It finally happened: Rolex got into the pre-owned watch business game, with the Rolex Certified Preresponse immediately, but I wanted to wait for the dust to settle before penning a more personal version of the same story in WOW. To summarise, in a long-expected move, which some might insist is long overdue, the world's most important fine watchmaking brand made its move in December in Geneva, and the reverberations will be felt for years to come. In Singapore, we will have to wait till sometime in 2023 to see how things shake out; given that Rolex watches already form the lion's share of pre-owned sales, this is guaranteed to be a developing story, no matter where you are in the world.
Of course, Rolex's move is hardly unprecedented: Audemars Piguet has been trying to sort out its own pre-owned business model for years; Richard Mille has actually made it happen; and the Richemont Group made its own play with the acquisition of Watchfinder & Co, while taking on the challenge of pre-owned sales for some brands (Cartier and Vacheron Constantin, for example) at their own boutiques. Of course, all those names are dwarfed by the colossus that is Rolex, but the most important question has yet to be settled: there is no word on how retailers will handle pricing. That is exactly what we wrote earlier this month, and we do have an answer of sorts now - provisionally.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BUOYANT HEAVYWEIGHTS
The ubiquitous use of titanium and carbon fibre does not satisfy a growing number of watch lovers; the indisputable rise of quiet design vexes them. The recent release of hefty and heavy timepieces, especially in the dive watch segment, proves that some just like it big
YEN FOR PRECISION
While we typically think of watchmaking as a Swiss matter, this ignores the powerful contributions of Japanese industry and know-how. We begin this deep dive with a look at the biggest names in the game
LEGENDARY DEPTHS
From pioneering chronographs to revolutionizing dive watches, Longines has always been at the forefront of horological advancements. Explore how the Swiss brand's journey through water-resistance shaped the future of dive watches-and made a splash in the process
LEAPING AHEAD
IWC updates the perpetual calendars in its Portugieser range with four new models
HOLDING THE HIGH GROUND
Chanel's 2024 collection represents a rare moment where haute couture and haute horlogerie coexist perfectly
SARTORIAL TIMING
Parmigiani Fleurier encourages us to take a second, and perhaps third, look at the new Toric collection of watches
LEFT HAND DRIVE
The DOXA SUB 300T Aristera is a tribute to the brand's heritage in dive watches, combining the original design with a left-handed twist for 2024, offering the standout features that made DOXA renowned while breaking new ground in functionality
LIVING HISTORY
A. Lange & Söhne has spent the better part of this year celebrating the 25th anniversary of the seminal Datograph. With the Datograph Handwerkskunst, the watch is elevated to the highest level
THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION
Since its inception, Rolex has never wavered in its pledge to create the world's finest watches for anyone, anywhere
SWEET SPOT
The Longines Legend Diver is just the right amount of watch for a contemporary sports model that could also pull dress watch duties
