Rolex Waiting List - Current Waiting Time

Whether it's a Rolex Submariner, Rolex GMT-Master II, Rolex Daytona or another popular model from the Swiss brand: anyone who wants to buy a Rolex directly from a dealer and therefore at the list price must expect to wait. The first step to owning your own luxury watch is to go to the Rolex waiting list. We explain what these lists are all about, how long the waiting time is for different models and the importance of authorized Rolex dealers in this regard.

Why are Rolex watches so popular?

The fact that there are waiting times when you want to buy a Rolex watch is due to the great popularity of the legendary Rolex models. Rolex only produces relatively small numbers of pieces each year , which do not even come close to saturating the market. In other words: demand is chronically much higher than supply.

But why are the Swiss manufacturer's luxurious watches so popular? Over the decades, Rolex has built up an almost incomparably good reputation. The watches of the renowned brand are considered worldwide to be incredibly high-quality, technically flawless and have a strong design. In addition, they have proven to be extremely stable in value, which also makes Rolex products interesting for investors .

A Rolex on the wrist is a meaningful status symbol, the value of which often far exceeds the purchase price for the wearer. Wearing a Rolex Daytona, Rolex Submariner or Rolex GMT-Master II is an unmistakable sign of success, style and good taste. That is why many buyers choose a Rolex not "only" because of its technical properties, but above all because of its meaning and external impact.

Watch connoisseurs know: The name Rolex alone makes many hearts beat faster. The brand stands for pure luxury and is so well-known and popular around the world that when you buy a Rolex model, you also pay for the brand name. If it says " Rolex " on it, many people are prepared to pay large sums of money without hesitation - because the name speaks for itself.

In addition, Rolex has built up a broad marketing network full of well-known cooperation partners. The stars from sports, art, culture and the entertainment industry who show up wearing Rolex models also drive up the popularity of the watches and arouse interest even among people who normally have little to do with timepieces.

In addition, the "scarcity" of the timepieces itself stimulates the interest of many customers in purchasing them. The fact that certain Rolex models are so hard to get hold of also drives the desire of many collectors to own such an exclusive watch.

All of these factors result in a level of popularity that only a few other watch brands enjoy. Depending on the model, this results in long waiting times, which customers should be aware of. Because you can't just get an exclusive Rolex "like that".

What is the Rolex Waiting List?

The Rolex waiting list is a list on which Rolex dealers can enter those interested in individual models. If the watch in question is not currently available for immediate purchase - which is usually the case - the dealer can put the customer on this list and thus make a note that the respective watch fan would like to buy this watch at some point in the future.

But be careful: A "place" on the waiting list does not mean that you are guaranteed to receive a Rolex watch. You may stay on the list for years without ever having a real chance of getting the model you want - in this case, all the waiting was for nothing.

To avoid disappointment, it is therefore important to understand exactly how the Rolex waiting list works. Interested parties should know that being included on the waiting list does not represent a promise of a later sale of the watch. After all, who ultimately has the privilege of buying a Rolex watch is determined by various factors, which we will of course look at in more detail later in this article.

The process of being included in the Rolex waiting list

Anyone who has never dealt with the topic might imagine the Rolex waiting list as follows: you register your interest in a specific Rolex reference with a dealer, who then gives you a precise waiting time, puts the customer on a fixed place on the list and delivers the watch as soon as it is the customer's turn. Unfortunately, that is not how it works in reality.

The dealers are more or less free to choose the customers who will receive their desired Rolex watch. The dealer decides for himself who he will sell a rare watch to. It is therefore not necessarily a case of "first come, first served".

Nevertheless, if you don't put yourself on the waiting list, your chances of getting the Rolex model of your dreams are of course zero. That's why it's always a sensible step to ask your trusted dealer to add your name to the waiting list. The process is simple: you go to one or, ideally, several Rolex dealers and simply register your interest in one or more watches.

When asked, most dealers will give their estimate of the expected waiting time. If the dealer says a few months, that is a good sign and good news. It shows that the probability of a purchase actually being made is relatively high. However, if the stated waiting time is many years, it is more or less up in the air whether and when you will actually be able to hold your dream Rolex watch in your hands.

Figures of ten years or more often indicate that the dealer is trying to politely put off the interested party rather than a serious intention to sell. This is especially true if the watch in question can usually be obtained in a shorter time - for example in "only" two years. So the waiting times that are realistic also depend on the exact model.

Since dealers are usually relatively well informed about when and how often the various Rolex models are delivered to them, extremely inaccurate or missing information about the waiting time tends to be seen as a bad sign. A dealer who makes no statement at all about how long you will have to wait may not intend to help the customer standing in front of him to get the watch he wants.

The waiting time for a Rolex: How long does it really take?

