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Rolex watches: Should you purchase new or pre-owned?

By LLM Reporters   |  

If you’ve been following Luxury Lifestyle Magazine for a while now, you’ll know that we believe no man’s wardrobe is complete without a luxury wristwatch. Classic wristwatches like Rolex, Omega, Breitling & Cartier simply never go out of style.

That’s why we believe it makes sense to commit to a statement item for your wardrobe, particularly with the economy as it is right now. After all, an investment that makes sense financially, and enhances your wardrobe in the process is an absolute no-brainer.

Of course, quality wristwear isn’t cheap, even for the most affluent individual. In our pursuit of investment-ready pieces at affordable prices, we stumbled across a new platform for buying luxury watches for less, Chronoexpert.com, and we think that you may just like it, too.

On Chronoexpert, you can find mint condition pre-owned watches at a lower price point than at the retailers. We know that our readers are busy people, and so we’ve compiled a list of three examples where significant savings can me made, right now, on your next Rolex purchase.

Let’s start with a new Rolex model as an example, and compare it to the pre-owned models currently on the market.

Pre-Owned Rolex GMT Master II Vs New

new-rolex-gmt-master-ii
You can save thousands simply by purchasing your new Rolex watch from a reseller. Image credit: Rolex.com

To start with, let’s compare the ever-popular second-hand Rolex GMT Master II to a brand new version. Both are 2018 models featuring similar specs, 40 mm, with a black dial. When the new watch is purchased in Oyster Steel and Everose styles, it comes to $14,050, or £10,915.04.

Meanwhile, the similarly-styled used watch, with an iconic steel and gold finish, comes to £9,490, or $12,215.67 – a saving of nearly £1500 for a watch of comparable timeless quality.

You can save thousands simply by purchasing your new Rolex watch from a reseller, avoiding depreciation from your initial purchase and snapping up a stylish investment in the process.

Not convinced? Let’s take another model to see if the re-seller’s platform holds up.

Rolex Sky Dweller Vs Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31MM

Rolex Sky Dweller Automatic Men Rose gold
This Rolex Sky Dweller Automatic Men Rose gold costs £27,730 on chronoexpert.co.uk

The Rolex Sky Dweller 31 mm model is on sale for £14,300, or $18,407.17, on Chronoexpert. The Sky Dweller’s classy 2017 model is finished with a steel and yellow gold bracelet, and a brilliant white watch face.

Compare this with Rolex’s newly released Oyster Perpetual Datejust 31 mm, a classic example of the luxury standard synonymous with the Swiss watchmaking giants. It features caliber 2236, and is perpetually self-winding.

For the case and bracelet, you can choose between 18 carat white gold or yellow gold. Further customization is possible with a diamond bezel set, and with the set of the dial customisable with white, champagne and mother-of-pearl options. The Sky Dweller and Datejust are similar watches in terms of style and sophistication, but the yellow gold and white face option prices out at $25,650, or £19,926.74.

Pre-Owned Rolex Deepsea 2018 Vs New

Rolex Sea Dweller Deepsea Men Steel
This Rolex Sea Dweller Deepsea Men Steel has a price tag of £6,910 on chronoexpert.co.uk

If you’re still not completely convinced by the website’s affordability, let’s take one more example from Rolex’s more robust line of luxury watches. With a more sturdy and practical style, let’s compare the new 2018 Deepsea model with a used version from 2016. The 2016 model still offers the same pressure resistant and waterproof features as its newer sibling, while both are 44 mm in diameter. The used version has a black dial, which the 2018 version offers as well.

Fundamentally, the major difference between the two, once again, comes down to price. The pre-owned 2016 Deepsea Rolex is selling on Chronoexpert for £8,070, or $10,387.83. Meanwhile, the used version with a black dial is selling for $12,250, or £9,516.67.

What do you think, readers of LLM? Tell us in the comments, would you buy a pre-owned Rolex if it meant making a saving on an investment piece?