reviewers that you like and they sell out to their sponsors or self promoting their products.

I don't find it surprising. There are collectors who have the same watch different years. This is especially true with military watch collectors where I have seen one model or type collections, eg the CWC RN diver - about ten from various years and all issued pieces. Long term milsub collectors with several Tudor MN subs and RN Rolexes with different years or serial number same year.

The only difference to this is that every year that collector gets his green bezel sub due to his buying record. If he were a serial flipper, he would not have kept all and then sold it after 11 years but sell every year a piece. Or like buying property, let it appreciate in value and then cash out.

We have to look at these sorta thinga from another point of view.

On a personal note, my diver watch collection looks so similar with the many black dial, black bezel dive watches I own eg, old 5digit sub, new 6 digit sub, old Seamaster, new seamaster, new tudor, old tudor diver.....

I have bought Rolex recently and yes, there is customer preferential treatment for those with buying record, the person selling to you must also like you enough and think you're not a snob, but you still have to wait in line for the call. But in the end, for something unnecessary, it is actually worth it.

Definitely annoying but at the end of the day I don’t worry about it much- there are plenty of great watches available, and far more than I can buy myself 😊

Look - I just don't/won't play the game. I never pay above retail for a production watch nor will I support those that are flippers.

It's like short sellers in the stock market...if you loan them securities to make a few extra dollars...you lose big in the long run as they destroy the value in the stock you own that you are lending them to enable them to cover their shorts.

Flippers only exist because people buy from them.

Don't buy from flippers and the waiting lists will evaporate overnight.

https://www.watchpro.com/bonhams-sells-single-owner-collection-of-eleven-rolex-submariner-hulks/#:~:text=August%205%2C%202022-,A%20Bonhams%20online%20auction%20between%2012%20and%2022%20August%20is,green%20bezel%20and%20matching%20dial.

Its just a way to make extra money which Rolex and their ADs are notorious for. While I won't care that some rich buffoon is hoarding watches to create hype and drive prices further. This practice sadly extends to other more affordable pieces us mere mortals can put their hands on. A recent example of this is any garbage that has Omega branding on it.

True that, but those are people influenced by the scarcity of the item induced by the hype surrounding it. Or they have impulsive buying habits. If we put these two habits in check, flippers will be gone from every market segment.

This isn’t hearsay the watches were placed for auction that’s how the story came out

You can feel angry but not surprised

Last year I was in Glasgow and the Rolex shop was devoid of any watches for sale

100 yards down the road a second hand watch shop had 4 brand new 41 mm oyster perpetuals in the window alone and every other Rolex you could ever want. Of course at an inflated price. You can’t tell me that’s a coincidence. Rolex might care if you bought one and flipped it but if you are buying multiple watches you are a premium customer and of course they will bend over backwards to keep you spending.

Being new-ish to the hobby I must say that coming from collectors communities for vintage cameras and computers the hoarding and flipping aspect of watch collection is very alien to me. Maybe I need to be around longer, but buying for the purpose of profit is not collecting imho.

Every year watch companies release literally thousands of new products. Even if only 10% are good and you like 10% of this 10%, you will still have dozens of watches to buy every single year. Rolex is just one manufacturer, very good but not the best out there. It’s not that I hate it, I just don’t care. The hype and artificial shortage is not their fault but they also do nothing to help their customers.

They don’t care about me, I don’t care about them - as simple as that. Even if we are to stay up the market, there are always JLC, Omega, IWC, Zenith, Grand Seiko, Cartier, Chopard and so, so many more.

Nothig will stop non-enthusiasts from buying Rolex at inflated prices, people love to dress up as successful, rich individuals. I don’t care neither for Rolex nor for them. I can get super close quality and finishing from Tudor without jumping all the hoops and looking like a try-hard.

I am going to share a personal story about the HULK before it was known by that catchy name. I have exactly one watch enthusiast friend who is a bright guy but perhaps easily influenced which isn’t a bad trait if you hang out with the good ones as opposed to the other kind. Despite already in possession of more than one black dial Daytona he expressed a huge desire for at least one white dial iteration from his regular Rolex ad where he was a regular customer but by his own admission a flea compared to his younger sister and her successful MD husband. We were drinking coffees at a Starbucks near the well known Toronto boutique when I mentioned noticing an interesting Sub in the boutique show window which featured an eye catching green dial to match a green bezel.

My friend waved off my mention of the new Sub as just another Rolex with a different colour dial returning to his rant about his mythical white dial Daytona. This was years before phrases like “grail” but the Daytona was definitely his grail watch. I had no genuine interest in buying a watch but suggested we drop in at the boutique minutes away to investigate the new sub, he could also inquire about his white dial Daytona not wait listed but promised. An armed security guard buzzed us in, we were warmly greeted by a well dressed young sales guy who immediately informed my friend that there was no news yet but he was optimistic. We chatted for a few minutes including discussion about the new green dial sub which the SA admitted was a bit of a slow seller because after all it was still just a Sub! It was time to allow the armed guard to buzz us back out into the sunlight but just joking the SA suggested my friend could purchase the 3 green dial subs in the store to facilitate arrival of his future white dial Daytona.

Why should this p.o. collectors? They also belong to the groups that are keeping the demand alive. Do they have more of a right to a watch than a straightforward luxury buyer? I don't think so.

Thanks for confirming!

First problem, how do you know these were AD purchases and not Chrono24 or other secondary purchases?

Second problem. Rolex only became concerned with the flipping phenomenon a few years ago when the the great drought of product in AD's became apparent. That was less than 10 years ago when you could walk into an AD and but a Rolex right out of the case. The real shortage and wait lists, etc., onlt started 5-6 years ago.

So do the math. Even if these were bought at an AD, at least half those purchases were done before the market went into overdrive.

I was talking to a guy who used to work in a Rolex AD in Kuala Lumpur recently. He said that none of the customers who wanted to buy right away knew anything about the watches, the movements, the history, development of the models over the years etc etc.

They just WANTED A ROLEX! There are a lot of wealthy individuals who want to flash their cash in KL and will not hesitate to flaunt their titles, which are indications of their influence/ who they know (and to be fair, those who have done something that is worth being given an honour).

AD: "Yes, Tan Sri, no Tan Sri, whatever you want Tan Sri/ Datuk Seri/ Datuk etc etc...."

No wonder the humble enthusiast gets edged out.

Fortunately I'm just not bothered about getting one any more!

That’s the name of the game with Social media algorithms..