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I think it is a pretty big blanket statement to say that they are all a ripoff. YOU had a bad experience with one model. They have been around for a long long time and sold many millions of watches with very little EVER damaging their reputation of quality and prestige. If anything they are not only not a ripoff, but a sound long term investment in the watch world if you are a collector.

I was at my local pawnshop today and saw one sold right in front of me that was 10 years old and in great shape for $9800 to a guy who walked in while I was there and purchased it.

I don't personally own a Rolex and never have. But I can appreciate the quality they put into their watches and the history they have built over many generations. I hope they someday put out a 45mm - 47mm model, but I doubt we will ever see one that large. They have no reason to ever need to do that IMO.

 

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I can agree they are a good investment, but most owners don't even like wearing them on a daily basis because they don't want scratches in the finish. I would rather wear the Oris diver you own than own a Rolex based upon my experience. Sure, Rolex does make some good movements and they have a reputation, but a lot of that is just good marketing. Seiko's higher end models are more accurate and assembled by hand, Rolex are not assembled by hand from what I have read. Seiko does not market them much, which is a shame.
Anyway, I doubt they will ever come out with a model that is of a more modern design. It would go against their marketing model.

Another issue is, the amount of fakes being out there. I won't see many fake Schaumburg or Oris's out there. So owning a Rolex can often have an owner asked if it is a fake. This hurts the idea of what a Rolex is supposed to be, a watch that is not common and for an upper class segment. Ironically, they have become so common that owning one is not that special anymore. Now owning a Patek Phillipe or A.Lange would make one feel much more special.

 

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I've never owned a Rolex and probably never will and I don't think you should have to pay for repairs on a watch with a 5-figure price tag. But I have to say that IMO one bad experience should define the entire company.

I think every Freek on here has probably had a bad experience with atleast 1 watch manufacturer, but another Freek has probably had exceptional service with the same manufacturer, it's just the luck of the draw. The watch companies can't satisfy everyone, it's just about impossible.

But the least they could have done was take the bill for your repairs after you spent enough on the watch.

 

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Well, it's a shame it ended up that way. It was a bad experience and it made me think about how much marketing is in their brand instead of actual innovation. Most German watch companies have better steel casings and they're cheaper! Service costs me maybe $50 for a standard clean and oil.

 

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I know they hold there value but I wouldn`t buy one There are to many watches that hold there value for less then half the cost.

 

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Buy a Rolex, wear it every day for 5 years...send it to Rolex with $500and get it back like brand new...wear it for another 5 years and sell it for $1200 more than you bought it for. The cost of ownership is what ? That's a typical Rolex experience.



Buy a Seiko.....wear it every day for 10 years and sell it for...come on...how much are you going toget really? Who is the rip off?

 

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Donut wrote:

Buy a Rolex, wear it every day for 5 years...send it to Rolex with $500and get it back like brand new...wear it for another 5 years and sell it for $1200 more than you bought it for. The cost of ownership is what ? That's a typical Rolex experience.



Buy a Seiko.....wear it every day for 10 years and sell it for...come on...how much are you going toget really? Who is the rip off?

+1. Said better then I did above, lol

Of course in the end you buy what you like and hopefully LIKE WHAT YOU BUY.

 

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TVDinner wrote:

Of course in the end you buy what you like and hopefully LIKE WHAT YOU BUY.

Absolutely, and I did not mean to infer that Seiko was a Rip Off. I believe they make a quality, yet different, product....but their hand made pieces are not really any cheaper than many Rolex pieces. The Grand Seikos look great and are very accurate but that comes at a substantial price as well....if what you are looking for is the best"accuracy / money spent" ratio...buy a quartz...buy a cheap quartz.

 

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Rolex is a status symbol.....period. It does not tell the time any better than a Citizen or a Seiko. Sure, it's a nice watch, but so are the ones that cost 1/10 the price. And anybody will to pay $1200 more that the original price on a 10 year old Rolex...well, as P.T. Barnum said "there's a sucker born every minute"
To each his own., I guess.

 

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My experience has been similar to Donut's in terms of the value.

I've owned a bunch of Rolex models over a 7-8 year span (around 25-30), but would not buy one today (just not my style these days).

I would say the split was 60% pre-owned and 40% "new" but not from ADs. I never worried about the warranty as none ever had an issue. I had my watchmaker either refurbish/restore some older models or perform a basic service on all pre-owned watches. I ended up only keeping 2 "new" models long enough to have their scheduled servicing, which I recouped after selling them.

I enjoyed them all, and when it came to part with them, I made a profit on them all . . . but one (which I had custom built), then sold in a rush for a "grail" at the time. :wf

I don't feel that I was ripped off at all. I honestly can't say that about any other brand (as a whole) concerning the watches I have owned. I also haven't owned a lot of watches from a single brand, but I've owned many brands over the years. Invicta and Omega are the two other brands in which I've owned 10 or more pieces at a time. For some reason, Omega is a brand that I probably wouldn't buy today . . . again, they're just not my style right now.

