Vintage Rolex Prices Never Cease to Amaze

[freddy333]

People told me I was crazy to pay $400 (each) for the last couple roulette datewheels I bought & I said 'just wait a couple of years & they will be selling for twice that'.

Well, I was wrong. This 1, from a reputable seller, is going for more than 4 times as much & it is in much worse condition

(click pic for link)

 

I have also noticed that vintage Oyster bracelets are beginning to skyrocket back to pre-2008 levels. So, as is often said about vintage Rolex, today's outrageous prices will be thought of as yesterday's bargains tomorrow.

[hiker01]

Your investment paid off! Congrats!

[highoeyazmuhudee]

but are people buying it at these prices?

[Nanuq]

There's a 6538 dial and insert for sale, asking price $20,000

[phillycheez]

Agreed... Getting ridiculous.

[denimhead]

There's a 6538 dial and insert for sale, asking price $20,000

 

 

There's a 6538 dial and insert for sale, asking price $20,000

I saw them on Ebay too B, looks like someones gone over them with a bloody blow torch! 

[Nanuq]

You say that like its a bad thing!

[panerai153]

Incredible the asking price of that rusty DW is 1700 USD. that's insane!! I just can't believe that folks will pay those kinds of prices for these used up parts.   I know that P.T. Barnum supposedly  said" A sucker is born every minute", but this is past the sucker price catagory. it looks like some of these sellers are picking up any old part that's been sitting in the "throw away' bin for years and posting them on Ebay for astronomical prices.

things like this make me like my reps more and more

[freddy333]

Certainly, these worn out parts have little functional value. But, as always, when it comes to vintage Rolex, you cannot think that way. It is similar to an old canvas full of old paint having been painted by 1 of the great masters. The value is logarithmically subjective & is set by the marketplace, which is inhabited by growing numbers of rabid buyers.

[phillycheez]

When fat font inserts starting hitting $500... Then $800... Now a few for $1000.

[panerai153]

Certainly, these worn out parts have little functional value. But, as always, when it comes to vintage Rolex, you cannot think that way. It is similar to an old canvas full of old paint having been painted by 1 of the great masters. The value is logarithmically subjective & is set by the marketplace, which is inhabited by growing numbers of rabid buyers.

When you compare old masters to worn out parts, to me that' a bit of a stretch. Even pretty neglected old oils can be restored, albeit at a very high price, which if done by a master restoration expert doesn't seem to affect their value. You yourself said that these parts have very little functional value, so what drives the prices to such astronomical levels? Are the buyers going to start a museum of old watch parts? You can't use most of these in a watch. The purists want only mint condition watches, they also are adamantly opposed to using "restored" parts, so it looks like a "catch 22" situation. This smacks of the "Tulip Frenzy" folks buying, hoping that the market will continue to keep going through the roof. At some point in time, someone will be stuck holding the bag, or in this case a rusty DW or a dial that looks like it spent 10 years in the ocean, or one that has that gently flamed with a blowtorch look. They can't use the parts " as is", and God forbid restoring them, that would kill the value completely.

Don't get me wrong, I can certainly see the prices of good usable parts,NOS parts,etc going up and up in price, but those are functional usable parts that can be used in a watch with no problem.

It's really too bad that Rolex refuses to support their older watches like many other watch manufacturers do. If you could send your old 6542 or 6538 to Rolex, and have it restored using genuine parts, even if the bezel insert or the crown was made last month, it would be genuine, same exact specs and look just like the one from 1958, only new. Unfortunately, Rolex is really only interested in selling new watches, thus their service centers have no interest in the really old watches.

[ghost]

Wait till the crazy-rich from china learn how to read english. Then the market will really skyrocket. As it is, they've been spoiling the auction market with their crazy bids at the auction houses. 

[polexpete]

i find people asking crazy prices but not sure if they actually being sold for that much. Check out this DRSD dial

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/60s-Rolex-Double-Red-Sea-Dweller-1665-Mark-II-Tropical-Dial-for-Patent-Pending-/271197414385?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f24a023f1

 

P.

[freddy333]

but are people buying it at these prices?

 

It sold for $1,700.

[username here]

the same is true of the full vintage watch.  It wasn't that many years back that you could buy a 1675 or 5513 for <$1000.  In 2002 I remember buying a 1680 (box/papers/original receipt/service records) for $1200.  Prices for vintage have gone through the roof in general.

[freddy333]

Vintage Rolex prices have been absurd since, at least, the mid-90s & this is unlikely to change as long as the demand pool continues to grow (it is only accelerating at warp speed with the recent influx of new Asian & Russian buyers) & the supply pool continues to shrink. I cannot think of many better places to park investment money these days. Of course, if collecting for investment, you have to know when to cash out (& it is never when common knowledge says it is time to do so ).