Have a Rolex to sell?

 

Watch dealing is a bit like politics. You make a promise two days before election day, then a month later, dementia kicks in. Which is kind of expected,  except that once dementia sets in, you probably shouldn't be making any more promises. Watch dealers change their minds twice a day. Some stock moves fast, while other pieces just sit there. Do you discount them? Or sit tight and wait for a sunny day? In our case, the question is: Do we buy more Omega and Cartier, or do we get rid of Rolex altogether? Strange, you may think. Why Rolex? The best-selling Swiss brand? The most desirable of them all? The truth is, I really don't mind Rolex. But I absolutely hate flippers. If you're new to all this second-hand mambo jumbo, flippers are strange characters who somehow manage to jump the queue and buy brand-new Rolex watches at retail price. Then, the very same day, they frantically call dealers, inviting them to bid on those unused, brand-new-looking watches. The expectation? A 30%, 50%, or even 100% profit, depending on the model. And for the past few months, the flippers have been working overtime. Not just persistent, but downright aggressive. The typical answer - "Sorry, I'm not a watch collector, just a dealer"  no longer cuts it. To them, anything short of "I'll take it" is simply an insult. It is getting hot. Uncomfortably hot. Sweaty hot. Ridiculously hot. Unsustainably hot. I'm out; at least until things return to normal. Until Rolex increases production. Until the shops are properly stocked. Until every Rolex customer can buy whatever they want, when they want it, with no delays and no waiting lists. Until customers are once again treated with the respect, care, and dignity they deserve. It is a promise. Will that day ever come? Only time itself will tell. Rather than writing a lengthy essay on the subject, the short video below provides eight reasons why the time has come for me to say: I'm done. I'm out. For your enjoyment: https://youtu.be/dU9n3NaNDJc?