Best Vintage Rolex Investment you should buy now.

[iliketime]

The thing about collecting is the niche demographics that it usually appeals to specific groups. Another comment above mentioned stamps and coins. The stamp market collapsed almost decades ago. Are there people that still collect stamps? sure, but its so niche that you probably wont notice it if you are not involved. Coins have a bigger group but it is an aging demographic with the average age of collector generally in the 50s-60s. One of my usual coin dealers passed away a few months back and he was in his late 70s, I am likely down to two or three dealers left at this rate. Watches, however have a much larger audience. The idea and concept of a wrist watch even in the age of apple watches or fitbits etc is still rather popular. Some patients of my mine wear both a time piece and a smartwatch, one on each wrist. Mechanical time pieces will likely weather the storm. the four digits have risen and the 5 digits will soon pick up especially the popular sports however the key to remember is they made millions of these things.

[Paulie 50]

Originally Posted by jo89

I think the 116520 is a tremendous buy right now if you're thinking Daytona.

Only because the prices got out of hand but are now dropping.

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by Paulie 50

Only because the prices got out of hand but are now dropping.

116520 have gone down? Maybe polished naked watches..i now see nice ones for 20k

[Paulie 50]

Originally Posted by Harmon Rabb

Already own a few of the watches that has gone up in price beyond comprehension last couple of years. I just bought a four digit datejust. It´s the only model I´ve been thinking of buying lately. Not as investments but to use daily. As people getting more aware about the vintage prices of the 5513, 1665, 1675 and so on. The risk of getting the wrong kind of attention is higher than ever. I used to think you could walk around in a dressed down 5513. Those days are gone with all attention on social media. I wonder how long it takes when you no longer can dress down a 1601. I actually hope that the prices don´t move any more. I could not care less if they dropped. Than people could use them for what they are and really appreciate them. I never bought any of the vintage Rolex as investments. More like something you could use, and still get your money back more or less after a few years instead of having the money on an savings account. In those days most people bought the newest model they could find or a fake. The only fake watch of vintage models where the Paul Newman Daytona era Daytonas. Apart from that you never knew if people you met had a real Rolex of the fake version of one.

couldn't agree more.

[Paulie 50]

Originally Posted by 1665fan

116520 have gone down? Maybe polished naked watches..i now see nice ones for 20k

Asking and getting are two completely different things.

[athom]

The best would be the ones you would be happy to wear...

[rokonman]

I am betting on the 17000. If I am wrong at least the buy in is currently low.

[Swearengen]

I don't see too much downside with a 17000

Originally Posted by rokonman

I am betting on the 17000. If I am wrong at least the buy in is currently low.

[roh123]

”Invest” $3000? :)

[carwashchris]

What's the thinking on solid gold 1500 series date's and 1600 series datejust's . I'm looking at both.

Chris

[sdiver68]

Originally Posted by roh123

Overall watches as an investment is only valid on a very high level where objects are truly rare. Buying what most of us have and enjoy shouldn’t be looked at as investments. These watches are available in high volumes and prices can shift in any direction depending on trends and finacial cycles.

You mean like stocks, houses, or any other assets people buy as investments?

[roh123]

Originally Posted by sdiver68

You mean like stocks, houses, or any other assets people buy as investments?

Most of us buy houses to live in. At least in the part of world where I live.

Watches as investment are high-end stuff which is truly rare and sought after. Buying a Rolex 1675 or similar may be a good thing but I see it as consumption or at best a savings account. It’s a fun place to park your money. Not really much substance as basically the only driver is demand. It can shift very quickly.

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by roh123

It’s a fun place to park your money.

Exactly this. I justify my vintage Rolex/Tudor purchases to my wife by telling her I'm not spending money; I'm just moving it to a different place. I've gotten away with it so far...

[arguscanis]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Bingo ! Anything smaller than 38mm will be a waste of time in the next few years.

Vintage watch market as a whole, has approximately 30 -50 year life span left. A different technology will replace the current market. Remember those things called pocket watches ?

I am seeing lots of pocket watches at auction which seem very expensive.
Im curious as to the buyer's demographics.

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by DLRIDES

Anything smaller than 38mm will be a waste of time in the next few years.

Not sure Big Red Daytonas are a waste of time. Or 1803 Day-Dates. Or the whole vintage DateJust line. Or the Oysterquartz. Or all those vintage Tudors.

I'd send that crystal ball in for maintenance if I were you.

[aram]

I would go with the old subs, 5512, the milgauss 1019's, 1655's, 6538, 1675's, anything thats darn old probably. They are disappearing into the safe box of the rich folk. :)

[athom]

Originally Posted by zapokee

Exactly this. I justify my vintage Rolex/Tudor purchases to my wife by telling her I'm not spending money; I'm just moving it to a different place. I've gotten away with it so far...

