We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – there is no „right“ or „wrong“ reason to buy a Rolex, just a right and a wrong way to buy one. Dubious auction or classified listings with too-good-to-be-true prices are bound to end in tears eventually. To make sure you're getting the real deal, authentic in every way, you either need to buy at full retail or from a pre-owned watch dealer with impeccable credentials and ironclad guarantees.
Obviously full retail is going to come at a considerable cost, and unless you work on Wall Street it may not be in the cards. Which doesn't mean you need to forego the watch of your dreams. It just means you need to do a little more research and be content with the fact that while an older version of the same watch may look a bit different, it will save you thousands of dollars.
And because we like you, we've gone and done most of the legwork on your behalf. Here are ten great deals on pre-owned Rolexes to suit every budget for when you're ready to join the ranks of Sir Edmund Hillary, James Bond and Steve McQueen with a fine Swiss timepiece on your wrist.
Hands down the least expensive way to get a Rolex on your wrist, this is the quintessential gent's dress watch. With pre-owned prices currently starting at $2,600, vs. $6,150 for a comparable new Oyster Perpetual that doesn’t even have a date window, this is a serious no-brainer.
FAMOUS FANS:
Andy Warhol, Martin Luther King, Tom Cruise
The classic, original Explorer worn to conquer Mt. Everest has serious vintage appeal on top of being extremely versatile and under-appreciated. It's under-the-radar luxury at its near finest.
FAMOUS FANS:
Matt Damon, John Hamm, Sid Mashburn
Have you ever wondered why a Rolex is so expensive? One of the world's most popular brands, these Swiss luxury Watches are the envy of some and the must-have timepiece for others. But have you ever thought why, exactly, they demand such a high price tag? What makes them better?
At the end of the day aren't they just a regular timepiece with the „classic“ label markup? As it turns out you are not just paying for the name but also the „time“ of a master craftsman in every watch.
We'll take a closer look at Rolex watches in general and one piece in particular, the Rolex Submariner. Today, we will point out the rare intricacies, and by extension, help justify the price but of course you will be the judge of that. Only time will tell… We also hope that by the end of the article, you might well ask „Actually, why are they so cheap?“
As you can see, the „gubbins“ of the watch is very different from the one you might get from a Christmas cracker. It is, quite literally, a work of art comprising of hundreds or even thousands of individual parts. In that sense, Rolex can be compared to vintage timepieces such as those created by Patek Philippe.
