The most you've paid over MSRP...and how did you justify it?

[SaintMickey]

This one might not get a lot of honest answers but we all want to study the mind of the 35k Turquoise Blue OP Rolex owner...

Anyone else have a story to tell? Still ok with the decision? Most you've paid over MSRP for a current model?

And let me say we all know the reason people buy from Grey so no reason to spout on about "availability".

Just talking how much over MSRP.

[macrowatch]

Value of time.

[PBJ1925]

4k is the highest mark up I paid for what was once a current model. Reason like prior member, value of time. Still ok with decision.

Conversely I also paid 10k under MSRP before.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by macrowatch

Value of time.

Not reasons. Just amount over MSRP.

But "value of time" could be an answer that "you don't regret the decision" which I agree life is short.

Truth be told if I "had the money" I'd pay every Grey Market price there is IF I wanted a watch. Again...Life is short.

BUT I do not "have the money" so I have never paid over MSRP. Most I've paid below MSRP. Although it'd be a good problem to have...unlimited funds that is.

[subtona]

Traded a hot watch for another hot watch

Both traded at market.

So yes, I overpaid but I also was paid over.

I could have taken the profit and called it a win but I like watches :)

[IR201]

It's a combination of things. I want the watch, I value my time, and I don't like grovelling or begging to sales associates who want nothing to do with me. That the watch is almost always worth more tomorrow than it is today is a nice bonus, in case I feel like trading for something else down the road.

[subtona]

Originally Posted by IR201

It's a combination of things. I want the watch, I value my time, and I don't like grovelling or begging to sales associates who want nothing to do with me. That the watch is almost always worth more tomorrow than it is today is a nice bonus, in case I feel like trading for something else down the road.

Agree time is money. No accounting for the potential amount of time lost when the obsession hits us

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by IR201

It's a combination of things. I want the watch, I value my time, and I don't like grovelling or begging to sales associates who want nothing to do with me. That the watch is almost always worth more tomorrow than it is today is a nice bonus, in case I feel like trading for something else down the road.

I like this...

I do wonder how long the $43,875 SS white dial Daytonas will take to catch up though!

[garyk]

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

I like this...

I do wonder how long the $43,875 SS white dial Daytonas will take to catch up though!

I wonder that too. I could sell mine and buy a gold one from a grey for mine and some cash. Kind of makes sense to me.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by garyk

I wonder that too. I could sell mine and buy a gold one from a grey for mine and some cash. Kind of makes sense to me.

100% sense. Money paid for PM is always better than for SS IMHO. I just don't have the money! Or I haven't committed to selling 3 or 4 for 1 YET.

[Spoonage]

I've never paid over MSRP... I have been lucky enough to have gotten every watch at discount EXCEPT my DaytonaC, which was MSRP... Coincidentally that was the last watch I bought. I'm sure that if I attempt to buy any of the watches on my list now that it'll be MSRP or slightly over... the way I look at it is depending on how much over, it could push me up to the next watch on my list.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by Spoonage

I've never paid over MSRP... I have been lucky enough to have gotten every watch at discount EXCEPT my DaytonaC, which was MSRP... Coincidentally that was the last watch I bought. I'm sure that if I attempt to buy any of the watches on my list now that it'll be MSRP or slightly over... the way I look at it is depending on how much over, it could push me up to the next watch on my list.

Technically a DaytonaC at MSRP is better than a discount on the others!!

[GrantD]

Paid £1000 over list for my Rootbeer, guess it’s paid me back 5 fold and then some.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by GrantD

Paid £1000 over list for my Rootbeer, guess it’s paid me back 5 fold and then some.

That's about $1300 USD on a $14,800 watch...I could see someone saying WTH and buying it and not waiting, hoping, begging.

[TimepieceRPP]

Double price for skyd blue. Very gutted but knew that I won't get it from my AD after 2 years. I could pay less if I accepted it much earlier. Haha

[GrantD]

Originally Posted by SaintMickey

That's about $1300 USD on a $14,800 watch...I could see someone saying WTH and buying it and not waiting, hoping, begging.

Saw it and knew I had to have one, AD said maybe 9 months if I’m lucky.

[huncho]

$3000 (20%) in dec 2019. i really wanted the watch and couldn't even get on the waitlist. no regrets at the time and definitely not now, watch is now double what i paid and still going

[Dirt]

I've never paid over the odds for a new watch.
I can't justify it at all.

Though on occassion I have paid the recommended price for the right watch at the time, with only one being problematic on reflection. My judgement was clouded at the time.

[Rick Deckard]

Three 116500LN Ceramic Daytonas (2 black, one white), paid $7k, $8k and $9k over MSRP.

$60k in, $100k today ... plus I had the pleasure of wearing one.

Justification: I wanted to have one in black, one in silver and one in white. That's it.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by huncho

$3000 (20%) in dec 2019. i really wanted the watch and couldn't even get on the waitlist. no regrets at the time and definitely not now, watch is now double what i paid and still going

Some buys a couple years ago "reasonably over MSRP" have blossomed for sure...

