Will vintage Rolex hype stop?

[themaninblack]

Originally Posted by roh123

From my point of view many of the old school guys who grew up with the watches are the rare ones exiting now. Many times for obvious reasons but that has either already happened or is happening now. When I meet collectors or dealers nowdays it is obvious they are much youger than you think. It is really not the people that grew up dreaming about a Rolex but is rather the people who collect beautiful things. I'd say many are born in the 80's and 90's and they are quickly building great collections. It is not people turning 50 or 60 finally treating themselves with a dream watch. I'm sure you have those too but you do have a lot of new, young collectors gaining interest in vintage. Buying a great vintage watch is so much more interesting than stepping into a store to buy a new watch with no charm.

I don't see smart watches as a threat when it comes to luxury watches. Smart watches is rather competing with our smart phones. People aren't buying watches for time-keeping; they buy them as beautiful and interesting accessories. I don't know about you but I often catch myself checking the time on my phone rather than on my wrist. Still I enjoy my watch way more than my iphone.

Agree. I regularly have younger guys in their 20's and 30's spot a vintage piece on my wrist and they want to talk enthusiastically about it, they know what they are looking at and are either collecting or aspiring to. Older guys, rarely. They're too jaded by life!

[Stuntpilot]

I cashed out. I love vintage, but I had so much built in profit in both of mine that I sold them for at least 40% profit. The market isn't fun anymore. Collectors hoarding, nothing but overpriced junk out there, scammers left and right. After 19 years, I am tapping out.

[SubKing]

Originally Posted by Stuntpilot

I cashed out. I love vintage, but I had so much built in profit in both of mine that I sold them for at least 40% profit. The market isn't fun anymore. Collectors hoarding, nothing but overpriced junk out there, scammers left and right. After 19 years, I am tapping out.

ahhh this feeling is all too familiar.

Not sure which vintage pieces you sold off?
But a day will come when you will be missing your vintage pieces and you will be begging to scratch that itch...

I too at was at a point to where you are at now.

The problem is, the more time that goes on, the less quality pieces we all can find in the market. When we do spot one, they are much higher in price.

Like you said, lots of overpriced junk on the market. But then again, one mans junk is another's treasure..

The passion and interest for vintage pieces grows daily.

These are not like stamps and comic books I can tell ya that much.
The market is different.

My opinion is, vintage sport model Rolex are like a classic Ferrari. I don't really ever see them decreasing in value.

[Dr.Smellody]

Originally Posted by Stuntpilot

I cashed out. I love vintage, but I had so much built in profit in both of mine that I sold them for at least 40% profit. The market isn't fun anymore. Collectors hoarding, nothing but overpriced junk out there, scammers left and right. After 19 years, I am tapping out.

Me too..... few vintage pieces left. But I have two modern gold sport models now.

I did well. Enjoyed what I had and tripled my money in five years. Couldn't have done that in the stock market.

Just have my 76100 lollipop full set, quick set Datejust, and 6205 left as far as vintage go.

[jdmi32]

Can almost guarantee that the hype will stop as soon as I start selling off my collection, and will shoot back up right as I've sold off the last piece.

[springer]

Originally Posted by jdmi32

Can almost guarantee that the hype will stop as soon as I start selling off my collection, and will shoot back up right as I've sold off the last piece.

Good one Ky. Isn't that how it always goes.

Hope you're doing well!

[Michael M.]

Originally Posted by jdmi32

Can almost guarantee that the hype will stop as soon as I start selling off my collection, and will shoot back up right as I've sold off the last piece.

Love this post

[sensui]

Originally Posted by jdmi32

Can almost guarantee that the hype will stop as soon as I start selling off my collection, and will shoot back up right as I've sold off the last piece.

Do not sell.

[iliketime]

im of the firm belief that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. that being said, the price of things can go up and down (watching for a modern gmt but looks like there is a bubble?). if you dont need the money, dont sell it. cash is king and a watch wont fill your belly

[Loevhagen]

Y-serial 16610LV $20K....that is more than good condition Red Subs.

https://www.hqmilton.com/timepieces/...nd-papers-9224

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by Loevhagen

Y-serial 16610LV $20K....that is more than good condition Red Subs.

https://www.hqmilton.com/timepieces/...nd-papers-9224

Zenith Daytona, $27k.
http://forums.watchnet.com/index.php...o=853087&rid=0

Sometime I wonder if there is a price that someone won't pay.

