Rolex new collector living in big city

[bill.76]

Welcome! Buy what you like regardless of the hype and enjoy each buy. It’s a crazy market right now. There use to be a time going grey was the best way to get a deal, now getting at retail price is a win depending on the make and model. Have fun building your collection, it’s a marathon not a sprint...


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[MalcolmSquare]

Welcome. Lots of good advice has been given already, including going grey to start. Best of luck and enjoy the ride (including the chase)!

[cbruce]

I think there is nothing wrong with trying to establish a relationship with an AD. But I agree, you should only buy watches that you really like. And sometimes that means waiting, if you are price conscious. I would recommend working with an AD that sells multiple brands. That gives you more options over the years.

And when you buy your first watch, make sure you get introduced to the manager or owner of the AD so that you can compliment the sales associate and ingratiate yourself as a new, but hopefully regular customer.

[GGGMT]

Welcome! Take time and enjoy.


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[28mm]

I started buying, not collecting Rolexes in and around 1999. I always liked them and a friend educated me on a bit of history and perspective. He also introduced me to a couple of good AD's who each put me on lists for a Daytona (1 Black and 1 White), I continued acquiring about a dozen in the next 10 years. Both AD's eventually got me my watches...The old days.

Fast forward 10 years later (since my last Rolex purchase) to 2020.

One of the two AD's is gone and the other has almost nothing with new management.

So basically I am in the same position as you are, albeit with a nice collection.

I'll give you the same advice I gave myself upon reentering the new world order.

I introduced myself to three AD's I've never done business with and re introduced myself to the AD with bare shelves.

I don't think I could have made a better impression and already am friendly friends with one, because of mutual shared interests and experiences. Each of the AD's has quite a list from me..No idea if anything will come of it but I am an optimist and wouldn't be surprised if eventually I'll get a call, text pr email. I'll stay in touch with them of course.

While it has gone as good as can be reasonable expected, it's only been about a month and as we all know inventory is minimal with little expected in the near future.

I found a great deal on a 11460 No date Submariner and once I got it, I felt relieved of the pressure I had put on myself. I had a almost new watch for an amazing price.

My suggestion for you, is to find a nice preowned watch privately if you are confident, maybe an Air King or Explorer or Explorer 2. You can find them at not so much over list price. Then you will have one on your wrist, enjoying the ownership of a Rolex as you continue to make connections at AD's. I'd get out of the city if I were you. It's a rat's nest not worth wasting your time at this point in my opinion.

Good luck and the enjoyment of the hunt will be better with a gently used Rolex at a decent price on your wrist!

[Seddyspaghetti]

Sub is doable. You can normally get it as your second piece. Or you can even get it as your first piece with a little bit of luck and patience.

I say buy the sub grey to enjoy it now and go out to NY ADs and register your interest in person for a sub. Keep following up with all of them and eventually at least one should get back to you. When this happens you can either sell the one you bought grey or sell the new one to break even with the difference you paid for the grey one.

If you want to buy 1 piece before the sub to increase your chances significantly, i’d recommend wempe rolex boutique for the best customer service and transparency. Tourneau is good too but their customer service is not really great from my experience. Also tourneau has a relatively tough approval process for specialty pieces like BLRO (you typically need to have at least like 60k+ minimum spent and ideally have bought non professional rolex pieces in your purchase history to be even considered by corp/management. SA can merely submit you and advocate for you but cant really do much outside of that. )

Another piece of advice is to try to get SA mobile numbers so you can follow up and build connection thru text which in my experience is better than email.

Good luck!

[huba01]

Originally Posted by mykii

Honestly, you're in NYC. Just go grey. Don't waste your time buying unwanted models. This is the land of the big dogs, if you're not going to drop $$$ you're not going to get all the watches you want.

My NYC AD has made it clear that a Daytona allocation is on a $100k+ account as a minimum consideration. The BLRO is basically the same. You could probably get a sub in the intermediate future, but even those are not easy to get.

If you're hellbent on going the AD route in NYC, be prepared to waste a lot of time at a minimum.

sound advice

[HogwldFLTR]

Only buy watches you love and try doing so without simply letting the herd bias you!!! If following the herd is what chooses your taste then down the road all you have to be proud of is being like everyone else. Good luck with your collecting. I kind of miss NYC on occasion but truly feel more comfortable on the outskirts of Boston!!! :cheersa;

[faz]

If there is a less popular model that interests you as a beginner watch, start with that and build a relationship. Otherwise just go with grey market and get the piece you really like.


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[Manamana]

Put your name on as many lists for different references at several ADs. Don't go for a Pepsi or Daytona try a more realistic reference to get like a black Sub, Milgauss, AK or Explorer I (If you manage to get something from an AD make sure to visit the rest wearing what you got and change what you have on their waiting list, just an excuse to visit again and you may get on the list for real this time if they didn't put you on the first time). At the same time look around for soon to be discontinued models like the Explorer II and likes from grey before prices shoot up. If your mother, father, anyone from your family or friends wants to buy jewelry or easy to get watchs go and buy what he wants in your name from one of the ADs you are on the list with. Pick this AD wisly. Oh and very important to wear what you got from an AD when visiting again. If you like other brands than Rolex then try to get the best discount you can and buy from an AD that carries Rolex too. Don't buy from others even if you get a better discount, 5-15% is not worth the chance of establishing a relationship with a Rolex AD. Be patient, have fun, and good luck.

[coucher]

You're going to make some mistakes along the way. I've been collecting for only 10 years and I'm still in my 20's. You'll eventually come back to Rolex no matter what anyone says lol. I’ld say Wait or go gray. Don't buy into the AD BS. Don't buy what you don't want and that's that.