This is how we do ! but it is the damn truth !

[sdiver68]

Originally Posted by athom

This is how we do ! but it is the damn truth !

It is the absolute truth. Assets are assets, period. You should always balance your entire portfolio of assets on the principle of risk versus return.

Risk- adjusted returns. Sharpe ratio. Find the best.

[1665fan]

16610lv will definitely be up there

[siggen7]

I think Rolex 14060/14060M is going to rise a lot i value.

[rokonman]

Originally Posted by roh123

”Invest” $3000? :)

You could always buy ten.

[zapokee]

Originally Posted by sdiver68

It is the absolute truth. Assets are assets, period. You should always balance your entire portfolio of assets on the principle of risk versus return.

Risk- adjusted returns. Sharpe ratio. Find the best.

They've done better than many other investments over the years, not that you should buy them as investments.

With hindsight, the best time to get in would have been the sixties and seventies, when you could pick up a gilt Sub or a gilt GMT for a few hundred bucks. And maybe throw in a Paul Newman Daytona for a few hundred more if you're feeling flush.

[Wiener48]

Any more thoughts?

[jlovda]

Originally Posted by zapokee

They've done better than many other investments over the years, not that you should buy them as investments.

With hindsight, the best time to get in would have been the sixties and seventies, when you could pick up a gilt Sub or a gilt GMT for a few hundred bucks. And maybe throw in a Paul Newman Daytona for a few hundred more if you're feeling flush.

I consider myself to be wildly lucky to have had good taste and good fortune to have purchased a 5513 in 1970 for $130 and a 1675 for $550 on 1976 (my wife bought that) when I was in my 20's. I bought them because they were the most beautiful watches in the world but they were very expensive. The last thing on my mind was future investment appreciation. At that point in my life prices on a lot of things were rising faster than my paycheck.

[watchknut]

The best ones to buy are the ones that you get under current FMV and have strong cases, clean dials, full lume plots with pleasing patina. 4 digit sport references and 5 digit with great patina are the standard.

[1watch]

I think you buy what you like and can wear on a regular basis. The classic Sub, GMT, Daytona and Explorer models are sized in a range that have classic and lasting appeal. I don't see a swing back to more dress type watches for the masses in the near future. The shift to a more casual dress code i believe, has been one of the drivers for the SS sport model surge over the past few years.

[Claven2]

Originally Posted by 1watch

I think you buy what you like and can wear on a regular basis. The classic Sub, GMT, Daytona and Explorer models are sized in a range that have classic and lasting appeal. I don't see a swing back to more dress type watches for the masses in the near future. The shift to a more casual dress code i believe, has been one of the drivers for the SS sport model surge over the past few years.

While I agree with most of what you say, I believe the DJ is still Rolex's top seller.

[1watch]

Originally Posted by Claven2

While I agree with most of what you say, I believe the DJ is still Rolex's top seller.

It may be of current models by the general public, given the lack of contemporary SS sport model availability at retail. In the vintage market, It’s not close to the aforementioned models from a collectability standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Claven2]

Originally Posted by 1watch

It may be of current models by the general public, given the lack of contemporary SS sport model availability at retail. In the vintage market, It’s not close to the aforementioned models from a collectability standpoint.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I still don't agree. If you mean to say that sport models sell for MORE, then yes, they clearly appreciate better in value, but even on the used market, stainless 36mm datejusts sell in much larger volumes than any other model. This didn;t just happen in the last few years of scarcity, it's been like this since the 1970s.

This is likely because of their price point and abundance - and also because for aficionados, most people hear "Rolex" and mentally think of a Datejust. It's their most iconic watch for Joe Q Public.

[springer]

Originally Posted by Claven2

I still don't agree. If you mean to say that sport models sell for MORE, then yes, they clearly appreciate better in value, but even on the used market, stainless 36mm datejusts sell in much larger volumes than any other model. This didn;t just happen in the last few years of scarcity, it's been like this since the 1970s.

This is likely because of their price point and abundance - and also because for aficionados, most people hear "Rolex" and mentally think of a Datejust. It's their most iconic watch for Joe Q Public.

The question posed in the first post was... Just like the title, in your opinion what are some of the high potential vintage rolex investment?

I agree with some of the other posts and do not place the Datejust in this category. While it is considered one of the best sellers for Rolex, this doesn't necessarily make it a high potential collector model as is clearly evidenced by the current collector market for 30 or 40-year-old Datejust models.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, some of the sapphire tritium models I like include the GMT 16700, GMT II 16710/16760 and the Submariner 16610LV anniversary sets as well as the sapphire 16800s, 16610s . Buy well and buy 'em all.