As mentioned above, the waiting time for a Rolex watch is determined by various factors, including the relationship with the retailer and the customer's purchase history, as well as the number of watches of the respective reference that are made per year. We will look at these influencing factors in more detail later in this article. First, we will look at the average waiting list times for some of the most well-known and sought-after Rolex watches.

Current waiting times for important models

Rolex Submariner

The Rolex Submariner , which was first introduced in 1953, is clearly one of the icons among Rolex watches and is accordingly highly valued by collectors and investors. The watch, which received its latest "update" in 2021 and has been produced with a diameter of 41 mm since then, is particularly sought after in the steel version and is available both with and without a date display.

A Submariner "No Date" - i.e. without a date display - is often easier to get than its equivalent with a date display. Why? It's simple: most customers prefer the version with a date. Since dealers receive between ten and twenty "No Date" watches each year, depending on the size of their business, the waiting time is usually a maximum of six months. In some cases, you can even get really lucky and find a "dealer" who has the "No Date" in stock and sells it (almost) without a waiting time.

The steel Submariner "Date" with the reference 126610LN is produced in larger quantities, but also in much higher demand. This results in a waiting time that is also on average between three and six months.

You may have to wait significantly longer for the Rolex Submariner " Hulk ", " Starbucks " or "Bluesy" made of steel or steel and yellow gold. If you want to buy one of these watches, you have to be prepared for a waiting time of at least six to a full 18 months. The dealer only receives five to ten of these models per year, and of course they are requested much more frequently during the same period.

And that's not even the tip of the iceberg! You can easily wait up to three years for Submariner models made of white gold or yellow gold. Of the white gold " Smurf " with a blue dial, only one or two examples are delivered to the "dealer" each year. As a new customer, the chances of getting one of the rare models are therefore pretty poor.

Rolex Datejust

Released in 1945 as the first automatic wristwatch with a date display, the Rolex Datejust is now available in three sizes from 31 mm to 36 mm to 41 mm in diameter. The stylish watch for men and women is equipped with the caliber 3235 or 2236, depending on the size, which is a tried and tested in-house movement.

The 31 mm Datejust watch is actually only worn by women , so there is relatively little demand and some retailers issue it without any waiting time. If you want to get a Rolex as quickly as possible and are flexible about the exact model, the Datejust with a 31 mm diameter is an attractive option.

The Datejust model with a diameter of 36 mm is much more in demand, but it is also one of the Rolex watches that ends up in relatively high numbers at the "concert". For the common references made of steel, steel and yellow gold or steel and rose gold with a smooth or fluted bezel, the average wait is a maximum of six months - sometimes just a few weeks.

The most popular Datejust watches are probably those with a diameter of 41 mm . Thanks to deliveries of up to 60 pieces per year, the waiting time is still limited. Unless the dealer finds the customer completely unsympathetic, the waiting time for a 41 Datejust is usually less than six months. And there is more good news: you don't necessarily have to be an existing customer to be able to purchase one of the Datejust models from the dealer.

Rolex Daytona

If one had to choose which Rolex watch to give the title of legend, the Rolex Daytona would certainly be a serious contender. It is therefore hardly surprising that the watch is one of the Rolex models that prospective buyers have to wait the longest for. However, experience shows that this prospect does not stop customers from getting on the waiting list.

We start with the Rolex Daytona, which is the second or third hardest to get: the yellow gold watch with a green dial and the reference 116508. The model, nicknamed the "John Mayer Daytona", often takes more than three years to arrive and is actually out of reach for new customers.

The waiting time for the Rolex Daytona "Panda" in steel is almost as long, especially in the version with a white dial and black totalizers. With around ten pieces being sold to retailers each year, the expected waiting time is between one and a half and three years. Incidentally, this is exactly the same amount of time that people wait for a reference 116509 in white gold and for the Oysterflex watches from the famous collection.

The waiting times are somewhat shorter for watches made of Everose gold and steel-gold , where you have to be patient for at least six and a maximum of 18 months. If you want to buy a Rolex Daytona watch and have not yet "set your sights on" a specific reference, these models are a good choice, at least in view of the shorter waiting time.

We previously talked about the "John Mayer Daytona" and called it the Daytona with the second worst availability. So there must be a watch that is even harder to get hold of: the Rolex Daytona Ref. 116506 in the finest platinum . Only one of this watch, which costs just over €70,000 or just under €77,000 depending on the dial, ends up at the dealer each year, which explains the average waiting time of over five years. It goes without saying that only long-standing customers with a first-class purchase history are considered when it comes to who is allowed to buy such a watch.

