NewsSix current Rolex watches are trading for thousands below retail price
Check secondary market prices before buying a new luxury watch. Several popular models now sell for less than official retail. Buyers can save thousands on professional and two-tone designs.
For years, getting a Rolex meant joining a long waiting list and paying top dollar. But the market just shifted for buyers looking this October. Several current models from the Geneva-based watchmaker are trading on the secondary market for considerably less than their brand-new retail prices. Take the Sea-Dweller, Rolex's professional dive watch with a 43mm Oyster case and 1,220-metre water resistance. Rolex prices the Ref. 126600 at £12,150. On the secondary market, it is currently valued at around £8,752. That is a difference of almost £3,400, or roughly 28 per cent below retail. The discounts are not limited to dive watches either. The two-tone Datejust 41 Ref. 126333, which carries an official retail price of £14,150, can be found for around £9,866, saving you about £4,284. Even complex models like the Sky-Dweller Ref. 326933, featuring an annual calendar and dual-time display, list for £16,300 new but trade near £12,345 on the secondary market. That is a saving of nearly £4,000. For anyone planning a major purchase this season, skipping the authorized dealer could keep thousands of pounds in your pocket.