The Role of Resale Value in Your Purchase Decision

[rag5178]

I wanted to gather some thoughts and perspectives from the members of this non-Rolex forum on the role that resale value plays in your purchase decision.

Do you buy without any regard to resale value? Is your purchase decision primarily driven by resale value? Or do you sit somewhere in the middle?

The reason I raise the topic is that I sometimes feel as though there is a bit of gatekeeping in the high end luxury watch market. There is a notion that if you can't afford to buy and keep a watch forever, then you are not a "true" collector. My personal opinion is very different from this notion.

My view on the matter is that personal taste and interest in watches changes. After a year or two or three or five, I may swap a watch out of my collection that no longer fits my needs or taste for something new that does. Not only does this help me afford new watch purchases, but it forces me to be deliberate and discerning in my collection. For that reason, resale value plays a role in my purchase decisions. Also, no matter how much due diligence you do before making a new purchase, you never really know how much you will enjoy a watch until you get to wear it regularly.

Very interested to hear opposing viewpoints. I think that the majority of this forum is firmly opposed to deliberate flipping, but views on the nuance of buying without the intention to flip but with consideration to resale value is less clear to me.