Never worn Rolex discontinued watches - What to do?

[VIG]

I'm a "use it for its intended purpose" sort of guy. I race my Mustang, dive with my dive watches and fly with my pilot watches.

Take the stickers off and wear the hell out of that bad boy.

[droptopman]

Originally Posted by randomguy

Here are a few pics, and I think I have my decision. I'll update everyone on the weekend. But for now....

Now that I see it, it is pretty rare. Depending on your situation, I may just keep that one in a safe and find something else to wear. That example checks all the boxes for being collectible.

[Johnnie]

Wear it, else sell it on profit right now.

[Chadridv]

Originally Posted by Mick P

Hi Chadridv

Sorry for the delayed response but I am in Spain and have just been out for a long lazy lunch at the top of a mountain with see views, hence the delay.

Ok another point, I am currently wearing a 1981 Freccione Explorer2 and the exterior is well worn, all the numerals on the bezel have faded etc.

Last year I took it into my AD for a service and he was horrified when I suggested tarting it up to look new. His advice was to let it look its well worn age and just service the calibre. His point was that restoring it to look pristine not only kills the history, it also devalues it.

Therefore would not the OP be better off just wearing it, giving it the occasional knock etc and let it age as nature intended.

Just a thought.

Regards

Mick

wow sounds awesome! Would love to switch spots with you. Rainy, lazy day in Long Island NY over here lol.

Ok so your post, respectfully that makes no sense to me at all!

I agree that I would never polish/refinish an already worn35 year old watch. There's no point and actually could hurt the value of your Ex 2. However, if your Ex 2 was in brand new condition, you would be out of your mind if you thought wearing it heavily trying to equate to decades of use would somehow increase the value.

Same applies for the LV in question. You're post implies that if the OP uses (an otherwise brand new watch) the LV will somehow become more valuable or at least more desirable. Unless the watch belonged to John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Steve Jobs, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman etc. this is NEVER the case at any point in time.

BNIB will always be more valuable than used, whether you're a collector or a user.

[AK797]

Be a Wrist King not a Safe Queen.

[Ferdelious]

Originally Posted by AK797

Be a Wrist King not a Safe Queen.

That's a great saying...

[Etschell]

Originally Posted by AK797

Be a Wrist King not a Safe Queen.

i wished someone woulda slapped me when i got the original 8GB iphone for $300. i was contemplating not opening it. i opened it had it for 6 months and sold it for the same price.

that said its now worth thousands unopened. in 30 years it will be worth a few hundred k if not more.

my advice is not to remove the stickers unless this is a keep it for a bit and sell it watch.

[Lordofrolex]

sell it 15 years from now as unworn. You'll be happy you did.

[crazycarlitos]

Ur Kermit will depreciate once u remove stickers, but it will re-appreciate in time.

Collecting watches like new Rolex in a safe as an long-term investment, not wearing it and leaving the stickers on seems silly to me.

Surely there are better ways to invest for higher return on ur money, no?

Rolex should be enjoyed on a wrist.

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by roger 2011

Seen this v serial brand new unworn in Hong Kong last week
$88,888hkd =£8000=$11,000usd
So if I were you I would just keep it unworn

Geared towards a Japanese tourist sale perhaps? With the Japanese katakana writing of "bikuri" ( shock/surprised!")




Back to the OP. I struggled with this dilemma as well. A NOS LV. What to do? Started a whole thread asking for and got some great advice on here. Mostly the advice was peel the stickers and wear that baby.

I didn't. I had my M serial LV sent to the RSC and cleaned up and I kept my V serial LV NOS stickers on. Good decision. The price here in Japan anyway has gone up 500 -1000 bucks on used LVs since that thread. I mentioned to the grey dealer that I had a NOS and he gulped.

Don't peel the stickers off and don't sell it. Get a used version on here from a trusted seller to wear. That too will appreciate.

Good luck.

[Bruins7]

Yolo

[rollee1]

The mkI F serial LV is special, especially the flat 4 has a special place in my heart.

If OP don't care for mkI much, sell it and buy another used LV and wear that instead.
I am a collector of everything, there is even an unworn stickers full set in my uncle's vault of 1675/8 gold GMT root beer since 1970.
Things that I value I buy 2 copies, one is to keep.
Yes I have the original iPhone unused as well, that's for another day.

