Has the Rolex bubble finally burst? Perhaps it has

[OlonMusky]

Jimboka said:

Inflation had been minimal in those years
So buyers are being taken as mugs

The what's-officially-known-as-inflation might be low but in real terms we have had high inflation for the last 5+ years, since the QE and printing money to "fix" the economy kicked off properly. Increased supply of money always leads to increase of prices, i.e. high inflation.

[anonymous-user]

OlonMusky said:

The what's-officially-known-as-inflation might be low but in real terms we have had high inflation for the last 5+ years, since the QE and printing money to "fix" the economy kicked off properly. Increased supply of money always leads to increase of prices, i.e. high inflation.

True enough
But Seamaster in 2012 was £1500
Equivalent today is £4000
I wish my salary had increased by 275% (?) in 8 years!

[anonymous-user]

PistonGuy66 said:

I think a lot of the Rolex hating comes down to a lot of green eyed monsters ie cant afford it so i will hate it?? And before everyone piles in,i dont mean everyone, but there does seem to be a lot of jelious people on here. Imho

Edited by PistonGuy66 on Sunday 12th January 12:41

Pretty cringey post tbh and typifies why the Rolex brand often has a negative image.

You buy a Rolex as a status symbol so then think anyone who thinks anything negative about the brand is jealous of you and the fact that you “can afford it”

I love Rolex watches and the history of some of the models but certainly not the image you’re portraying.

[PistonGuy66]

El stovey said:

PistonGuy66 said:

I think a lot of the Rolex hating comes down to a lot of green eyed monsters ie cant afford it so i will hate it?? And before everyone piles in,i dont mean everyone, but there does seem to be a lot of jelious people on here. Imho

Edited by PistonGuy66 on Sunday 12th January 12:41

Pretty cringey post tbh and typifies why the Rolex brand often has a negative image.

You buy a Rolex as a status symbol so then think anyone who thinks anything negative about the brand is jealous of you and the fact that you “can afford it”

I love Rolex watches and the history of some of the models but certainly not the image you’re portraying.

So why is what i put a cringey post? I said i think there are a lot on here that do get a bit jealous of other people that do own a nice rolex or two,or if anyone mentions that they are going to a Rolex function they get the “i wouldnt go even if i was asked” bla bla bla. Im not saying you, but just because you have different view does not mean others carnt have theres’s. Oh and i have never bought a Rolex as a status symbol. I buy a rolex because i like the look,it tells me the time,there a good investment. Or am i being to negative and allowed my own opinion????

[paulguitar]

Jimboka said:

OlonMusky said:

The what's-officially-known-as-inflation might be low but in real terms we have had high inflation for the last 5+ years, since the QE and printing money to "fix" the economy kicked off properly. Increased supply of money always leads to increase of prices, i.e. high inflation.

True enough
But Seamaster in 2012 was £1500
Equivalent today is £4000
I wish my salary had increased by 275% (?) in 8 years!

Yep, watch prices have gone crazy. I bought a new Seamaster in 2006 for under £700, granted that was on a ship in the USA with my crew discount, and the pound much stronger back then, but still...

I always thought of the Rolex Submariner as being about a month's wages, because that's what it used to be. Something has gone wrong, either with Rolex prices, or my monthly salary!

[anonymous-user]

paulguitar said:

Yep, watch prices have gone crazy. I bought a new Seamaster in 2006 for under £700, granted that was on a ship in the USA with my crew discount, and the pound much stronger back then, but still...

I always thought of the Rolex Submariner as being about a month's wages, because that's what it used to be. Something has gone wrong, either with Rolex prices, or my monthly salary!

Where do the ship’s watches come from? Do they pick up new stock in each port or is it done at the start of the cruise?

Presumably it’s much more limited than say in the duty free shops ashore?

I’d often see U.K. cruise ships start in Barbados and then work (north) west towards St Lucia etc and then return to Barbados after a week.

The ship would get into port and thousands would head into Bridgetown and Colombia emeralds etc suggesting there wasn’t much on the ship or it was more expensive.

[FWIW]

I feel like such a mug

I fell for the Rolex marketing hype

I used cheap/easy credit to spend £6.5k on a mediocre trinket.

I wore it for 3 years and put up with people thinking I’m a mug

So I sold it.

For £11.7k.

I’m a mug.

[Tony1963]

FWIW said:

I feel like such a mug

I fell for the Rolex marketing hype

I used cheap/easy credit to spend £6.5k on a mediocre trinket.

I wore it for 3 years and put up with people thinking I’m a mug

So I sold it.

For £11.7k.

I’m a mug.

I’m holding onto my SS Daytona, but I’m in a similar position. Weird. Being a mug really hurts, innit

[funinhounslow]

Jimboka said:

True enough
But Seamaster in 2012 was £1500
Equivalent today is £4000
I wish my salary had increased by 275% (?) in 8 years!

The pound has devalued against the Swiss franc since 2012 which will also make a difference.

But the 2020 Seamaster is a very different beast to the 2012 one. I may be mistaken but didn’t the 2012 have an ETA movement and aluminium bezel? The new ones have a ceramic dial and bezel, and in house co-axial movement. Bracelet is much improved too.

It seems ridiculous to say a four grand watch is good value for money, but I haven’t seen any reviews that say it’s overpriced...

[AlexC1981]

SamuliS said:

Rolex is a Mercedes of watch world. Their movements are well made, easy to service, assemble and adjust. Nice thing is that movements work and keep working, something you can't say about every complicated watch movement. Finishing isnt at the same level with AP, Vatcheron or Patek, but neighter is the price, you get what you pay. They make their own movement's and that is makes them a real watch brand and maker. Rolex is one of the strongest brands in the whole world, fact that even non watch people know it and want it, is a statement. Their marketing strategy keeps them from saturating the market and that keeps values high.

