Is the era of stealth wealth over?

[amphr1]

Seems like no one wants the cookie monster or the first modern pepsi in white gold or yacht master in WG or anything in WG anymore. Do I get the wrong impression?

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[acorn]

Sounds overstated, I’d take the first two over a SS Daytona any day.

[Achtung6]

Agree with acorn.... In fact, I went for the first one you mentioned. No regrets.

[huncho]

there was never such an era, it only exists in the small bubble here where people are either WIS or think wearing a white gold day date or pepsi is understated. i don't think the majority of people buying the hype ever cared for white gold

[2001jesper]

No! Has always been there and will remain. Just the watch industry that has been crazy the past years and on its way towards normalisation

[wm82]

No one ever wanted anything in white gold. Its the softest of the alloys and looks like crap after a few years of wear. The market is never wrong, thats why 2nd hand values on white gold is always so low.

[Krash]

Originally Posted by huncho

there was never such an era, it only exists in the small bubble here where people are either WIS or think wearing a white gold day date or pepsi is understated. i don't think the majority of people buying the hype ever cared for white gold

Exactly. There was never such an era.

But I do like the new white gold Sub. Not because it’s stealth wealth, but because I just like the way it looks.


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[kieselguhr]

Originally Posted by huncho

there was never such an era, it only exists in the small bubble here where people are either WIS or think wearing a white gold day date or pepsi is understated. i don't think the majority of people buying the hype ever cared for white gold

Have to agree. The whole notion of stealth wealth is absurd and like Peter puts it, “only exists in Rolex fantasy land.”

[marmite2005]

I'm still in the market for a smurf (all be it too big for my wrist) or a platinum DD 36mm, with understated dial. The WIS understated lives on.

[bjdub]

Originally Posted by wm82

No one ever wanted anything in white gold. Its the softest of the alloys and looks like crap after a few years of wear. The market is never wrong, thats why 2nd hand values on white gold is always so low.

No one, huh? I love white gold. My favorite PM actually.

[colonelpurple]

Originally Posted by amphr1

Seems like no one wants the cookie monster or the first modern pepsi in white gold or yacht master in WG or anything in WG anymore. Do I get the wrong impression?

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PM is always easy to pick up. Yellow gold is the easiest. WG is slightly more in demand but still easy to get. Particularly after the price increases over the last few years are ridiculous. PM rolexs the only watches I would buy used. Some very reasonable used prices for mint condition (2/3 of retail).

[derklink]

Originally Posted by colonelpurple

PM is always easy to pick up. Yellow gold is the easiest. WG is slightly more in demand but still easy to get. Particularly after the price increases over the last few years are ridiculous. PM rolexs the only watches I would buy used. Some very reasonable used prices for mint condition (2/3 of retail).

I’ll take a used white gold Daytona on Oysterflex for 2/3 of retail - please send me a link where to buy

[Binky1]

Originally Posted by derklink

I’ll take a used white gold Daytona on Oysterflex for 2/3 of retail - please send me a link where to buy

Yeah I”ll take one too…dream on.

[Calatrava r]

I think white gold is the least popular precious metal from any brand historically. I think it was popular a few years back for a while, but most folks like colored precious metals with rose gold the leader. Does AP even do a Royal Oak in WG? They must, I just never see any.

[huncho]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

I think white gold is the least popular precious metal from any brand historically. I think it was popular a few years back for a while, but most folks like colored precious metals with rose gold the leader. Does AP even do a Royal Oak in WG? They must, I just never see any.

they do, they have a 15510 in wg, a ROC in wg and then some tourbs/QPs in wg with exclusive dials and with/without baguette bezels, which are really cool actually. also their line of frosted gold models which are probably all hard to get anyway. don't see the point in buying a regular RO/ROC in wg though

[Giovannibravo]

All PM Rolex are struggling these days. If I were to buy a PM, it would be the 126619LB.

[sambb]

All Rolex regardless is metal are showy. Everyone knows what it is. If you want subtle then go for a calatrava or patrimony. Or just get a speedmaster and play the role of nice watch but not a status symbol?

[Quaress]

Originally Posted by derklink

I’ll take a used white gold Daytona on Oysterflex for 2/3 of retail - please send me a link where to buy

Exactly what I was looking for a YG Submariner, they were a few tens of thousands cheaper, and most of them seemed to me as if they had been polished or worn, even if they listed new and unworn..