There is actually another Rolex Daytona model that can compete with the platinum watch just presented in terms of availability. We are talking about the Daytona with a meteorite dial. Regardless of whether it is made of white, rose or yellow gold: it is impossible to predict how long it will take to get hold of one of these Rolex watches. The timepiece is produced in such small numbers that not even every concessionaire receives one such watch per year. One thing is clear: you can only get a meteorite Daytona with a lot of luck, good connections and a lot of patience.

Rolex GMT-Master II

There is hardly a watch lover who has not dreamed of being able to add a Rolex GMT-Master II to their collection. The Rolex watches, which first appeared in 1954, now house a caliber 3285 movement and are available in numerous versions, some of which differ significantly in terms of production volume, popularity and waiting time.

One of the GMT-Master II models that has received the most coverage is the Rolex GMT-Master II " Pepsi ". The steel watch with a two-tone blue and red bezel lands in dealers around 12 to 25 times a year and may also be available to new customers within 18 months. The same applies to the all-gold "Rootbeer" version with a brown and black bezel, which is produced in smaller numbers but is also in much lower demand.

If you opt for the bicolor " Rootbeer " instead, the waiting time is reduced to a maximum of one year. It takes about the same amount of time to get a " Batman " watch, which can be recognized by its blue and black bezel.

A longer waiting time is to be expected for the "Sprite" version. This watch has a black and green bezel, which will take at least a year, more likely two years to arrive. "Sprite" models are (still) reserved for existing customers, although it cannot be ruled out that you can also purchase the watch as a new customer if you are lucky.

If you put yourself on the Rolex waiting list for a white gold " Pepsi ", the waiting times are of a completely different dimension. Dealers only get one or two watches of this type per year, which means that the waiting time is on average over three years.

You need even more patience if you want to buy the "Pepsi" with a meteorite dial. This watch is so rare that many dealers only see it once every few years. The model made of fine white gold is therefore only something for those who can live with indefinite waiting lists of five years or more.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual

People who are specifically looking for a cheap Rolex are often advised to buy a Rolex Oyster Perpetual. In fact, depending on the size and exact design, these models are among the lowest-priced Rolex watches. At least if you can buy them from a dealer at list price. The watches, which were first released in 1931, are available in a total of five sizes from 26 mm to 41 mm.

The Oyster Perpetual timepieces in the three smaller sizes - 26 mm, 28 mm and 34 mm - are classified as ladies' watches and therefore experience comparatively low demand. This means that their availability is generally above average. It may well be that the delicate Rolex watch is in stock at your trusted dealer and can be purchased - without a waiting list. This makes this watch an interesting option for new customers who want to "get to know" the dealer through an uncomplicated first purchase.

With five to ten watches being delivered to retailers each year, the 36mm Oyster Perpetual is not in abundance. However, it is also less popular than the 41mm model , which we will discuss shortly. If you get on the waiting list for the 36mm version, you will currently usually have the opportunity to buy it within six to twelve months. At least, that is, if you don't specifically prefer a model with a Tiffany blue dial. This is the color that has always been the hardest to get hold of.

Just like the 36mm version, the waiting list time for the 41mm Rolex Oyster Perpetual is six to twelve months. Although one or two examples arrive at the dealership every month, interest has been increasing again in recent years. However, even in this size, the Oyster Perpetual is not the most sought-after Rolex model among long-time collectors, which is why it can be worthwhile for new customers to get on the waiting list.

Rolex Yacht-Master

Elegance, sportiness and simplicity: the Rolex Yacht-Master has combined these characteristics since 1992 in a watch that many collectors and watch lovers are sure to want to buy. Thanks to a wide range of designs in different sizes and with different bracelets, the Rolex models from the Yacht-Master series appeal to a lot of people and are anything but unpopular despite their high prices. The watches, which are sometimes referred to as the "more expensive Submariner", are also popular with women in the slightly narrower 37 mm version and are undoubtedly classified in the category of the more special, expensive Rolex watches.

In direct comparison to the Rolex Submariner, Datejust and GMT-Master II, the waiting lists for the Yacht-Master seem almost empty. This is especially true for the 37 mm watches, which are available in steel, rose gold or as a bicolor model. Usually, no more than five pieces of a reference are available at the dealer, but the generally low demand reduces the waiting time, so that it usually does not significantly exceed the six-month mark. If you get a good time, you may be able to avoid waiting lists even as a new customer and can buy the watch directly.

Such an immediate purchase without waiting lists is rather unlikely for the 40s model of the Rolex Yacht-Master. The medium-sized models are noticeably more in demand. Nevertheless, all in all, they are still bought much less often than is the case with the Rolex Submariner, for example. For prospective buyers, this means in concrete terms that the wait list for the Rolex Yacht-Master dream watch is on average six to twelve months, regardless of whether you prefer a model made of steel or rose gold. Both material variants are also usually offered by the respective dealer to new customers with no purchase history.

