Rolex goes into preowned Rolex watch business!

Rolex Certified Pre-Owned watches (CPO) will initially be available at Bucherer boutiques in six countries (Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Denmark and the UK) from the start of December 2022. Other Official Rolex Retailers who choose to be part of this programme will be able to do so from spring 2023. The Rolex Certified Pre-Owned Programme equally concerns modern pre-owned watches and not vintage models such as those with Tritium dial!

as there will be a concern in the availability of parts.

Fourth floor of Burcherer building in Berne Switzerland had been displaying preowned watch for sales, but price isn't that attractive at all. They are limited to modern new watches. Nothing is Vintage as there is conflicts of interests if they go for vintage... we need to observe for a period of time.

At Rolex Business perspectives 

1. Their AD has to source used Rolex at certain price, authenticating them, or plus service them, polishing it, giving them a Tag of authentication assurance. that is an administrative and operation cost involved. Then they have to mark it up. The price is 100% not MSRP, may be 4-8% lower the market price of the new Rolex watches in the open market. 

It is not attractive to buyer but if they love the watch and can't buy it brand new, they are come for this as this is certificated real stuff from Rolex with two years warranty, that is better than you buy from unknown shops in the open market. 

2. What is the market size? 

Preowned watch market size is with a current value in the region of CHF 20 billion. And the potential is huge, as it could be worth CHF 39 billion by 2030.

Rolex takes up 28.8% of all Swiss watches made in the whole. That available market size is about CHF 600M a year.  And if there are more than 100 ADs in EU and Asia are selling this. The market capacity is about 100,000 Watches, that is an impact to the pre-owned watch dealers. If the price is attractive, if not that could be a slow-moving market. well, the AD will keep watching and manipulating the service and price for their margin.

3. Vintage Rolex

I think those older models are not planned now, such as 16570, 1675, 1680, 16520, 1665 as they are having very unique dial and hands made up of Tritium material, if Rolex made them CPO watches. they may change with service dial and hands, and that is a disgrace to the watch's originality and would not be the consideration of collectors. This will be an interesting tropic and we will watch out.

4. My comment

Price is the King, if price in between the market price and MSRP, that could be a business model, if that price is skewed to the high side, I think no one would pay for the price for a pre-owned one unless they are 95% or newer.

5. 2023 will be an exciting year for Rolex

HK Snob