Do people that cant get a Rolex REALLY migrate to other brands?
Its watch nerd lore that the inability to purchase Rolexes in store is driving sales to other brands and that demand for Omega/Cartier/Breitling etc is being 'artificially' boosted by people really wanting a Rolex buying substitutes.
That said, despite knowing edozens if not hundreds of other watch nerds I dont know a single person that has actually done this. Now I cant poll people that arent here but I can poll people that are so I figured Id ask.
Has anyone here actually paid their own money to buy a watch from another brand that they would not have bought if they could have got a Rolex?
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A collector, I think of watches as art where the story and aesthetics are everything and function isn't that important. Into Seiko, Breitling, JLC, German independents , got a Chopard and I think I ne...
melbourne, australia
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8.00” / 20.32 cm
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If someone wants a Sub they definitely want a Sub. They won't be satisfied with something that's looking a little like a Sub. They either wait until they get one from their AD, or they pay over retail from someone who has one.
Because we don't all want a Rolex. I personally don't even like them that much. If I had Rolex money to spend on a watch I can assure you I wouldn't be spending that amount on any watch. P.S my favourite watch is a Rolex Deep Sea Challange
Not sure what the motivations were however on Saturday I visited boutiques for JLC, VC, Panerai, Tudor, Rolex, IWC, Montblanc, Porsche Design and Omega.
Omega was the ONLY boutique that was packed. All the seats were taken but I still managed to get a peek at this:
Rolex had three "customers", IWC had two, Tudor had one and the rest were empty when we walked in.
It would not be because I can’t afford it. I believe they are overpriced and that’s basically it.
Hey I feel you if want to put your money somewhere else do it. Rolex is a great watch but I never had that itch to own one. I just like more unique watches.
Enjoy your watches!
Cheers
I suspect the people being driven to other manufacturers aren't the die hard "I want a Rolex" crowd, it's the "I want a nice watch, and Rolex is the name I know" crowd. i.e. The muggles who walk into an AD these days, and get told that they can maybe get on a list.
Which means that in 20 years "a nice watch" may no longer be as synonymous with Rolex among normal people as it is today. Remember, Rolex made it's name with the public when any person with the cash could walk into an AD, and walk out with a new Rolex within an hour.
I suspect the people being driven to other manufacturers aren't the die hard "I want a Rolex" crowd, it's the "I want a nice watch, and Rolex is the name I know" crowd. i.e. The muggles who walk into an AD these days, and get told that they can maybe get on a list.
Which means that in 20 years "a nice watch" may no longer be as synonymous with Rolex among normal people as it is today. Remember, Rolex made it's name with the public when any person with the cash could walk into an AD, and walk out with a new Rolex within an hour.
I think Rolex is aware of this and it ties to the recent WoS accouncement of a profit downgrade because their allocations will include more rolex watches but more steel and less precious metals.
I started my watch collecting journey wanting a Rolex (Air King drew my fancy), and due to the snobbery of ADs, I bought a Cartier Santos instead. Glad things turned out the way they did.
I started collecting watches because I couldn’t buy a polar 226570. Ended up with a couple of Onegas instead. If I could have bought the Explorer I’ve wanted since I was a kid I probably would have walked away happy. Instead I started researching a substitute and well here we are.
Edit: I absolutely refuse to pay over MSRP for anything. Ever.
I put my name down for an oyster perpetual and it took so long I was over the desire to own one. I wasn’t that bothered to be honest they aren’t my favourite watches but when I started working at my current job the 25 year gift was a Rolex watch. The company was sold on and the gifts were changed so I decided if I got to 25 years I’d buy one myself to celebrate.
Anyway after a long wait I decided to spend the money on something else and bought a Grand Seiko and while paying for it they declared that my OP was available. I laughed and told them I’d spent the money on the GS and no longer wanted the OP. I’m glad I got what I did I’d much prefer the GS but if the Rolex had been available even a few months before I would have had it.
I have so many issues with this poll.
You don't have enough options for us to give you a good poll result. You have Yes combined with one reason someone might check that option but no other Yes option. So I picked No even thought there is a better way of saying yes for some people.
If someone wants a Rolex they should stop buying any watches (maybe one so that they can have an interim watch) until they have reached their goal
If one more person suggests that a Black Bay 58 is a poor mans Rolex I'm going to reach through this screen and strangle them. I had the means and option of getting a Sub if I wanted, but the Black Bay 58 was IMHO a better fit, something I would enjoy wearing more often and overall the better value for money
Rolex's can scream "look at what I have and you don't I don't know anything about it, don't care, but want the attention"
Rolex's are amazing watches and a watchmakers watch too, the movements are not the most complicated or best finish, but they are simple, robust and amazing to work on. I love Rolex.
This idea in watch collecting that people go for something else because they can't afford a Rolex is a disservice to many amazing brands out there and the people who love them. Lets stop this.