Greetings all! I'm looking to buy my first Rolex and I'm humbly requesting your advice.

N

NinoD

Member
Hello all,

I just achieved a significant career milestone and I want to commemorate the occasion/treat myself with a watch. I'd like to buy my first Rolex, maybe just a steel Datejust (with Roman numerals on a white dial!) or an Air King, and I'd sincerely appreciate any advice this community has to offer a newbie. For example, does it make sense to buy a Rolex overseas or on a cruise where the taxes could be saved? Are there specific places to avoid?

For additional context, I want to buy and keep this watch for the rest of my life; this is not an investment or means to profit from later selling a popular model. I've collected a few TAG Heuers over the years but I am definitely not a watch expert.

Thank you for your help and time, folks.
 
von Gluber

von Gluber

Black Diamond Member
No AD has inventory where there are savings if you have to import/pay taxes when it makes it back to Canada.

No cruise ships
No Mexico
No Hong Kong
Nope.

You can easily use a grey market dealer here (or elsewhere) to source those pieces you are looking for at msrp or a touch above and no wait.

Plenty of options in the GTA.
AD option is going to be a lesson in frustration.....
Read this thread for more insight:

Post in thread 'Rolex AD etiquette in the GTA' https://canwatchco.ca/threads/rolex-ad-etiquette-in-the-gta.98303/post-630662
 
MrYYZ

MrYYZ

Black Diamond Member
Yep, shop here. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, try putting up a WTB. There are a couple FB groups that I’ve had good experiences with too; standard precautions apply to all. Oh, and get the 126900!

Ps - welcome to the forum, and congrats on the milestone.
 
Brandrea

Brandrea

Silver Member
Personally I think you have a decent shot of getting a DJ or AK from an AD. It may take a bit of time, but it won’t take that long IMHO.
 
Xaltotun

Xaltotun

Charter Member
Don't "forget" to declare it if you buy it abroad. You could bring it back and fool the CBSA, but it's like Russian Roulette. If you are caught, then you're in for a world of hurt and you'll be "on their list". Not worth it to save a few hundred bucks.

Google luxury watch CBSA caught border for some fun reading.
 
Xaltotun

Xaltotun

Charter Member
Brandrea said:
Personally I think you have a decent shot of getting a DJ or AK from an AD. It may take a bit of time, but it won’t take that long IMHO.
Click to expand...
Depends where you are. In Montreal, at least a year - that is, if you're lucky and are not unknown to Château D'ivoire or Bijouterie Italienne (forget Birks, it's staffed by idiot savant monkeys with no idea of what customer service is).

Can't speak for other markets.
 
N

NinoD

Member
Slowfred said:
Go grey and go happy with an increase on MSRP but you will have it sooner without the drama.
Click to expand...
This might sound like a silly question: What's the downside of buying a watch from somewhere other than an authorized dealer? Will I get grief when it comes to servicing the watch someday?
 
von Gluber

von Gluber

Black Diamond Member
NinoD said:
This might sound like a silly question: What's the downside of buying a watch from somewhere other than an authorized dealer? Will I get grief when it comes to servicing the watch someday?
Click to expand...
If it's a complete set, zero disadvantage.

Smackdown Live Reaction GIF by WWE
 
G

Guido

Junior Contributor
I bought my first one from this site, it was birth year watch so I couldn't pass it up. I like vintage since there is a larger selection and prices are reasonable (speaking of datejust) compared to brand new.
 
Xaltotun

Xaltotun

Charter Member
NinoD said:
This might sound like a silly question: What's the downside of buying a watch from somewhere other than an authorized dealer? Will I get grief when it comes to servicing the watch someday?
Click to expand...
Nothing. In 30 years I have traded, bought, sold more than 130 watches. Easily two third were trades with private individuals.

If your transaction partner is trustworthy (e.g. vetted here, for example) and you do not end up with a fake, you will never see any difference come service time.
 
Sarangani

Sarangani

Silver Member
I would go to an AD, try all the models that you like. Get a specific model that you like and put your name on for it. IMO, you can get any model you want, just not right away. Explorer, explorer II and AK are easier to get than the Sub, and Sub is easier to get than the GMT. Precious metals easier to get than SS. A DJ is available right away (maybe a few months) but hard to get a specific config you want. For an OP, no idea.

At the end of the day, you buy what you want. I really appreciate the exhibition models so you can actually try them on before getting purchasing. Demand is higher than supply so expect to have some wait time. If you don't want to wait. grey would be the way to go. If you do intent to keep it for for a long time, I would suggest waiting to buy from the AD.
 
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