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by Rick Deckard

Three 116500LN Ceramic Daytonas (2 black, one white), paid $7k, $8k and $9k over MSRP.

$60k in, $100k today ... plus I had the pleasure of wearing one.

Justification: I wanted to have one in black, one in silver and one in white. That's it.

If you want it and you got it...ain't going to get any arguments from me...only jealousy.

[Beto737]

Originally Posted by Rick Deckard

Justification: I wanted to have one in black, one in silver and one in white. That's it.

Excellent, I like this demeanor. If you can afford it, get what you want when you want. How you got there is irrelevant in today’s market.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by Dirt

I've never paid over the odds for a new watch.
I can't justify it at all.

Though on occassion I have paid the recommended price for the right watch at the time, with only one being problematic on reflection. My judgement was clouded at the time.

Yep. Then this topic isn't for you. Paying MSRP or below is always the best.

[Rick Deckard]

@Mickey
@Beto737

Thank you - I appreciate the support. But seriously, given how much money I have to pay the IRS every year, or tuition for the kids, or health insurance, or travel for the family ... if I want something for me, I should be able to get it. Period. ;)

[Bruse Wayne]

$4k Justified via decent trade in value of previous watch.

as previously mentioned.... AD doesn't even know I exist

[amanbra]

Paid about 4k over retail for TT Daytona 3 years ago because I wanted to mark one of my most important transactions. Thoroughly enjoyed the watch over that period of time and now MSRP is basically what I paid for it and market value is higher. This was also a time value of money thing for me.

[SaintMickey]

Originally Posted by Rick Deckard

@Mickey
@Beto737

Thank you - I appreciate the support. But seriously, given how much money I have to pay the IRS every year, or tuition for the kids, or health insurance, or travel for the family ... if I want something for me, I should be able to get it. Period. ;)

Amen and BOOM!

[MAINEZX10]

Originally Posted by Rick Deckard

@Mickey
@Beto737

Thank you - I appreciate the support. But seriously, given how much money I have to pay the IRS every year, or tuition for the kids, or health insurance, or travel for the family ... if I want something for me, I should be able to get it. Period. ;)

NICE!!!! Love your trio

[GrantD]

Originally Posted by Rick Deckard

@Mickey
@Beto737

Thank you - I appreciate the support. But seriously, given how much money I have to pay the IRS every year, or tuition for the kids, or health insurance, or travel for the family ... if I want something for me, I should be able to get it. Period. ;)

Just wow, silver dial rocks

[Harry-57]

116610LV. Got interested in 2017 and couldn’t get wait listed anywhere. My AD said that in their view not all the people on their list would ever get one, although at that time nobody knew that a replacement was 3 years away. I paid £1.4k over MSRP in mid-2018 and haven’t regretted it for a second. It was a grail piece for me. Today’s asking prices are eye watering. I consider the Hulk to be a special watch and its value was bound to be enhanced by its discontinuation, but today’s prices are silly. I wouldn’t pay them, so I’m glad I jumped when I did.



Second time around (and the only other time I went grey for a Rolex) was for a SS Black Sly Dweller. Love the blue but back in early 2019 I had a variety of watch dial colours including two blue Rolex. I didn’t have a black dial Rolex and I liked the sunburst black dial of the black SS Sky Dweller. My asking came around the time that my AD had been informed that their already meagre allocation of Sky Dwellers would be dropping further. I couldn’t get listed for SS black, but they had a TT Champagne one in stock. I was impressed, but the gold dial and bezel were too much for me. Their usual yearly allocation of TT Sky dwellers was one. They usually got the dials in rotation, and they were expecting a white one next. I could have the next black TT that came in, so I left a small deposit and waited.

While I was waiting the MSRP went up. In November the same year another price increase was announced for 1st January 2020. It didn’t take me long to realise that while I had convinced myself of the logic of buying into the higher material worth of the TT, it was the SS Black I still really wanted, and prices were about to jump again. I couldn’t calculate the post price increase cost difference between a TT at MSRP and a SS at grey because it was not known. Pre January 2020 there was a small difference in favour of the SS. In December 2019 I found an unworn, stickered one from a reputable grey dealer at £4.5k over MSRP. I traded in a Breitling which I never wore and bought my Sky Dweller at £2.15k over MSRP. Again, I could not predict where the market price would go, but like the Hulk, I’m sure glad that I jumped when I did. I would not pay today’s market rate for my SS Black Sky Dweller.



I have bought two Rolex watches at my AD with a discount and four at MSRP. All my other watches have either been bought grey or from my AD at a considerable discount. Setting aside the two Rolex I have bought at a grey premium, if I add up the MSRPs of every other watch my wife and I have bought from our AD or grey, the total grey premium I have paid for my two Rolex is less than the total discount from MSRP we have received from other purchases.

I don’t foresee me going grey for another Rolex, although one should never say never. I am on the wait list for one more (and probably last) Rolex and I will wait for as long as it takes. For any other brand I would be interested in, I’ll be going grey or getting a comparable discount from my AD. Just because there is a Rolex anomaly at present, this does not indicate that there is something wrong with the grey market. There isn’t.