Now give me a Panerai . . . hmmmmm! :l

 

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WatchNut wrote:

Rolex is a status symbol.....period. It does not tell the time any better than a Citizen or a Seiko. Sure, it's a nice watch, but so are the ones that cost 1/10 the price. And anybody will to pay $1200 more that the original price on a 10 year old Rolex...well, as P.T. Barnum said "there's a sucker born every minute"
To each his own., I guess.

Rolex is a quality timepiece that are typically chronometers. They will certainly keep better time than MOST Citizen or Seiko automatic watches, unless you are dealing with a Grand Seiko or Spring Drive (both are expensive in their own right).

Think about a watch like the Seiko Marinemaster SBDB001. It is just about as expensive as a Rolex. In my mind, those are probably one of the best dive watches that you can buy...at their list price are they worth it? To you, maybe not...to me, yes. It is all perspective and preference based.

IMO a Rolex is worth the money. You are getting an in-house movement that is resulated to COSC specs and a build quality that is top notch. I plan on getting a LV Sub soon and am ready and willing to pay for that quality. Sure it tells time and a quartz is probably more accurate, but it is a high quality timepiece that will not lose much value over the years.

 

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my uncle (who also happens to own 2 Ferraris) has a gold Presidential that he's worn as a daily watch for nearly 30 yrs. and i have never heard him say he's a had a lick of trouble with it. i honestly don't remember him wearing anything but that watch. i think everybody has had their problems with a brand but i wouldn't say Rolex isn't worth it.

that said- i don't think, given the money and chance, i would personally own one. i have to agree that they're big status symbols. i drive a VW :l

 

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Owning a Rolex is a wise investment IMHO. You basically get the watch for free. Think about it. You pay $8K wear it for 5 years and then sell it for $8-$9K 5 years later, or don't sell it and wear it for another 5 years and still sell it for what you paid. This has been proven time and time again. There aren't many other watches that you can say that about with the exception of Rob's (Donut) collection LOL!!

 

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I honestly I have no real opinion on the matter; if you think they are a rip off....well then they are a rip off. OK by me :b

CJ

 

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WatchNut wrote:

Rolex is a status symbol.....period. It does not tell the time any better than a Citizen or a Seiko. Sure, it's a nice watch, but so are the ones that cost 1/10 the price. And anybody will to pay $1200 more that the original price on a 10 year old Rolex...well, as P.T. Barnum said "there's a sucker born every minute"
To each his own., I guess.

I thought this forum was for people who enjoyed watches for more than just telling time...I'm not sure how these links will work out but this Rolex was made in 1967, I don't know what it sold for at the time but this watch sold on April 17, 2009 for $240,000 USD...not a typo...just shy of a quarter mil.

and the next lot...

the exact same price.



And this one broke the Quarter Mil barrier and sold for $252,000 USD on that same day.

I'm thinking that many Rolex sold this day for more than $1200 over the original sale price.

http://catalog.antiquorum.com/catalog_asta.html

http://beta.antiquorum.com/catalog/2008/04/new-york-17th-april-2008/price-list/

 

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I think a distinction should be made between someone who is a real collector and purchases watches to be put in a case with the hope of increased value over time versus a casual collector that sees watches as a hobby and loves have a variety of them to actually wear and enjoy.

To the people in the later group you might find a Rolex excessive and "not worth it". To the people in the first group you see Rolex as a "blue chip stock" with long term value that you sit on through good and bad times knowing that the item will always have a strong resale value (in many cases increasing value)

 

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I wear my watches TV....and I wear watches that are worth more than Rolex...

and I take some solace in the fact that should something bad happen to my shiny watch, a talented watchmaker can take a watch from..

to

Cheers,

Rob

 

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Rob - you are an exception to the norm I think you would agree. You have the financial ability to purchase much higher end watches and wear them like most others would buy a Citizen or Seiko. One of your watches is probably worth more then most people's entire collection - for their entire lives. For most people your collection is not just beyond what they will ever own, but a dream. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS AT ALL and it is amazing the collection you have built. For many of us we gain enjoyment from learning about your watches and seeing some timepieces we will probably never even handle, let alone actually own. So again, you are in a unique situation compared to most. You have the luxury to be both a collector AND a fun hobbyist because you have the means to do both.

But I digress. Back on topic, many people could save and eventually own a Rolex. The original poster stated that Rolex was "a ripoff". I disagree with that point and feel that if someone was to save up and purchase a Rolex then would have something that not only retains its value, but almost always goes up in value.

 

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Just wow.....:BE!!!



CJ


Donut wrote:

I wear my watches TV....and I wear watches that are worth more than Rolex...



and I take some solace in the fact that should something bad happen to my shiny watch, a talented watchmaker can take a watch from..



to










Cheers,

Rob

 

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Rob - you are an exception to the norm I think you would agree. You have the financial ability to purchase much higher end watches and wear them like most others would buy a Citizen or Seiko. One of your watches is probably worth more then most people's entire collection - for their entire lives. For most people your collection is not just beyond what they will ever own, but a dream. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS AT ALL and it is amazing the collection you have built. For many of us we gain enjoyment from learning about your watches and seeing some timepieces we will probably never even handle, let alone actually own. So again, you are in a unique situation compared to most. You have the luxury to be both a collector AND a fun hobbyist because you have the means to do both.

