Have we lost our minds?

[Investr]

well Moggo, I see your intent of the thread has gotten WAY off track. So, the question was, "have we lost our minds'? My answer is yes BUT Ive gotten it back. The wild goose chases over Daytonas Skys, BLNRs, etc etc has really worn me out. ADs now act like we've won the lottery by being ALLOWED to buy a no date sub. Its absolutely gotten ridiculous!!!

[dba]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

I don't feel that way at all. These are mass produced items. If it was a one off creation from a master, I'd feel blessed to have it. But no common trinket (no matter how pricey) will elicit that emotion from me.

Maybe you are beginning to regain your perspective on the relative value of mass marketed luxury goods.

I'm not sure that Ferrari at about 9000 cars produced per year could be considered mass produced.

But that's just me, I've been wrong before.

[Abdullah71601]

Originally Posted by dba

I'm not sure that Ferrari at about 9000 cars produced per year could be considered mass produced.

But that's just me, I've been wrong before.

That's 35 a day? Takes less than an hour to roll one out the door? Not exactly a one off affair.

They are expensive. But they aren't rare. They definitely aren't special enough to make me feel like someone did me a favor allowing me to buy one. Now, if they made one to my specifications, I'd feel blessed that I had the opportunity to get something no one else has.

[MinMay]

not feeling lucky. It's only a watch.

I'll feel lucky when my water bill is 5K a month :)

[superdog]

Originally Posted by Investr

well Moggo, I see your intent of the thread has gotten WAY off track. So, the question was, "have we lost our minds'? My answer is yes BUT Ive gotten it back. The wild goose chases over Daytonas Skys, BLNRs, etc etc has really worn me out. ADs now act like we've won the lottery by being ALLOWED to buy a no date sub. Its absolutely gotten ridiculous!!!

I call BS.

Only because I know you too well.

BS dude. Huge amounts.

But I can relate, as you well know.

[dba]

Originally Posted by Abdullah71601

That's 35 a day? Takes less than an hour to roll one out the door? Not exactly a one off affair.

They are expensive. But they aren't rare. They definitely aren't special enough to make me feel like someone did me a favor allowing me to buy one. Now, if they made one to my specifications, I'd feel blessed that I had the opportunity to get something no one else has.

I didn't say they weren't rare, nor cheap. Just my opinion that 9000 cars a year isn't considered mass production.

Ford makes about 2 million cars a year. I'd consider that mass production. Rolex makes probably 1 million watches a year, (although you couldn't prove it here by the amount of threads on a shortage ), I'd also consider that mass production.

Ferrari at 9000, not so much.

[Fleetlord]

It's what the market wants.

As long as ladies get dressed to impress and wait in line just for the CHANCE to be INTERVIEWED to purchase a Hermes Birkin..etc Luxury brands will limit distribution.

[bayerische]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

It's what the market wants.

As long as ladies get dressed to impress and wait in line just for the CHANCE to be INTERVIEWED to purchase a Hermes Birkin..etc Luxury brands will limit distribution.

I can't help it, but I can't stop laughing.

Has it really gone that bad now?

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by bayerische

I can't help it, but I can't stop laughing.

Has it really gone that bad now?

Yep. Watch this if you like and see what this poor lady had to go through to obtain an Hermes Birkin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbyam0ZV4H0

Would anyone here do this for a Rolex Submariner? It might be coming to that. Interview with dealer. Proof of ownership..etc

[Moggo]

As they say on Dragons Den ‘I’m out’!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by Moggo

As they say on Dragons Den ‘I’m out’!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is obviously your prerogative, but the luxury goods market clearly prefers limited distribution and exclusivity above all.

Luxury goods that are easy to obtain are floundering due to lack of interest. There is no excitement or buzz. Nothing "special" about them.

The market behavior shows that it is simply not good enough to BE a quality luxury product...it also needs to be "special" in that is scarce and hard to obtain....thus making it MORE desirable.

There is alotta money out there and alotta choices when it comes to luxury anything...so the "chase" for the unobtainable is ruling the market....

[Star Ferry]

We're heading to a point where middle class Americans will not be able to collect Rolex, and that is probably by design

Fortunately there are a lot of great watch brands, and also less popular Rolex models, that may get more attention as a result

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Star Ferry

We're heading to a point where middle class Americans will not be able to collect Rolex, and that is probably by design

right or wrong i agree. Rolex has been moving further upmarket for a while. Probably a reaction to the fact that people don't really need watches anymore, but they need luxury. Pricing a Daytona at 5k for example is neither luxury (to the extent it is now) nor affordable. Its in-between and appeals to no one.

Its a similar problem with GS. Is it a Seiko or a super duper seiko? I love GS but the brand name positioning sticks to everything they make for all but the few who get it. Will never be mass market popular for that reason.

[Wools]

Although there's no question I felt privileged to afford my dream watch, especially in the current circumstances, I didn't feel lucky.

Reminds me, which I picked my Submariner Date up, the AD serving me said you must feel lucky to own this, now there's a 3 year wait with us? I thought about it and said: Actually I feel hard done by, waiting 12 months and paying this kind of cash!

He didn't respond to that!

We're in a bubble here on TRF but let's make no bones about it; None of us are lucky to own one, but we are lucky to have the cash to buy one and the inclination to wait or pay over the odds to a grey dealer. As others have said, these are mass produced items with a price tag. It doesn't mean they're not special to us as they are wonderful works of engineering art, but we're privileged to have the funds whereas 95% of the population struggle to put food on the table.

So have some people lost their minds and feel part of a special club? Yes, but I like to feel most of us on here love Rolex, adore their history and own a model or 2, but we hopefully haven't let our eye slip from the ball: They're just a watch. :)

[TheVTCGuy]

I can’t speak for anyone else but for me the answer is a definite “YES”.



Oh... I meant in general... not just owning a Rolex.