[motoikkyu]

I'm going to play Devil's Advocate with a few of the truisms for just a moment and beg your indulgence. Many have commented on "watches of quality" and "good quality watches" and this is true, but only to an extent. If something LOOKS hot, it can develop a following, no matter what the initial quality or enduring characteristics. I've seen prices go up on any number of non-Rolex low-end timepieces from the 70s that have a certain look. Since those buying for the look aren't obsessive about time-keeping ability, that market endures as well. Quite a few Breitling enthusiasts out there: I'm one of them. The Breitling is not a particularly robust watch or of extreme quality, but there is no denying the styling. Again, I will make enemies, but when I see the hottest Audis in my area, they are usually being flat-bedded to the repair facility.
There are quite a few Valjoux 72 models that are not Daytonas: it's hard to argue that the "quality" of the Rolex justifies the 70 or 80-fold price premium for a very, very similar movement. There is more at work here than just quality or even appearance. Also, there is the question of trends. We are due for another round of enthusiasm for asymmetry. Think Hamilton Electrics and 70s Pateks. If asymmetry becomes all the rage, round watches will be shelved, for a time. I fully expect asymmetric laptops, perhaps artisanal at first, then mainstream. No, I don't wish for the crystal ball, I'd often rather not know what is coming, having endured the 70s bell-bottoms, the 80s shoulder-pads, the 90s flannels, the current man-buns, the idiotic open-concept kitchens that feature so prominently in every home-interior-design show (anyone actually ever COOK in their $100K kitchens?).

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by motoikkyu

I'm going to play Devil's Advocate with a few of the truisms for just a moment and beg your indulgence. Many have commented on "watches of quality" and "good quality watches" and this is true, but only to an extent...

When people say "quality of the watch", I don't think they mean inherent production quality. It's more like how sharp the case is, how complete the trit is on the dial, any chips on dial edges, real provenance, etc.

[greekbum]

I was around when the wrist shot photos started the craze online. The current market has been hyped by book writers and the slickest promoters ever seen then sold off via auction houses. The high end is riddled with more questionable than non questionable watches. There is mega millions in this hobby now with hedge funds active too. All for making money nothing more. How high can it go ...how long can it go ....who knows is what I say. What I do know is that there's more demand then supply. But what pushed this demand can also be its end. My theory is it's jewelry buy it with throw away money and who cares.the minute you start thinking investment etc you may loose sleep

[jamie mcilhatton]

Don't think the hype will ever stop
They ain't making anymore of them

[fusionstorm]

As long as modern Rolex is considered desirable, there will always be a subset of Rolex buyers/collectors who gravitate towards vintage. Few vintage collectors start out buying vintage exclusively, though I think that is trending slowly upwards as people get more educated about vintage at earlier ages than before (and see the values go up over time).

Vintage won't go up forever. And while past performance is no guarantee of future results, savvy collectors and dealers have been consistently rewarded over the long term. I don't see that trend changing with such little supply available at any given time.

[Loevhagen]

Vintage "hype" will slow down simply because availiability for original parts will dry out...

[Nikita70]

I know some do not consider my 1987 16760 GMT to be vintage. In my definition of vintage it is. If funds permit I will buy more vintage Rolex in the future. It is remarkable how certain models, GMTs in particular, have risen in price over the last decade. Should I ever decide to sell it would be nice to break even or make a little bit. Obviously no one knows where the vintage market will be in 5 or 10 years. Don't we all wish we did?

[Charles Underwood]

Good quality or bad quality, expensive or cheap, it is a hobby and you work with money that you don't need for anything else. Leaving it on your bank account is no fun, giving it to some stock dealer or bank and let them buy stocks, no fun.
But learning, hunting, meeting people, buying the right one or maybe even the wrong one, wearing and enjoying your collection, is all fun.
Don't worry about prices as long as you, yourself, are happy with it. So the price you have payed for it is always the right price.

[sftudor]

I'd offer one extra thought. We're now at the point where more than 50% of current Swiss luxury watches are bought in Asia. The rise of the global middle and upper classes are, I feel, at the core of much of this rise in value as these consumers are now discovering vintage examples of the West's most famous luxury brand, Rolex. This rise in global income is far from finished, so the demand continues to grow while the supply of vintage watches, by definition, doesn't.

[butler9999]

Originally Posted by Charles Underwood

Good quality or bad quality, expensive or cheap, it is a hobby and you work with money that you don't need for anything else. Leaving it on your bank account is no fun, giving it to some stock dealer or bank and let them buy stocks, no fun.
But learning, hunting, meeting people, buying the right one or maybe even the wrong one, wearing and enjoying your collection, is all fun.
Don't worry about prices as long as you, yourself, are happy with it. So the price you have payed for it is always the right price.

GREAT way to look at it. Same with a nice home. Nobody wants to be house poor, but it is simply one of the only investments you can make that you enjoy while it goes up in value. Same goes with vintage I guess.

[Charles Underwood]

Originally Posted by butler9999

GREAT way to look at it. Same with a nice home. Nobody wants to be house poor, but it is simply one of the only investments you can make that you enjoy while it goes up in value. Same goes with vintage I guess.

And even when it doesn't go up in value, it is still fun and you enjoy it every day.