Vintage Rolex - what would you invest in
Discussion
I’m lucky enough to be in a position finally to acquire my first rolex. Definitely thinking vintage – I’ve always been interested in a Daytona and £8k would get a decent white face zenith with box and papers… but in the last few weeks I’ve come round to the idea of a red sub for similar money.
What would you invest in – thinking of long term value appreciation?
What would you invest in – thinking of long term value appreciation?
Hoofy said:
Vintage would have a certain "older" look to it, surely. Otherwise, it's like calling a Capri or an Escort Cosworth a vintage car. 
I tend to agree with this. The average person outside of WISdom is not going to see the difference between that and a current model. But back to your question. I don't know. I'm curious myself to see what will be in fashion come the next 10/15/20 years watch wise.
I'd invest in a stocks and shares ISA. I'd buy a watch for pleasure.
You may, if you pick the right watch, get your money back when it comes to resale (at constant currency), you'll struggle to do very much better than this. It's not a very astute investment in that you can do far better elsewhere.
That said, go for it.
You may, if you pick the right watch, get your money back when it comes to resale (at constant currency), you'll struggle to do very much better than this. It's not a very astute investment in that you can do far better elsewhere.
That said, go for it.
I actually bought a "collectors set" Red Sub
I love the watch & do wear it, but I certainly hope that in the long term it will gain value as a (small) part of my pension fund.
As to whether I'd have done better keeping my 1665 great white, I'll never know for sure.
£8k will get you a nice loose Red Sub or Great White, but for long term value growth I'd say box & papers are required.
I love the watch & do wear it, but I certainly hope that in the long term it will gain value as a (small) part of my pension fund.
As to whether I'd have done better keeping my 1665 great white, I'll never know for sure.
£8k will get you a nice loose Red Sub or Great White, but for long term value growth I'd say box & papers are required.
As Andy says, full set needed for investment otherwise they're just 'wearers'.
'Vintage' Rolex is normally defined by plexiglass crystall rather than sapphire so technicall the zenith Daytona isn't vintage. It was made up until 1999-2000!
If I had 8k, I'd get a nice 5513 and a 1675.. Both still have a way to go yet and 2 watches hedges your bets better.
'Vintage' Rolex is normally defined by plexiglass crystall rather than sapphire so technicall the zenith Daytona isn't vintage. It was made up until 1999-2000!
If I had 8k, I'd get a nice 5513 and a 1675.. Both still have a way to go yet and 2 watches hedges your bets better.
mikeveal said:
I'd invest in a stocks and shares ISA. I'd buy a watch for pleasure.
You may, if you pick the right watch, get your money back when it comes to resale (at constant currency), you'll struggle to do very much better than this. It's not a very astute investment in that you can do far better elsewhere.
That said, go for it.
as an IFA i should agree...You may, if you pick the right watch, get your money back when it comes to resale (at constant currency), you'll struggle to do very much better than this. It's not a very astute investment in that you can do far better elsewhere.
That said, go for it.
but don't!
the price rises of some of the now discontinued Rolex's (green sub 50th for example) has outperformed most of the typical investment based ISA's. with Rolex seeming hell bent on chunky price rises the value of the older pieces seems to get dragged along for the ride. I dread to think how much Pepsi's have gone up the past couple of years, and that's not a particularly special piece in terms of rarity.
if you can pick up a red sub or something with a similar credibilty now then i can't see it being the worst investment you could make despite the recent rises. despite rolex making a gazillion watches a year, the old ones seem to remain collectable if they have that extra bit of rarity value as described above.
steveflatt said:
Hi
Always the Daytona especially the Zenith movement IMO they are the ones that will be most sought .
Even new are appreciating new last year 8k this year 9k I rest my case
Cheers
Steve
Glad you're resting your case, thanks. Where did these numbers happen in the real world please?Always the Daytona especially the Zenith movement IMO they are the ones that will be most sought .
Even new are appreciating new last year 8k this year 9k I rest my case
Cheers
Steve
Personally, I do not see any watch as an "investment". I have quite a few Rolex watches and some of them have appreciated in value but not what I would call investment returns. The recommendations about the Daytona are perhaps a case of trying to catch the boat after it has sailed. Rolex has increased the price of these very substantially over the last few years and quite frankly the price now is ridiculous (I am wearing a SSD white face today). Waiting lists have dropped substantially and the market for them is not what it was 5 years ago. The watch itself is difficult to read and functionally deficient.