[Quaress]

Originally Posted by sambb

All Rolex regardless is metal are showy. Everyone knows what it is. If you want subtle then go for a calatrava or patrimony. Or just get a speedmaster and play the role of nice watch but not a status symbol?

I don't care about any status symbol, I love yellow gold since childhood, maybe it's because I'm just a Leo.

[2001jesper]

Originally Posted by sambb

All Rolex regardless is metal are showy. Everyone knows what it is. If you want subtle then go for a calatrava or patrimony. Or just get a speedmaster and play the role of nice watch but not a status symbol?

"Everyone" is probably a strong word to use The far majority have no interest in watches and would confuse a Rolex with a fashion watch, unless being specifically told

[JSolution]

The 116719 is a sleeper if there ever was one :) one of my favourite and with such a short production run and factoring in that a lot of people switched out from blue to black the numbers have to be relatively little. But you are right it’s always been cheaply priced in comparison. Obviously this has a lot to do with the steel counterpart being exactly the same, which I personally love about it.

[Donnie90]

I love precious metals, especially a yellow gold, but I would prefer 14k. 18k gold is too soft, the scratches are killing me....

[Krash]

Originally Posted by sambb

All Rolex regardless is metal are showy. Everyone knows what it is. If you want subtle then go for a calatrava or patrimony. Or just get a speedmaster and play the role of nice watch but not a status symbol?

I would argue that most people wouldn’t know the difference between a two tone blue dial Submariner (126613LB) and a $50 clone from Invicta. If they got a close up view, they might know, but from five feet away, they’d never know one is a $15,000 Rolex and the other is a $50 POS.


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[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by amphr1

Do I get the wrong impression?

Couldn't be more wrong in my case. I have have no idea if that applies to anyone else. I guess you're going to be right some of the time by dint of the normal distribution. The question is where's the peak of the bell curve and which direction is it moving in?

Originally Posted by JSolution

Obviously this has a lot to do with the steel counterpart being exactly the same, which I personally love about it.

Same here, although of the three dials now available new and used I prefer the blue.

[7enderbender]

Originally Posted by sambb

All Rolex regardless is metal are showy. Everyone knows what it is. If you want subtle then go for a calatrava or patrimony. Or just get a speedmaster and play the role of nice watch but not a status symbol?

That’s where I would fall with this. “Stealth wealth” in my view is more a variation of not wanting to or not having to care what other people think. Watches to me are about the (real or imagined) utility value, not the materials. I would never buy or wear a yellow gold watch, or yellow gold anything. I just don’t like it. It’s not attractive to me and is an inferior material over high grade steel. Same with any other precious metal. I can tolerate white gold or platinum where appropriate (meaning non functional parts).
And yes, if Rolex sold unbranded stainless steel versions (with no cyclops) of their assorted models I’d pay a premium.
I’m ok with my Speedies and have had maybe two or three people comment (as watch enthusiasts) over the course of 30 years of wearing one very regularly.
My Rolex is mostly relegated to weekends, outdoor activities or really anywhere that is not work related. Yes, people give a Sub or variant a side-eye. I’m not quite there yet to not care at all.

[Jackie Daytona]

I kind of went the opposite way.

I don’t have a white gold Sub, but always kinda thought that I don’t really care for the blue all that much…. It doesn’t look all that great..the green is cooler looking and much more affordable.

However…I tried the white gold Sub a month or two ago. We have a friend that is a watch dealer here locally and has one that let me check it out for a bit, and I have to say. It really grew on me. The weight and feel of the WG just feels special. Somehow that combined with the blue bezel just works. It’s an awesome watch.

I’ll have a WG one day either GMT or Sub. Just have a few priorities first to sort out.

[4reRlxGuy]

In the last 3 years I've bought more WG than RG and YG combined.

The delta between a nib steel Daytonas/Pepsi and a like new WG Pepsi/Daytona still under factory warranty were less than 10k

[HHIslander]

I thought stealth wealth was OP or Explorer. Who knew.

[amphr1]

Originally Posted by HHIslander

I thought stealth wealth was OP or Explorer. Who knew.

OP and Explorer are stealth but not wealth LOL

[Andad]

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