BLNR vs BLRO Hype

[Colin10101]

Hey guys,

For those that were around paying close attention to the market when the BLNR was first released, what was the hype like? Were the waitlists similar to the SS BLRO now, or is this on a whole new level?

[GradyPhilpott]

The BLNR was controversial when it was first released, because everyone was hoping for a steel BLRO.

Still, it took my AD more than a year to get one and I was lucky enough to get it.

I don't know if controversy counts as hype, but there was enough excitement that it was hard to get then and remains so today.

[TimeToWatch]

I bought my first Rolex, a 116610LN in September 2013. The BLNR was announced that March. I was dead set on my sub, but the dealer offered me a BLNR for 10% off which was just collecting dust in the storefront window. May as well have been a lifetime ago...

[wisguy]

I think the hype for the SS BLRO has been much higher.

[pexus]

The hype was much lesser then. A lot of people were undecided about a blue black GMT and it took them some time to appreciate the beauty. I helped two friends to purchase one from my local AD before deciding to get one myself.

The jubilee BLRO was a completely different animal. Less than a year ago a lot of evangelists were preaching why Rolex will never release a SS BLRO and I was a firm believer. So the floodgates opened the moment news came out from Basel.

There is also an issue of stock availability of sports models now vs back then.



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[Andrejb]

I feel like the BLNR was released years ago when the market was much different. Not the same as a watch being released by Rolex in today’s market.

I may be wrong


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[AK797]

Even the TT is selling for way over retail so this hype time is unprecedented.

[hitman23]

There were significant wait times, but people were definitely not paying the ridiculous premiums for the BLNR when it dropped.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by hitman23

There were significant wait times, but people were definitely not paying the ridiculous premiums for the BLNR when it dropped.

That's how I remember it in Hong Kong as well. Wait times and hard to find but with 60+ ADs when they began showing-up it became a matter of shopping persistence and timing. Rolex feeds an inordinate amount of watches to HK. I got mine as a walk-in at an AD at MSRP minus cash discount. There were BNIB around in brick-and-mortar grey dealers for a very slight premium (a few hundred dollars extra, as I recall).

[Roger Lococco]

It was a different time back then. It seems like a lifetime ago...


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[jrs146]

No comparison at all. The BLRO even dwarfs the daytona if I recall. I seem to remember the first daytonaC being listed by a TS at around $16,000. That’s about a 30% premium compared to the 200% premium on Pepsi.


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[mrporter]

Easily collecting dust on display. First time I saw it was instore and not online


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[Chadridv]

BLNR was hard to get and demanded a premium, but nothing like what we're seeing with the BLRO. Interestingly the BLNR has kind of made a full circle, hard to get (but not impossible) and demanding a similar premium to when it was first released.

[Duey]

The BLNR's started out here for $9300 or so and with in a couple months it was $8700 - No where close to the BLRO hype of $22,000 starting out here. Plus there was no shortage of SS at the time.

[WJGESQ]

Originally Posted by GradyPhilpott

The BLNR was controversial when it was first released, because everyone was hoping for a steel BLRO.

Still, it took my AD more than a year to get one and I was lucky enough to get it.

I don't know if controversy counts as hype, but there was enough excitement that it was hard to get then and remains so today.

Wait-doesn't the Batman exist only because Rolex was having problems with red-blue coloration?


If so--Batman exist as a place holder--no?

[rockdrock]

My first Rolex was the BLNR. I got it in Jan 2014 for 7050CHF with a 10% discount and no VAT. I loved the way the watch looked and my jeweler had one within three weeks. Now, the best price for me is 8800CHF fro the SS Pepsi, no discount, and have one waiting but it was a hard journey to get it. I feel the market and perception of Rolex is changing. It is starting to feel like hunting for a Patek 5711 each time there is a new Rolex model out.


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[Mystro]

It’s a entirely different Rolex enviorment today than any time before so there is no way to compare.

[watchtabs]

I still dont like the BLNR :(

[brandrea]

These are crazy times indeed.

[Rolexism_]

No SS watch in my personal opinion and experience has had the hype like the BLRO. I obtained a BLNR from my AD on a 2 day notice for list. It wasn’t too hot in the grey market in the next few months or years either. In fact, I sold it for the same price I bought it for. In 2016 when the Daytona was released it was still not being sold for the kind of 13-14K mark up over msrp that the BLRO is drawing now.

[Colin10101]

Interesting. Was hoping to hear that the BLRO may be comparable to the BLNR and there wouldn't be too much trouble getting one after the initial mania died down. I guess I may be SOL.. Looks like it'll be a long wait for mine!

Thanks to all that contributed their experience at the time.

[Navarino]

Originally Posted by Colin10101

Interesting. Was hoping to hear that the BLRO may be comparable to the BLNR and there wouldn't be too much trouble getting one after the initial mania died down. I guess I may be SOL.. Looks like it'll be a long wait for mine!

Thanks to all that contributed their experience at the time.

I don't think the hype for this particular watch will die down anytime soon unless we see a material (negative) shift in the economy or (positive) shift in Rolex supply. I do think the hot factor will cool off with the TT CHNR model after a bit of time (no clue why anyone would pay above MSRP for that watch, as beautiful as it is) but don't see it happening for the SS BLRO. I think the release and roll-out of the Daytona C supply is a more accurate indicator of what to expect with this watch unfortunately. Only hope I can imagine is that I think it's possible a lot more of these will be made than Daytonas, so it may not take as long for ADs to get through their "whale" client lists.

[BLNR Nairobi]

I would say a very different marker from even a year ago. The BLRO has significantly higher premiums/desire than the BLNR, no doubt about that.

I bought my BLNR last year from an AD I had never bought anything off from. That could not have happened just two months later when the SS demand hit my shores. Even a normal Submariner became impossible to get.

The introduction of a new Basel piece with legacy behind it into such a market simply ensured that the desire levels would be even greater for the BLRO than they would have otherwise been.

As for how long it will last? Potentially until there’s some sort of market downturn. After all, even get a Submariner is difficult in many places. When I was in London three months ago the BLNR wait - from 3 ADs - ranged from ‘5 years’ to ‘you have to be an existing customer who has bought several watches,’ with comments about how fortunate I was to have mine. For the BLRO, it will likely be scarce unless there’s an economic downturn, and I'm sure none of us want that.

[Robbyman]

I was told by an AD that they are still getting about five calls a day of people wanting to be added to the wait list. No wonder the lists are closed.

[gccmd]

It seems like Rolex is shipping a lot of BLRO’s now. Lots of incomings, at least on these forums.

[jaisonline]

Originally Posted by Colin10101

Hey guys,

For those that were around paying close attention to the market when the BLNR was first released, what was the hype like? Were the waitlists similar to the SS BLRO now, or is this on a whole new level?

pretty much all of the GMT BLNR models sold here in 2013 and 2014 went for a decent price. not much above $8,950 MSRP and many below MSRP.
nothing remotely like today. judging by some of the posted asking prices, some sellers even bought them w/ an AD discount.

https://www.rolexforums.com/search.p...rchid=20314856

[T01]

The craze for the BLRO is significantly greater than for BLNR. BLNR took longer to be released though at retail.

[droptopman]

No comparison. Yes the market has changed, but I would see BLNR's in AD's for sale fairly regularly back when they were released. I doubt I will ever see a BLRO for sale at an AD. LOL, maybe in 10 years.

[CoveWatch]

I think the current BLRO hype is not only greater than the BLNR's but also most/all watches before it... $22k for a $9k watch is just nuts

[Vivalas]

The market was very different. I even got a discount off a BLNR back then very easily.