By all means buy a vintage Rolex like a Great White , Red Sub etc if you like them and for best appreciation in value make sure to get one which is a complete set but the reality is that other investments will produce a much better return.
Here is a real life example - I bought some Berkeley Group plc shares in 1999 which cost £4.44 a share - the shares are now worth £25.20 per share and in the interval between 1999 and now Berkeley has distributed special dividends of £12 per share plus normal yearly dividends. They are also planning to distribute more special dividends of £13 per share between 2015 and 2021. If I had say bought a collectors set Red Sub in 1999 or one of the last Zenith Daytonas produced my appreciation in value would have been reasonable but no way comparable to the example above.
By all means buy a vintage Rolex like a Great White , Red Sub etc if you like them and for best appreciation in value make sure to get one which is a complete set but the reality is that other investments will produce a much better return.
Here is a real life example - I bought some Berkeley Group plc shares in 1999 which cost £4.44 a share - the shares are now worth £25.20 per share and in the interval between 1999 and now Berkeley has distributed special dividends of £12 per share plus normal yearly dividends. They are also planning to distribute more special dividends of £13 per share between 2015 and 2021. If I had say bought a collectors set Red Sub in 1999 or one of the last Zenith Daytonas produced my appreciation in value would have been reasonable but no way comparable to the example above.
Thanks all for comments so far.
Perhaps I should clarify “vintage” maybe second hand or used would have been a better phrase – IE I could just walk into my local AD here in Canary Wharf and buy something 2013 but I think I’d rather be more imaginative than that.
Although having said that I am getting more and more tempted by the new ceramic GMT II blue/black…
By “investment” I meant that in 10-15-20 years time looking back my choice was a wise one and had perhaps outperformed other ‘vintage’ Rolexes, and also that if I had to sell quickly for some reason I wouldn’t lose too badly.
So I think my current not-very-short shortlist is:
Zenith Daytona
Red Sub
Great white
Or new GMT Master II Blue/black
Which would you buy?
Perhaps I should clarify “vintage” maybe second hand or used would have been a better phrase – IE I could just walk into my local AD here in Canary Wharf and buy something 2013 but I think I’d rather be more imaginative than that.
Although having said that I am getting more and more tempted by the new ceramic GMT II blue/black…
By “investment” I meant that in 10-15-20 years time looking back my choice was a wise one and had perhaps outperformed other ‘vintage’ Rolexes, and also that if I had to sell quickly for some reason I wouldn’t lose too badly.
So I think my current not-very-short shortlist is:
Zenith Daytona
Red Sub
Great white
Or new GMT Master II Blue/black
Which would you buy?
eastsider said:
Thanks all for comments so far.
Perhaps I should clarify “vintage” maybe second hand or used would have been a better phrase – IE I could just walk into my local AD here in Canary Wharf and buy something 2013 but I think I’d rather be more imaginative than that.
Although having said that I am getting more and more tempted by the new ceramic GMT II blue/black…
By “investment” I meant that in 10-15-20 years time looking back my choice was a wise one and had perhaps outperformed other ‘vintage’ Rolexes, and also that if I had to sell quickly for some reason I wouldn’t lose too badly.
So I think my current not-very-short shortlist is:
Zenith Daytona
Red Sub
Great white
Or new GMT Master II Blue/black
Which would you buy?
blue/black is not an investment piece; just a new release in short initial supply. same thing happened with the LV milgauss and they are now available at discount pretty much everywhere.Perhaps I should clarify “vintage” maybe second hand or used would have been a better phrase – IE I could just walk into my local AD here in Canary Wharf and buy something 2013 but I think I’d rather be more imaginative than that.
Although having said that I am getting more and more tempted by the new ceramic GMT II blue/black…
By “investment” I meant that in 10-15-20 years time looking back my choice was a wise one and had perhaps outperformed other ‘vintage’ Rolexes, and also that if I had to sell quickly for some reason I wouldn’t lose too badly.
So I think my current not-very-short shortlist is:
Zenith Daytona
Red Sub
Great white
Or new GMT Master II Blue/black
Which would you buy?
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