(From Reddit.com)
A fresh analysis by WatchCharts suggests that the era of long wait times for coveted Rolex models may be ending.
Because waiting periods are not consistent across all Rolex boutiques and can vary significantly based on client purchase history, fully representative data are difficult to come by. Still, the emerging trend found by WatchCharts' interesting approach is hard to ignore.
In the study, WatchCharts reviewed Reddit posts serving as firsthand accounts from customers detailing their personal wait times for various Rolex models over the past five years. While these posts are inherently anecdotal, they provided insights into how long buyers had to wait before their watches became available.
Sample taken from customers posting to Reddit. (Data: WatchCharts, Morgan Stanley Research)
According to WatchCharts' study, the GMT-Master's wait time halved over two years, from 180 days in 2022 to about 90 days, while the Submariner dropped from a peak of 105 days to 60 days by 2024. The Explorer showed the most dramatic decline, with waiting times falling almost 66% over two years, to 31 days.
Although the data is anecdotal and not fully representative, it nonetheless reflects a shift in access to Rolex watches, leaving clients optimistic about availability as Rolex ramps up production.