Most of every other watch brand uses ETA, Sellita, Valjoux etc movements and that is like having a car brand and using motor from Toyota/BMW or Mercedes (I guess you know the brands I'm after). Making your own movement is hardest part, most expencive and takes a long time, something where Seiko is good at. Then this here is a dilemma, buying, lets say ETA movement, how much do you want to pay for the brand, their case desing and finishing for said ETA movement?
It is only in recent time (since times after quartz crises, if your interested, search how many brand went ETA since) that there have been seen in house movements, not because of brands themself's have had inner need to show their skill's but because market has spoken.

Imho Hublot is the bubble of watch world and it's lack of quality is what I don't understand.

I think "in-house movement" is a genius stroke of marketing. You mentioned Seiko, but you can also buy nice watches from Citizen or Orient with in-house mechanical movements for £100 to £200. You can buy a not so nice, yet robustly made watch from Vostok for under £60.

[Tony1963]

AlexC1981 said:

I think "in-house movement" is a genius stroke of marketing. You mentioned Seiko, but you can also buy nice watches from Citizen or Orient with in-house mechanical movements for £100 to £200. You can buy a not so nice, yet robustly made watch from Vostok for under £60.

So buy and wear one or more of those. It just doesn’t matter. Not one jot.

[anonymous-user]

funinhounslow said:

Jimboka said:

True enough
But Seamaster in 2012 was £1500
Equivalent today is £4000
I wish my salary had increased by 275% (?) in 8 years!

The pound has devalued against the Swiss franc since 2012 which will also make a difference.

But the 2020 Seamaster is a very different beast to the 2012 one. I may be mistaken but didn’t the 2012 have an ETA movement and aluminium bezel? The new ones have a ceramic dial and bezel, and in house co-axial movement. Bracelet is much improved too.

It seems ridiculous to say a four grand watch is good value for money, but I haven’t seen any reviews that say it’s overpriced...

Maybe the 2020 is ‘better’
But I still prefer the more defined waves on the face of my 2012

[anonymous-user]

FWIW said:

I feel like such a mug

I fell for the Rolex marketing hype

I used cheap/easy credit to spend £6.5k on a mediocre trinket.

I wore it for 3 years and put up with people thinking I’m a mug

So I sold it.

For £11.7k.

I’m a mug.

You got lucky
Fancy your chances of making the same profit on a new one now?

[SamuliS]

AlexC1981 said:

I think "in-house movement" is a genius stroke of marketing. You mentioned Seiko, but you can also buy nice watches from Citizen or Orient with in-house mechanical movements for £100 to £200. You can buy a not so nice, yet robustly made watch from Vostok for under £60.

True, but didn't feel like name all of them. Seiko 5 can be had for 50€ that is in house movement and been made since 70's. In that movement it has been fine tuned to be accurate and cheap to make.

Edited by SamuliS on Sunday 12th January 19:54

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Jimboka said:

FWIW said:

I feel like such a mug

I fell for the Rolex marketing hype

I used cheap/easy credit to spend £6.5k on a mediocre trinket.

I wore it for 3 years and put up with people thinking I’m a mug

So I sold it.

For £11.7k.

I’m a mug.

You got lucky
Fancy your chances of making the same profit on a new one now?

Yes.

[AlexC1981]

SamuliS said:

AlexC1981 said:

I think "in-house movement" is a genius stroke of marketing. You mentioned Seiko, but you can also buy nice watches from Citizen or Orient with in-house mechanical movements for £100 to £200. You can buy a not so nice, yet robustly made watch from Vostok for under £60.

True, but didn't feel like name all of them. Seiko 5 can be had for 50€ that is in house movement and been made since 70's. In that movement it has been fine tuned to be accurate and cheap to make.
.

I think that furthers my point that an in house movement isn't worth getting too excited about as long as you are getting a good one. But then I'll contradict myself here and say that buying a luxury watch is an emotional purchase, so logic doesn't really come into it!

Tony1963 said:

So buy and wear one or more of those. It just doesn’t matter. Not one jot.

Don't worry, I'm not a hater

[PistonGuy66]

+1 i will take my chance and buy a SS rolex any chance i get.
I like being a mug it pay’s for my holidays! Lol

[paulguitar]

El stovey said:

Where do the ship’s watches come from? Do they pick up new stock in each port or is it done at the start of the cruise?

Presumably it’s much more limited than say in the duty free shops ashore?

I’d often see U.K. cruise ships start in Barbados and then work (north) west towards St Lucia etc and then return to Barbados after a week.

The ship would get into port and thousands would head into Bridgetown and Colombia emeralds etc suggesting there wasn’t much on the ship or it was more expensive.

As far as I know, they pick up all of their stock in the home port. There is a big variation of what they stock from ship to ship. Where I am at present they have a really big stock of Omega and a dedicated Hublot store. It’s all tax-free of course, and as crew, I also get a 20% discount. With the pound so weak though, I doubt the prices are particularly amazing.

Barbados has a Rolex store right in the port building, but they never have any models I’d be interested in, and nor do any of the other Rolex places I go to on our run. I did manage to pick up a Sea-Dweller in Grand Cayman, but that was 3 years ago now.

[Tony1963]

AlexC1981 said:

Don't worry, I'm not a hater

Hugz

[T6]

paulguitar said:

I did manage to pick up a Sea-Dweller in Grand Cayman, but that was 3 years ago now.

I assume that was the outgoing 40mm Sea Dweller?
I put my name down for the 43mm as soon as it was announced at Basel (Spring 2017) but still had to wait nearly 18 months.