[J!m]

This is an F serial, which is still considered the first batch, and IS the anniversary year. Actual first batch is Y serial, which was available for only one month (September 2003). An NOS Y will always have more value to a collector than an NOS F, even if it is a Mk I dial F serial. (side note- I thought the Mk I dial had the oval "O" in Rolex?)

All that said, new anything is only new once. Drive the car off the lot and leave thousands behind. Peel the stickers off this and similar situation.

I would suggest (as others have done) one of the following scenarios:

1) sell it off, at a profit most likely, and purchase another LV that has been worn. You might luck into a Y serial worn that in 20 years will actually be worth more than the F serial NOS. No one here knows what the market will do with watches in the future.

2) stick it (back) in the safe and forget about it. Buy a pre-owned LV or other piece that you need to own. Like the Y being more rare than the F, the F is more rare than all the other serials made since... Again, it's only new once...

Or wear it and forget what we say. If it was a Y serial, I'd shed a tear, but it isn't so... go for it!

[avilhena]

Originally Posted by Chadridv

wow sounds awesome! Would love to switch spots with you. Rainy, lazy day in Long Island NY over here lol.

Ok so your post, respectfully that makes no sense to me at all!

I agree that I would never polish/refinish an already worn35 year old watch. There's no point and actually could hurt the value of your Ex 2. However, if your Ex 2 was in brand new condition, you would be out of your mind if you thought wearing it heavily trying to equate to decades of use would somehow increase the value.

Same applies for the LV in question. You're post implies that if the OP uses (an otherwise brand new watch) the LV will somehow become more valuable or at least more desirable. Unless the watch belonged to John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Steve Jobs, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman etc. this is NEVER the case at any point in time.

BNIB will always be more valuable than used, whether you're a collector or a user.

Couldn´t agree more!!!

[kirksingleton]

I am a believer in wearing it BUT in your case I would not. Either sell it now and buy something to wear or safe queen it.

[franklin]

The stickers go in the garbage and the watch on your wrist. You only live once.

[superdog]

Originally Posted by chadridv

lol

so you have a bnib lv and what's your other nos?

14060

[beshannon]

I do not have the time or money for non-performing assets

[Mick P]

Originally Posted by Chadridv

wow sounds awesome! Would love to switch spots with you. Rainy, lazy day in Long Island NY over here lol.

Ok so your post, respectfully that makes no sense to me at all!

I agree that I would never polish/refinish an already worn35 year old watch. There's no point and actually could hurt the value of your Ex 2. However, if your Ex 2 was in brand new condition, you would be out of your mind if you thought wearing it heavily trying to equate to decades of use would somehow increase the value.

Same applies for the LV in question. You're post implies that if the OP uses (an otherwise brand new watch) the LV will somehow become more valuable or at least more desirable. Unless the watch belonged to John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Steve Jobs, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman etc. this is NEVER the case at any point in time.

BNIB will always be more valuable than used, whether you're a collector or a user.

Hi again Chadridv

The point I am making is that once a watch gets to vintage status, the value seems unaffected as to whether it is worn with age or pristine.

My AD nearly had a heart attack when I suggested restoring my 35 year old watch to "as new" because he thought it would be devalued.

So you can see my point, the OP can wear his watch and in 35 years time he will have had the pleasure of 35 years of wearing it and a still not be out of pocket.

Regards

Mick

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Sublovin

Same could be said for ANY limited edition watch ever...
Not arguing your point, just offering an alternative view. Don't ever buy a limited edition watch with plans to wear it, if that is your logic.
These LV subs were produced in the tens of thousands...not exactly rare.
I have a Panerai SE which they only made 500 ever. There was a time when it was worth a lot more than it is currently (Panerai market has dipped). Glad I decided to wear it and have been enjoying it , because I couldn't care less. Had I let it sit in a safe, I would be disappointed, but it turns out I continue to enjoy the heck out of it and have gotten more than my money's worth already.
Keeping track of a stock and real estate portfolio is one thing...watches are for fun.

I try to avoid comments such as the one I bolded. Who am I (or you) to tell anyone else what their own stuff is for? Or, for that matter, try to define for them what fun is or should be.

I have a lot of fun contemplating what will happen in the future with my NOS watches. And considering I'll not likely miss the money, why not have a little more fun and speculate the future value of something that I genuinely enjoy?

My watch hobby is something I enjoy very much.

