Luxury watch rental - how you can wear a different Rolex every day
Who does not know it? You're on vacation and receive a rental car right at the airport, which you then use to get around your destination.
Probably few people know the following scenario: You are invited to a gala and need a luxury watch to match your suit. So you simply rent a Rolex for the evening.
What sounds like wishful thinking is actually possible. Some companies offer exactly this service.
Everything behind it and what you need to know about it follows in this post.
You can rent a luxury watch. For a flat fee and a deposit left behind, it is possible to rent a watch for a day, a few days or even for a longer period. However, care should be taken as the watches are usually only insured against daily use and not against loss or damage.
Rolex rent - how does it work?
If you want to rent a Rolex, you need to contact a company that offers it. The best way is to do your own research to find the one that suits your needs.
At the provider you look at the offer and decide which watch is potentially suitable for you.
The prices, of course, vary from model to model and from provider to provider. At WatchMe-Germany, for example, you can rent a GMT-Master II from 299 euros per week.
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Many renters give exact price information only on request.
At the same time, there are different ways of renting. There is the watch leasing, where you can rent a watch over a longer period of time and just the rent for a short period of one day.
You have to give some information about yourself, read the terms and conditions, pay the rent and leave a deposit.
When all this is done, the fun can begin. The watch will either be sent to you insured or you can pick it up somewhere, it all depends on the agreement with the landlord.
So, theoretically, this way it is possible to wear a different Rolex every day without actually owning a single one.
For whom is it worth renting a watch?
There are countless reasons why you might want to rent a luxury watch rather than buy it.
Renting a wristwatch is a good option when you want a watch for a particular occasion, but can't afford the high sums required to purchase it. A wedding, a gala, or a music video shoot could be good reasons to rent a wristwatch. Especially if you're not particularly interested in the world of watches, but need a timepiece for an event, renting a watch can make a lot of sense.
But it's also possible that you don't want or can't commit to a single watch. You enjoy variety and change. To some, the idea of wearing the same watch every day is simply too plain. On the other hand, a large watch collection requires a certain amount of capital, which not everyone can afford. As an alternative, you can keep renting various luxury watches to fulfill this dream.
With the keyword dream we are already at the next motivation. Because it can also be that one dreams of a luxury watch, which is so exotic and expensive that one will probably never be able to buy it. In this case, it may be nice to hold on to your dream if only for a short time and rent this watch for a short period of time. But you also have to keep in mind that the rents for such special watches are also enormously expensive.
Is your watchknowledge up to date?
Here is our list of must-know watches!
Bet you'll find a watch on it that you've never seen before.
The advantages and disadvantages of luxury watch rental
Renting a luxury watch can be a great way for some to gain insight into the watch world. But renting the coveted timepieces also comes with some downsides.
Of course, wristwatches, like those from Rolex for example, are expensive luxury items that not everyone can afford. With watch rental, it is possible to allow people who normally couldn't afford it, to immerse themselves in the world of luxury watches, if only for a short time.
On the other hand, one must not forget that the rented timepieces are usually only insured against ordinary wear and tear. If you severely damage or lose them, you will have to pay for the damage or replace the watch. Then your deposit is definitely gone. In the worst case, you might even have to pay extra. This is a potential risk that comes with very high costs and should not be underestimated.
However, rented watches have the advantage that you actually don't have to worry about anything. All the measures that a watch owner has to take to maintain his luxury watches are taken care of by the renterer. With a rental, you don't have to deal with a troublesome service or a non-functioning watch that suddenly stops.
Nevertheless, one must not forget that if you regularly rent watches, these are high costs, but they do not bring any additional possessions. If you save for a long time for a watch and then buy it, you own an item that ideally retains its value or even increases in value. However, if you always only rent your watches, you cannot benefit from the value development of a watch because you do not own it. On the contrary, you rather bear disadvantages, because a watch with increasing value will also become more expensive in rent.
In addition, you should ask yourself whether a luxury watch is really the right thing to buy if you are not in a position to do so. A Rolex, for example, is always a symbol of social advancement and class. Of course, not every Rolex wearer is rich. However, one should definitely think about what kind of external effect one has with such a watch and what one wants to achieve.
If, for example, a totally average guy suddenly comes along with a Richard Mille for over 250,000 Euros, he will most likely be laughed at by everyone, because the person behind it doesn't fit the watch at all and you already suspect that there's something fishy about it.
It won't do you much good to rent a watch if you're only interested in impressing others. Because sooner or later the swindle is exposed.
Rather, renting makes sense if you are really interested in the watch and want to rent it because of your own fascination.
Is your watchknowledge up to date?
Here is our list of must-know watches!
Bet you'll find a watch on it that you've never seen before.
Conclusion
The concept of renting a watch may well be a good way for one or the other to get hold of a luxury watch at short notice. However, one should do some soul-searching and ask them what their motivation is for wanting to rent a watch. Is it out of one's own motivation? Or because one wants to impress other people with it?
Furthermore, one cannot deny that the concept of watch rental distorts the basic philosophy of watch collecting, which many find so captivating. Because the truly beautiful aspect of luxury watches is the aspect of longevity. You don't build up a diverse watch collection within one year, but over your entire life. Each watch that you have worn on your life's journey and kept for many years tells its own story and has a sentimental value for most watch collectors. Especially considering that you can pass on your watches to the following generations. But this sentimental value can never be obtained with the rental of a watch, as you do not really own the watch and usually only have it with you for a short period of time.
Ultimately, you have to weigh up for yourself what comes into question for you. If you only need a luxury watch for a short time for an occasion, renting makes sense. Otherwise, you should perhaps consider whether it is not much nicer to save up for the desired watch and to fulfill this dream one day by buying it.
Source cover image: Pixabay
About the author
Alexander Weinberger
For me, the most fascinating thing about watches is the interplay between precise craftsmanship and artistic development. In a watch movement, hundreds of small parts have to be put together precisely so that they form a large whole.
