Can you skip the Rolex waiting list?- the waiting list explained
Anyone who has ever strolled past the shop windows of Bucherer or Wempe has probably noticed that the number of Rolex models on display is very limited.
The wristwatches from the luxury manufacturer in Geneva are in high demand for various reasons, which consequently makes it very difficult to purchase Rolex watches through regular channels. If you want to buy a popular model immediately, you often end up on the gray market, where you have to pay much higher prices to acquire the sought-after models.
Here you will find: How to buy a Rolex at list price after all aswell as everything you need to know on this subject.
In order to buy a Rolex for the list price, you have to join the waiting list of an official dealer, a so-called concessionaire. The length of the waitinglist varies from model to model. While you have to wait over 10 years for some configurations of the Daytona, it can take as little as 2 years for a Milgauss.
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How to buy a Rolex watch? - these are your options
Who has not dreamed of owning a Rolex watch? But how to buy one? There are several options to buy a Rolex watch.
The official Rolex dealers offer the safest and most trustworthy way to buy a new Rolex.The so-called concessionaires are authorized by Rolex and offer the current Rolex product catalog. However, you can not just buy the watches there when you pass the store. The popular models are guaranteed always sold out. But it gets even better. To be able to buy a coveted model from the concessionaire, you have to get on the waiting list. From this point on, it is not uncommon for it to take many years before one even gets the opportunity to buy the timepiece.
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Concessionaires such as Bucherer, however, now already offer Certefied Pre-Owned watches, in order to stand up to the secondary market. Here, used Rolex watches are refurbished and then sold again at the concessionaire at higher prices. If you buy such a watch, you have to expect a much higher price, but you can be sure that all papers are original and the watch is flawless.
Another option for acquiring a Rolex watch is purchasing on the secondary/grey market. This can be an attractive option as there is a wide range of watches to choose from, often traded at lower prices than the Certified Pre-Owned models. However, it is important to pay attention to the condition of the watch and ensure that it is genuine to avoid fraud. It is best to buy on the secondary market only watches with original box and papers.
Additionally, it is possible to purchase a Rolex watch from a private seller. This can be done on platforms like eBay or Craigslist. There, prices are often cheaper than at authorized dealers or on the secondary market. Caution is advised here as well. Because with a private purchase, there is usually no guarantee. If you're not careful, you may quickly end up with fakes or watches in poor condition.
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What is the waiting period for Rolex watches?
If you want to buy a Rolex from an authorized dealer, you will need to join the waiting list for the desired model. The waiting times for watches vary from model to model. However, you can always expect to wait several years.
While the waiting time for the Daytona is over 10 years, it is about 4 years for a Datejust, which is why it's no wonder that in many cases, people resort to an alternative to the Datejust. The slightly less popular Milgauss can be purchased after just two years.
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Why is demand greater than supply?
This very special phenomenon of sold-out Rolex watches is due to the extremely high demand.
Rolex watches have always been very popular. The company from Geneva has significantly shaped the world of watches with many innovations. At the same time, the brand was constantly in the spotlight. Famous personalities wearing Rolex on their wrists, movies like James Bond, or historical events like the first ascent of Mount Everest, which was done with Rolex watches, have given the brand a true cult status.
In addition, the entire topic of luxury watches has gained considerably in popularity in recent years. Of course, Rolex as a brand also benefits a lot from this.
The wristwatches became more desirable over time, until they eventually traded at higher prices on the secondary market, leading to a huge Rolex hype and demand exploded while supply remained steady.
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Due to the excessive demand and the limited production capacity, Rolex cannot immediately sell a watch to every interested buyer. Therefore, you have to be put on a waiting list.
The manufacturer is already working on a solution with new planned factories, so that the waiting times for the watches will be drastically reduced with an expansion of production. However, this will take a few more years, which is why the waiting list spectacle will continue for a long time.
In our article, you can find more about how many watches Rolex produces each year.
How to get on the waiting list for certain Rolex watches
The first step is to find an authorized Rolex dealer that carries the model you desire. Once you have found a dealer, talk to them about your wishes and intentions and let them know that you are interested in the model and would like to purchase it. Be polite and try to indirectly let the dealer know that you are interested in wearing the watch and under no circumstances will you resell it. Then you have a good chance of being included on the waiting list.
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Dealers try to avoid at all costs that their watches end up on the secondary market.
First and foremost, it's important to establish a good, trusting relationship with the dealer so that they can be confident that you will keep the watch.
Rolex regularly conducts test purchases at their authorized dealers. This means that they check whether a specific watch might end up on the secondary market after a certain period of time. If this is the case, Rolex is not pleased and gets in touch with the dealer.
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You should be aware that the official dealers maintain the waiting lists themselves, not the manufacturer. Rolex only determines the number of watches that are delivered to each authorized dealer annually. To whom they are sold is entirely up to the dealer.
That's for each dealer to decide for themselves. Your chances of getting a watch depend on the sympathy the authorized dealer can feel towards you. Your social skills are in demand here.
So it is logical that the concessionaires do not put just any person on the waiting list.
However, there is another way to speed up the waiting list process quite quickly. If you, for example, prove to be a loyal customer by having already purchased other watches or jewelry from the dealer, it is entirely possible that your name will suddenly move up a few places on the waiting list as if by magic.
Some people consider this as indirect bribery. In the end, just like in the grey market, you pay higher prices for the desired watch you actually want, but the difference between the list price and the paid price is pocketed by the authorized dealer and not the secondary market dealer.
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Conclusion
Ultimately, there are several options for buying a Rolex watch. Whether you choose to buy from an authorized dealer, consider purchasing on the secondary market, opt for a private seller's offering, or go for Certefied Pre-Owned watches, it's important to carefully consider which option best suits your needs and preferences.
If you want to get on the waiting list at an authorized dealer, you should know that there sis a lot up to the dealer to decide and you must not give them the impression that you want to resell the watch under any circumstances.
In the context of the entire watch cosmos, it's actually crazy what detours you have to take to get your hands on a special Rolex model. But for many, that is precisely the appeal of the brand with the golden crown.
However, if you understandably don't want to go through this whole circus, it's recommended that you possibly switch to an alternative brand to Rolex such as Omega, Cartier or Breitling.
Scource cover image: Rolex
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.