I do have to add though that I think you are comparing apples and sneakers.

The market for your PAM is miniscule, at best, versus the market for just about any Rolex....let alone models that are currently highly sought after. And these were mass produced, so there are many out there. But VERY few with stickers still on them. If the OP wears his, it will be one less. And a highly sought after object, that is rare, can potentially be worth quite a bit of money.

I am glad you are enjoying your watch. I love PAM's. I think that watches, and just about all material objects should be enjoyed. But different people enjoy things in different ways.

And trust me, I have plenty of watches to wear and enjoy in that fashion.

I do appreciate your alternative view. And I thank you for sharing. I trust you can see my point of view as well.


edit: just to add...if it were my only few watches, I would not be letting them sit in a safe. I agree with you completely there. but if it is part of a greater collection, I find no harm at all in it.

[Sublovin]

^^yep...fair enough. Although, the Panerai comparison is very relevant, because the market is admittedly smaller but so are the number of watches produced (all relative). Every model made today will someday be changed or discontinued, so maybe we should all just hide all of our watches away in some time capsule? I'm joking obviously, this way of thinking gets pretty silly pretty quickly In My Opinion..
I am not telling anyone how to have fun, just stating that to me, watches are for fun.
Thanks for the reply...
To the OP, simply offering my opinion.

[Heo2]

It also depends how old you are. At my age, I'm wearing it.

What hit? Not mine. Maybe my nephews or my next ex-wife who I haven't met yet will take the hit.

[Andad]

I would put that one in the safe.

Are the plastics on the lugs missing?

[Sublovin]

Originally Posted by Heo2

It also depends how old you are. At my age, I'm wearing it.

What hit? Not mine. Maybe my nephews or my next ex-wife who I haven't met yet will take the hit.

Classic...good for you

[SuperHero]

I'd wear it or keep for a year, check values and if your up, sell and buy something you'll want to west all the time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[fishingbear]

I wear my 16610LV all the time even though I bought it AD new and understand the collectible value of it.
If you bought it to wear it then do so.
If you bought it as an investment then stick it in the safe.
Do what you're comfortable with; Good luck and keep us posted.

[datejust24]

As much as I disagree with buying a watch brand new and never wearing it, this is an instance where keeping it NOS is going to clearly make it more valuable to buyers and collectors....AND you've had it for this long and you've yet to wear it so far so... Either do what others have said and keep it that way or wear it....OR sell it make a nice chunk of change and buy yourself another...if money isn't an issue and making profit off of it doesn't tickle your fancy and you can afford it...keep it NOS and buy another...

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by randomguy

Okay, so I've picked up a Rolex 16610lv f serial watch, which is now discontinued. The kicker here is, its never been worn, with most stickers still on, full set.

As I typically only keep what I wear, would I be destroying value by taking the stickers off and wearing it?

I'm not really a "put away in safe" type of guy.

How much value am I tossing away, by taking off the stickers?

Your thoughts please.


J.

Ok...let's get down to reality with this situation.

Did you pay the market premium for the watch being NOS?

These seem to be going for over $11k.-12k..maybe more in this shape.

If you paid that much and intend to wear it, thus peeling off the stickers and such, then you have a watch with that insert that is worth around $8k.

So you will LOSE $3k by buying this particular watch and potentially
much more in the future as watches in this state dry up.

Why were you interested in this particular NOS piece?

If all you want is an LV to wear, then this NOS one was not the watch for you to purchase. You can get a nice, preowned model for $6.5K and wear it all day and not lose a penny...and that will appreciate as well in future as well..

If you paid the premium for the watch to be NOS, then leave it that way.
Watches in this particular condition have passed the point of wear/not wear due to the premium the collector market has placed on this condition. Unless you have the money to throw away, it's a safe queen now. There are PLENTY of other ones out there that aren't...

.

[Tom1675]

Do not wear it. You're asking because you want to hear what you already know --it could be, and probably will be, too expensive to put on your wrist... Keep it and buy something you'll wear. Lets face it, no one who is geek enough to type on these forums feels like one Rolex is enough anyway :).

[Fleetlord]

Like it or not, NOS pieces like this have crossed into the collectible realm and their market prices are based off that...

It would be like buying a mint condition, graded and sealed comic book / toy etc....that has value attached to it because of its specific condition and then tearing it open / playing or reading it....There are "lessor" condition versions for that at this point in the game.