[Mr.Parkinson]

Hi guys,

I was wondering what your thoughts on the best Rolex-models for collectors are? Which Rolexes will get more valuable by the years to come and were you can buy legit vintage rolexes?

Best regards,
Parkinson

 

[mikeyt_53]

Dont know much about the 'most collectible' Rolex watches but with so many fakes out there, its nearly always best to buy from an authorized dealer.

 

[CometHunter]

The "best" watches for serious collectors are the ones with low production runs. The problem there is that Rolex doesn't release production figures on a per-model basis. In fact, it's (not impossible, but) hard to even figure out their over-all production numbers.

Nobody can forecast which Rolexes will drastically increase in value. If we could do that, we wouldn't have to work for a living! The best way I can think of is to buy gold watches and wait for the bullion value to hit $2,000/ounce. :laugh:

For vintage watches, it would help to know what your colloquial definition of "vintage"is. The best places to look are the big name auction houses like Sotheby's, Christies, Ashford, etc. If those places are too much for your budget, or you're not looking for something from the 1930s, 40s, or 50s. hit the watch collector's websites that eschew the ownership of counterfeit watches, and have sales pages or sales forums. The members are pretty knowledgeable about what they have, and know how to take proper care of their watches. It's not a perfect solution, but it sure beats trying to read between the lines on those offered on eBay.

 

[dragcolo]

I would say that it's wrong to ask for the "best" collectible as the market often shifts in some aspects.

I remember reading about an Omega made in the 80s or so that no one would ever touch and, yet, now they're selling 2-3 times the initial price... Sometimes what is seen as crap/uninteresting today can be very sought after in 10 years, or maybe 30 years... Such is the collectible market...

 

[Davemcc]

The market will vary and there will be exceptional circumstances from time to time but I think the Explorer is a classic design that has held it's collectibility and value over time. Same with the Submariner, DSSD, Milgauss, Daytona, etc.

 

[bluedream]

The "best" watches for serious collectors are the ones with low production runs.

The 1655/Explorer II, 6238/Pre-Daytona & 6263/Paul Newman Daytona immediately come to mind. They have escalated in price significantly since their inception & some might say grossly overpriced in today's modern world. Supply & demand dictate the market. Contemporary Rolexes (@900,000+ manufactured per year) will never be vintage/collectible unless the world's population quadruples in size & the number of status-seeking individuals continue to increase. 3rd world yuppies = a scary thought given other more pressing global priorities.

 

[CometHunter]

(Naturally, I can't find it right now, but...) I read somewhere that in 2014 Rolex submitted just over one million watches for C.O.S.C. certification.
And Wikipedia reports overall production figures of 1,200,000 but though they don't cite the source of that claim, which makes double-checking impossible.

 

[cottonlume]

Can't go wrong with Gilt Dial sports models, also rare dial variations of early datejusts 6605 etc are heating up

 

[FloridaGary]

Although that is always a difficult question to answer, I would think the Deep Sea, James Cameron version would be a highly collectible item since Rolex doesn't commemorate their timepieces except for this one. The Batman GMT may be another valuable/popular piece to consider and we have all heard of the Paul Newman Daytona and the Steve McQueen Explorer II which received their names only from other Rolex collectors. Rolex never named them the Paul Newman or the Steve McQueen models. That's why I think the James Cameron may be a keeper for the future in collectibility and value. Personally, you can't go wrong with any Rolex, so buy the model that speaks to you and enjoy it.