Ever wondered why it's so hard to get ahold of/buy a modern Rolex watch? Wait lists, shortages, hoarding? In this episode, we're getting into some details.
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Since the beginning of Rolex, until relatively recently, the only barrier between you and a new Rolex was the money. There was never the concept that they were unlikely to have a piece in stock unless it had not been officially released yet, or was discontinued, and even then, they may have still had a selection leftover. But now, we have the dreaded "wait list," a chance for you to put your name down for a watch and maybe, just maybe, get a phone call in two years that it has come up.
Now of course, Rolex COULD keep up with the demand for these watches, but doing so would mean that they would become far less exclusive and thus, as far as they're concerned, less cool. But this begs the question: How the hell do Gray Market dealers get their hands on so many of them? It's super possible that these dealers are going to authorized dealers and buying millions of dollars in stock and then reselling them, but it's really a mystery.
And the biggest issue? There isn't a whole lot to be done about it. Rolex certainly won't be changing their tactic any time soon, and authorized dealers certainly won't pass up the opportunity to make sure that they get their money's worth out of their stock of watches by selling them to the gray market. So basically, your options are either pay a gray market premium, put yourself on the seemingly endless waitlist, or, if you're feeling adventurous, consider going pre-ceramic or pre-owned in general.
