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I tend to visit ADs Mondays and Tuesdays...

 

... upon opening at 10am. I've been building a relationship with a new AD since my old AD shut down and left the DC region years back and I had stopped accumulating for about 15 years. In any case, there's a rash of "kids" working there. They are all very lovely people, and I mean that genuinely, they have great personalities and customer service, but they don't know the history of the watch market. So I occasionally tease them about the olden days of walking in and plopping down a card for a same-day GMT purchase at ~ 5k. Watching their eyes big is kind of funny.
They are all great kids though, I tell them stories about the absolutely crazy things I've done wearing my GMT and how people need to stop babying their Rolex and actually use them, and you can see their eyes light up. I think 95% of their customers think they are buying Waterford crystal and completely ignore "tool watch." But that's just me.

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32 Comments view entire thread 

Rolex price sheet from August 2002. - Repost

 
By: Champthekid : April 25th, 2026-14:10
Thought some of you might like to see US prices. Daytona in steel not listed. MOD Note - Repost ...  

Any updates on when the WPS Time Machine will be operational?

 
By: j.jota : April 25th, 2026-14:28
In all seriousness though, it wasn’t just the prices, but the fact that you could walk into an AD and purchase any of these models without a bunch of silly games is even more astounding to me.

I don't have an official document...

 
By: aelred : April 25th, 2026-15:58
Just a text file on my computer from 2004 when I first started shopping, I eventually purchased my 16710 in late 2005. Contents below: 114270 Explorer $4,250 16570 Explorer II $5,000 116713 GMT Master II $8,925 116718 GMT Master II $22,750 16710 GMT Maste... 

I have tons of these catalogs so it was easy to find the European catalog from the same year

 
By: Bruno.M1 : April 25th, 2026-16:08
September 2002 and steel Daytona’s price since it was not listed in your copy 6000 euro, that is 21% tax included ...  

At that time I was a “window shopper”, won’t even dare entering an AD;)))

 
By: ZSHSZ : April 25th, 2026-17:30
I believe my first Daytona from an AD was the 116520, and I payed $11000 with tax and the waiting time was one week! Good times…

I bought my first one in Freehold, NJ.

 
By: Champthekid : April 25th, 2026-17:42
There used to be an AD there, but Rolex closed them when they chopped all the small dealers. One could walk in there and buy any model but the steel Daytona. At the time I was a good customer and got both black and white dial Daytona’s from the with small... 

I have tons of these catalogs so it was easy to find the European catalog from the same year

 
By: Bruno.M1 : April 25th, 2026-18:58
September 2002 and steel Daytona’s price since it was not listed in your copy 6000 euro, that is 21% tax included ...  

It was a bargain back then.

 
By: Champthekid : April 25th, 2026-19:21
If I knew what I know today, I would have stocked up on them. I actually did at one point 😂 in my collecting days. I should have held the steel ones longer. I still have the gold one though which increased the least, but I love it so that’s all that reall...  

I know. It’s crazy!

 
By: Champthekid : April 25th, 2026-19:15
Worst part is that it doesn’t seem like that long ago……especially when you’re my age😂

What I kick myself for...

 
By: aelred : April 25th, 2026-22:24
...Is sitting there at the time looking at Royal Oaks and thinking "Who pays 10k for a watch?" and not buying one when it was more readily available. Silly rabbit.

I hear you, aelred.

 
By: Champthekid : April 25th, 2026-22:47
I have so many regrets over my many years of collecting. That said, I seem to get over them and just move on 😁

I tend to visit ADs Mondays and Tuesdays...

 
By: aelred : April 26th, 2026-11:24
... upon opening at 10am. I've been building a relationship with a new AD since my old AD shut down and left the DC region years back and I had stopped accumulating for about 15 years. In any case, there's a rash of "kids" working there. They are all very...