How do vintage dealers work?

[tenerific]

I'm curious about how vintage rolex buying and selling works if anyone cares to share.

Like, I'm sure this varies A TON but if a dealer offers *X* for a watch, what type of margin are they typically trying to make?

Only data point I have is that when selling my Dato up/down a few years ago every dealer under the sun was offering like ~35-40K to I assume list it at $50k. But, you know, Lange is a different animal than Rolex so I take that with a grain of salt.

[05carbondrz]

They take your trade in at 5K under market value and you pay full boat for their Watch,Simple.

[1665fan]

Yes they offer way less than your piece is worth and make u pay full blown retail....

[tenerific]

Is there a typical margin?

[tenerific]

Also does the margin change when trade vs. cash?

[05carbondrz]

Originally Posted by tenerific

Also does the margin change when trade vs. cash?

Cash is king Buddy,You are Much better off selling your watch personally then letting a Dealer double dip.

[cardiel]

like all business: buy for one, sell for two.

[thomaspp]

20% minimum

[dhknola]

It's not rocket science; 98% of people seeing a vintage dealer need money (2% are seeing what their watch is 'worth').
The vintage dealer knows the market and will happily walk away from a deal if the person wants too much. They tend to start with an offer that they will do very well with and will expect a counter offer, which doesn't always happen and they give the person who needs money, money for their watch and they sell at a premium.
If someone walks in w a heavy watch, ie something worth 50k plus, they will either totally low ball them looking for a grand slam, or give them a serious number knowing they can make at least 20%. All depends on the dealer and the watch walking in.

[ILuvSubs]

Google and the TRF search function is your friend:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showpost...3&postcount=30

https://www.rolexforums.com/showpost...&postcount=102

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=505196

[fusionstorm]

Some “dealers” work like the one in the movie “Leaving Las Vegas” (skip to 1:32 of the YouTube video, and be prepared to cringe):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qqJNjk2GSGE

If you do your research, you’ll know which vintage dealers are considered fair, both for buying from and selling to.......

[HarryLime]

I know it varies from dealer to dealer, but I've always been curious what the smallest margin one would work with. Are dealers ever laying out $20,000 to scrape $500?

[dhknola]

I think most dealers need to make a minimum 'few hundred bucks' on a baby watch, i.e. something they sell for less than 5k, and want to make at least 10% at a minimum on bigger watches.

I think, like always, it just depends...If a guy walks in a with a full set 16710, 1675, 5513/5512, etc. unpolished in 80%+ condition, they will pay more because it will be a quick sell at a great price as everyone wants these watches. And they will 'get off the dollar' because they don't want a really good watch to walk in their store and then walk back out.

If you walk in with a stretched to hell jubilee band on a vintage datejust or Air King with no box or papers, they know what they can get for those watches and will probably gladly let you walk out of their store if they can't profit 'a few hundred' bucks.

The good vintage dealers I know that deal in watches over 10k dealing with knowledgeable sellers tend to tell the seller some thing along the lines of "I will give you 10k because I have someone who will give me 11k". Now whether they are really going to 11.5 or 12, who knows.

Bare in mind dealers are different than collectors, it's a business, and they have probably already had and sold the cool watches we lust over.

[SubKing]

i personally dont think vintage dealers would let a rare piece go for a thin profit, as some pieces are not easily found. I personally know a couple high end dealers that have had the same pieces in their inventory for a little over a year.

many collectors get offended when they offer their piece to a dealer to buy because of what the dealer offers, but these dealers want to make their cut and its not emotional for them.

if the seller wants to get what they feel their piece is worth, they have to become a dealer and move their own piece and not try to take the quick way out.

[Dr.Smellody]

Buy low. Sell high.