Another long-established UK dealer, Charles Fish, concurs with Silver both about the difficulty of buying a Rolex brand new and the fact that it has been good news for pre-owned retailers.
“If you have an existing relationship with an authorized Rolex retailer, great—but the average Joe walking into a Rolex store off the street to buy a dream watch doesn’t have much chance,” says Fish. Although the situation has bumped-up demand for pre-owned and vintage Rolex models across the board, he believes there are still some that are under-valued.
“The Reference 116600 Sea-Dweller had probably the shortest production run of any modern Rolex—only three years—and is currently obtainable for $18,000-$19,000,” says Fish. “But when more people realize how good it is, I think the price will start to fly.”
He also recommends the reference 16570 Explorer-II from the final years of production when it was fitted with the Calibre 3186 movement.
“If you look at its GMT-Master cousin, which has the same movement, you’ll see pieces are around the $18,000-$19,000 mark. A good Explorer-II 16570 can be bought for $10,750-$11,500.”
Find a dealer
Rolex watches sold through reputable dealers such as Silver and Fish will usually cost more than equivalent models available at auction—but the often relatively small amount extra you’ll end up paying will be well worth it for the peace of mind that comes in return. You’ll be getting a genuine Rolex in full working order and, very likely, with a host of paperwork and a warranty.
If you want to chance an auction, however, you won’t find another watch brand that crosses the block more often than Rolex—and, provided you take the time to trawl through the online catalogs of some of the smaller, regional houses, there are bargains to be had.
Remember, though, that at any auction, the onus is on the buyer to satisfy him or herself with what they are bidding on, and there’s little opportunity for returns. But at least if you do stick up your hand to “express an interest” you should only have to wait a matter of minutes until you’re slipping on the Rolex of your dreams.
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