Watches - another OCD problem

[Aussie Ben]

@Giles in my part of the world there is definitely some games being played with the brand and their watches. It’s the same 3 or 4 people non stop selling “brand new stock” on the grey market for jacked up prices. What ever

[Giles]

I used to have a couple of Rolex's (I bought them off a mate for silly cheap, not because I particularly wanted one). I flogged them to help fund something that I really wanted. I absolutely hate the way Rolex manipulate of the market and think it is disgustingly cynical. On the basis that they make about a million watches per year, they're not even all that scarce. However, I take my hat off to them, because they're fucking good at it.....

[louisbosco]

@Giles fair point. will take it into consideration the next time 1 gets on my wrist

[JDelage]

I'm not sure it's fair to say Rolex manipulates anything. There's a situation where demand > supply. The normal way to resolve that would be to raise prices until supply = demand. Would it be better? Maybe, but it wouldn't change anything for me. They could use a lottery system, or a priority list, etc, but that would require undermining their dealers, which is a big ask of a manufacturer.

[Giles]

I think saying that you can't buy a sought after model until you have bought a few shite ones, is manipulative. That may not be a Rolex thing, but an AD thing, but to me that is the same thing....

[Giles]

And they spend a fucking fortune on advertising and sponsorship, so that is perpetuating the over-demand.....

[Graeme]

@louisbosco I would go for a watch with the Spring Drive UFA movement, which is regulated to within 20 seconds per year. It's a unique and very accurate timepiece.

[louisbosco]

tbf you could walk in and buy full gold and rose gold rolex models off the bat. not sure if that counts as shitty or not but the value on them ain't great..

[louisbosco]

@Graeme the sakura dial was the one that caught my eye..

[sabergirl]

This is far from my area of expertise, but why in the world should a retailer care what you’re going to do with something once you purchase it? Especially if you’re willing to drop tens of thousands of dollars? Also: how in the world would they profile someone like that? Aren’t many “lovers of watches” just buying investment pieces they wear once in a while and eventually flip for profit? How would one be categorically different from another? Forgive my uninformed musings—fine watches are waaay beyond my scope financially so I understand very little of this world.

[AdamJ]

@sabergirl not watches but I recall reading a similar story about expensive car dealerships profiling potential buyers in the Bay Area. If a guy walked in wearing a flash suit, the salesman would be hesitant to let them test drive right away. If a guy walked in wearing a simpsons t-shirt and battered sneakers, he'd hand him the keys instantly, knowing they were the silicon valley developers with loads of money

[sabergirl]

Having spent many years in SF, that tracks @AdamJ .

[Giles]

@louisbosco said in Watches - another OCD problem:

not sure if that counts as shitty

I meant shitty in terms of desirability, not form or function. For the record, I have nothing against the watches, just the company