I for one enjoy Rob's postings, his collection, and his insight and trips to MFG's always amazes me, the man needs a show on PBS or the Discovery Channel; what I call a learning process, reading Rob's writings. I personally, if I ever had the means to buy a Rolex would never do so. IMHO there in nothing special about a Rolex that stand out in IMHO. There are other MFG's or independents who are more worthy of my $K's than Rolex.

I do not mean to insult any Rolex owners, we all have our own likes, tastes etc (blondes - brunettes) I would just by something to my linking.

 

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sportscenterisnext wrote:

Rob - you are an exception to the norm I think you would agree. You have the financial ability to purchase much higher end watches and wear them like most others would buy a Citizen or Seiko. One of your watches is probably worth more then most people's entire collection - for their entire lives. For most people your collection is not just beyond what they will ever own, but a dream. There is NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS AT ALL and it is amazing the collection you have built. For many of us we gain enjoyment from learning about your watches and seeing some timepieces we will probably never even handle, let alone actually own. So again, you are in a unique situation compared to most. You have the luxury to be both a collector AND a fun hobbyist because you have the means to do both.

I for one enjoy Rob's postings, his collection, and his insight and trips to MFG's always amazes me, the man needs a show on PBS or the Discovery Channel; what I call a learning process, reading Rob's writings. I personally, if I ever had the means to buy a Rolex would never do so. IMHO there in nothing special about a Rolex that stand out in IMHO. There are other MFG's or independents who are more worthy of my $K's than Rolex.

I do not mean to insult any Rolex owners, we all have our own likes, tastes etc (blondes - brunettes) I would just by something to my linking.

I feel the same way about Rolex. If I had the money I personally would pick another high end watch just because my personal tastes are different then the current Rolex line. I have posted many times that if they had a model that was 45-47mm I might consider it, but I don't see them ever doing this anytime soon because they just dont have to. Yesterday at the pawn shop they had a large large selection of Rolex models, probably 100+ and they just are not for me. Now the Breitlings, Tags, and some others they had in the store really caught my eye and would probably get my money first. That is not a knock on Rolex because the cost was the same. Just a personal taste thing.

On Rob's collection - it is stunning and the best personal collection I have ever seen. I also enjoy seeing your watches Rob and learning about them each time you post one somewhere on the site.

 

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Donut wrote:

I wear my watches TV....and I wear watches that are worth more than Rolex...

and I take some solace in the fact that should something bad happen to my shiny watch, a talented watchmaker can take a watch from..

to

Cheers,

Rob

Hi Rob....If you ever get mad at the Zeinth...and feel like tossing it out of the car....or running over it....please don't. Just PM ol' Larry here in Texas and I'll be happy to dispose of it for you!!! I mean I could toss it in the Gulf of Mexico for you....I'm only about 60 miles from Galveston!!!! :%:%:%:%:%



Shhhhh.....I would never dispose of it that way...I'd wear it!!! Don't you think it look nice when I'm wearing my suit while I am showing one of my dogs!!!!

Seriously...one beautiful collection of watches...and I'll bet you can't tell which one is my favorite!!!!:c:c:c

 

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Why do Seiko owners always feel the need to rip on other brands? To me, they have an inferiority complex.

Save your money and enjoy the Seiko but don't complain when most people will see it as a cheap watch.

 

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Ionce went to a store we have near hear called "Unclaimed Baggage" that sells what is supposed to be unclaimed baggage from airports.They sell everything from electronics to clothing.I went there to see if they had any watches.They had several cheap ones and one really beat up Rolex.It looked like it went through a plane wreck and was unclaimed because the guy was dead.It was still selling for thousands of dollars!So I wouldn't consider them a ripoff if even in such bad shape they still sell for that much of their original value.I could never afford one but the Submariner and Daytona are definitely my style.Many other watch companies agree because they are still making "homages" of these models.Invicta can credit their rebirth to Rolex's design.

Seiko makes a great watch butI wouldn't pay Rolex money for one.You would never get the return on your investment.They have the same problem Invicta does.It's hard to justify paying a few thousand for one when they also sell a similar model for a couple of hundred dollars.Rolex doesn't sell a cheaper model.You tell some guy that you paid $2,000 for a Seiko he's going to think your crazy.He's going to say "I just saw one of them on sale for $299 at JC Penny's".He is not going to care or understand about the difference in movements or materials.Most people will look at it the same way.

 

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lets get something straight here, I said that Rolex watches do hold their value. Or at least I agreed with TV, but where I disagree is with the marketing/social status of what Rolex is. I feel that you can get watches that match their assembling for much cheaper. I own a Schaumburg diver that is very accurate, and I wear it daily. A lot of Rolex owners let their watches collect dust then sell them later. I feel that a watch should be worn, but you should get it touched up every so often with the scratches and what not.

There will be fanboys, and I understand why. Their marketing and celebrity endorsements have made the brand an icon in society. I'd rather wear an Omega than a Rolex, but that's just me.