[Truetone]

Rolex Shortage Explained: A Complete Guide - Millenary Watches

Why is there a Rolex shortage of stainles steel sports models? Click here to learn all about the Rolex shortage and waiting lists.

millenarywatches.com

 

[AtomicTom]

That is crazy sir. Holy cowza ! 😲 I don’t mean to sound naive,
but I actually wasn’t even aware of all of that. Honestly haven’t
seen articles like this on the watch blogs. And also don’t really
look too much into Rolex enough I guess. I mean when a new
model is in the works, or being released that’s always big news,
but seriously didn’t even know about shortages, and everything. 😊

Fascinating True, thanks a ton for the report !!!

 

[Chazman1946]

"Rolex as a company is extremely powerful and has done a great job in building its brand and brand name on the market. Today, Rolex watches are seen as the ultimate symbol of success."

The last sentence explains it all, despite what some are saying that "Rolex " isn't a snob status symbol, it indeed is!

In a normal supply and demand situation, take automobiles for instance, if a manufacturer is making a certain model that is super popular they will curtail the manufacture of models in less demand and make up the slack.

Not so Rolex, they continue to manufacture a limited amount of their most desired models to make them more exclusive to keep the aura of snobbery motive to purchase one at insanity prices!

This reminds me of Harley Davidson's marketing ploy back about 20-30 years ago. They abandoned their diehard fans in favor of the weekend warrior Yuppie faux-bikers who will pony up the price of a car to buy one, The poor suckers who stayed loyal to them (me included) through thick and thin, even the dark days when the bowling pin company AMF was putting them out were left in the lurch!

Just as I swore I would never buy another Harley, I say the same for Rolex!

Good thing I'm not sporting a "Rolex" tattoo like I am my Harley tattoo!

 

[Roarry]

Chaz, I see you didn't forget to use your term "snob status symbol" again ... perhaps a status symbol to many, but why do you insist on labeling Rolex as a watch for snobs??

 

[Chazman1946]

Chaz, I see you didn't forget to use your term "snob status symbol" again ... perhaps a status symbol to many, but why do you insist on labeling Rolex as a watch for snobs??

What other reason if you are making a $14k purchase for a "Status Symbol" (simply for the Name Rolex on the dial) other than to show the "Great Unwashed" you are indeed above them? If that isn't snobbery, what is?

 

[GoodWatch]

Opinions don't necessarily represent any truth. Rolex S.A. churns out close to 1 million (yes, million) watches per year, hardly making them 'limited'. But it's the punters that decide if they are desirable or not and they make this decision with their wallets. With the emphasis on 'their'. Not my wallet or anybody else's wallets. The lament over the yearly price hike has been going on for decades now but there's nothing you can do about it and no one is forced at gun point to buy a Rolex. They do it because they can. The Hermès Birkin handbag has an estimated average retail price of US$ 28,000 and do you really, really think this represents the intrinsic value? No sir. But sold they are. The 16610 I once owned has tripled in value, if that means anything. It's not up to us to judge anyone's choice of watch. Out of personal reasons you can disagree with it but that is moot.

 

[Truetone]

I read a post on another forum in which a member asked his AD why it was so hard to get a Rolex and the dealer shrugged and said something like 'Rolex makes one million watches a year but receives 26 million orders'.

 

[Roarry]

What other reason if you are making a $14k purchase for a "Status Symbol" (simply for the Name Rolex on the dial) other than to show the "Great Unwashed" you are indeed above them? If that isn't snobbery, what is?

You & I will likely not ever see eye to eye on this and that's just fine. I like Rolex for many reasons. It may do you well to re read my other posts on this topic to remind yourself. You make HUGE assumptions here. I do not see any watch as a status symbol & I don't endeavor to show anyone that I'm "above them". It's quite likely that others may. So your idea that I'm a snob because I wear the Rolex brand is ridiculous.

 

[Chazman1946]

You & I will likely not ever see eye to eye on this and that's just fine. I like Rolex for many reasons. It may do you well to re read my other posts on this topic to remind yourself. You make HUGE assumptions here. I do not see any watch as a status symbol & I don't endeavor to show anyone that I'm "above them". It's quite likely that others may. So your idea that I'm a snob because I wear the Rolex brand is ridiculous.

I own a Rolex I certainly am not a snob either, considering I also wear $80 Vostoks. What I am saying, and you have confirmed, you wouldn't pay $14k for a new Sub that in reality shouldn't be selling north of $7K.

Now you tell me, why would anyone of middle or working-class background shell out that kind of money for that watch, unless they saw it as a status symbol, of which Rolex has marketed it as, and it truly has become??

I never insinuated you are a snob, what I am trying to say is that like it or not it has become the watch of elitism, intentionally being promoted that way by Rolex itself.

That is the reason some people stopped wearing Rolexes because of the reputation it has, in a business dealing with average folks, don't want to give them that idea.

I owned my Sub the last 4 years of my career in the Chicago Police Department as a Homicide Detective, the first couple of months I wore it I was getting strange looks from witnesses and others, they were looking at me like I was a cop on the take. Stopped wearing it and put my Armitron quartz back on instead.

 

[FBPB]

There are other aspects to look at about the "shortage". If they are running at 100% capacity, then they need to expand. If you have ever seen their factory in Geneva, it's in an industrial zone, surrounded by other building withs no empty space to expand into. On top of that, Swiss laws do not let you simply "build higher".

Also, land/buildings in Geneva is eye-wateringly expensive to buy. So, for the moment, unless they open another factory next to the movement factory in Biel/Bienne, or move out to Plan-Les-Ouates next to Vacheron Constantin etc, they're not going to be able to easily increase capacity. But again, this will be expensive and take time.

However, please also note that the Swiss idea of dealing with a popular product is not to make more of them, but simply to charge more for it. It is very annoying for those who like the brand, but it makes the company richer. This falls in perfectly with their exclusion marketing (and AR collusion with Greymarket sellers that Rolex knows about, but won't actually do anything about because it maintains the exclusivity / higher prices).

 

[AtomicTom]

Some incredibly cool insight Hector ! 😉

As usual, and always !! It’s just phenomenal to
see your name pop up. I get worried when I don’t see
people for a while. But don’t like to bug them either with
PM’s. So happy to see you, and speaking of happy, ..
Happy New Year !!!

 

[FBPB]

Thanks Tom! Yeah I was so busy at work these past few months, I hardly had time for anything else....

and Bonne Année to you too!

 

[FBPB]

I stand corrected, they are already in Plan-Les-Ouates, right next to Patek Philippe and not that far from VC...

 

[AtomicTom]

Thanks Tom! Yeah I was so busy at work these past few months, I hardly had time for anything else....

and Bonne Année to you too!

😉Don't mention it, and totally understand sir. Just am glad everything
is going well on your end, and happy to see your name pop up Hector. 😀
Bonne Annee to you, and yours', and also to everyone there as well !!!