Rolex has established itself as the Porsche of watches. What are the trends in this dynamic market? How to best sell and buy second-hand Rolex? Our inhouse Rolex expert Berry Harleman answers our questions of and gives his best advice.
Q: Is Rolex still the most sought-after brand? Berry Harleman: The numbers speak for themselves. Over the past three or four years, the prices have been multiplied by 2, 3 or even 4 for some models! Rolex watches have become a very safe option for investors. They now prefer watches over financial investments.
Q: Which models are rising the most?
''The Submariner, the GMT and the Daytona. But beware, they must be 100% original. However, if you send your watch to Rolex for revision, they will often take the initiative to change the dial, the hands or the band, but the watch is then no longer vintage and actually loses value. The problem is that Rolex wants to be able to guarantee the watch waterproof after revision. However, a model that dates back 40 years can no longer be waterproof at 200 m. So the only solution is to find an independent watchmaker, who will revise the watch without changing anything.''
Q: Are there any unique items?
''Not necessarily unique, but there are models produced in small series, for military use, dive teams, etc. They can be found at auctions and sell for very nice prices.''
Q: What about watches for women?
''In terms of value, they have not changed much. And women now often prefer watches originally intended for men. Including rather bulky models like the Submariner.''
Q: What is the price range for Rolex watches?
''For a Submariner, the entrance ticket is around € 4 000. But they can reach € 600 000 for 1955 models. The GMT Master, a pilot's watch, is roughly in the same range, but the most expensive is at € 200 000. The vintage 1960s models are very popular at the moment. And the Daytona, a stopwatch, has progressed a lot lately. The first prizes are around € 25 000. I think for models in great original condition, it can go higher still.''
Q: Rolex are also the most copied watches...
''Right, so you have to be extremely careful when buying. As the saying goes, "you have to buy the seller, not the watch." There are many types of fakes, from rough copy to subtle counterfeit where the whole watch is original, except the dial! While the dial is what makes the quality of the watch...''
Take a look at Berry Harleman's weekly selection within our Rolex auction or ask him for a valuation of your own!