In addition to the models with precious metal bracelets, the Yacht-Master collection includes some references with Oysterflex bracelets. The annual number of pieces that go to dealers and the waiting times for these differ again. Both the 40 and 42 Oysterflex watches end up at the dealership between one and three times a year. With demand being limited at the same time, you are on the waiting list for between six and 18 months for such a model - regardless of whether it has a rose gold, yellow gold or white gold case. Depending on the demand, not every dealer will be ready to sell to a new customer straight away. A purchase is possible in principle, but not necessarily exclusively for existing customers who have already invested a small or large fortune in the dealer's goods.

Rolex Yacht-Master II

When talking about the Yacht-Master series, the Rolex Yacht-Master II watches cannot be forgotten. These timepieces were first presented to the public in 2007 and were initially made of yellow gold, later also of rose gold and finally even of steel. At their heart is the caliber 4161, which equips the chronograph with an adjustable countdown with flyback function. This makes the movement one of the more complex Rolex calibers, which amazes watch fans with its functionality.

In the case of the Yacht-Master II, the technical sophistication does not lead to huge demand. If you look at the numbers, the Yacht-Master II falls into the category of Rolex models that tend to be unpopular. Customers who are interested in this particular watch rarely turn up at the dealer. Rolex has also noticed this, which has led to only a few of these watches being produced. Some dealers do not even receive a single one of the sporty Rolex watches per year.

However, if you as a customer have now decided to buy this particular watch, it is still advisable to ask the dealers. If a Yacht-Master II made of yellow, white or rose gold happens to be in stock, you may be able to take it with you straight away, even as a new customer. If, however, the dealer does not have a model, it is questionable whether he wants to order one or can. On the one hand, there is no guarantee that the timepieces are even in stock at Rolex, and on the other hand, the dealer will find out more about the prospective buyer's commitment. After all, he wants to know that the watch - if he orders and receives it - will be sold safely and thus avoid getting an incredibly expensive "shelf warmer".

Whether you can get a Yacht-Master II from a dealer in your area is ultimately a matter of chance. Dealers who have a model in stock will probably be happy to sell it - whether to new or existing customers. However, due to the small production volume, it makes sense not to commit to one material - that improves your chances.

Rolex Sky-Dweller

As the latest collection from Rolex, the Sky-Dweller naturally attracted a lot of attention. The function-packed watch with a classic look has a month, date and 24-hour time display, which is made possible by the complex manufacture caliber 9001.

If you don't have any particular preferences regarding the material and want to wait as short as possible, you should ask for a Sky-Dweller in "Rolesor yellow gold". In this version, the watch is more readily available than in steel, for example, which in this case means that the waiting time is three to six months.

In comparison, you have to wait quite a long time for a steel version. Here, the waiting time is up to three years, which is the same as the time it takes to get a Sky-Dweller made of pure yellow gold. For both models, the majority of dealers do not consider requests from new customers. So you have to be an existing customer - and have the necessary patience - to be able to secure such a watch.

As far as the waiting time is concerned, the Everose gold pieces are in the middle range. Existing customers can get them within 12 to 18 months, although it is not impossible for new customers to get on the waiting list.

Just like the Yacht-Master, the Rolex Sky-Dweller is also available with an optional Oysterflex bracelet, with a bezel and dial made of yellow or rose gold. The watches have only been produced with this bracelet since 2021, but as a regular customer you rarely have to wait longer than a year and a half for it.

Rolex Explorer

There is a much-told story behind the Rolex Explorer : When Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to climb Mount Everest, he had a very special watch with him. His timepiece was specially made by Rolex for this important event. Today, Hillary's watch is known as the "original Explorer" because it was the foundation on which the Rolex Explorer models released later for everyone were built. To this day, Explorer products are known as timepieces for mountaineers and researchers on expeditions that can withstand adverse conditions and provide reliable service.

Even though the size of these Rolex models is small at just 36 mm in diameter, the Explorer is also popular with men. However, when you compare it to other Rolex steel models, you'll notice that the Explorer watches are not as popular as you might expect. This may also be the reason why Rolex now issues fewer models - a maximum of twelve to be precise - to dealers per year. As a customer, you still have the opportunity to get a Rolex Explorer within a maximum of one year, even if you're not a regular customer of the dealers you visit.

The role of authorized Rolex dealers in waiting list management

Let's take a closer look at the role that Rolex dealers play in managing waiting lists. As mentioned briefly at the beginning of this article, dealers are not obliged to sell a newly delivered watch to the first person to get on the waiting list. Instead, it is largely up to the dealers themselves to decide who they offer a sought-after model to. This means that you may not be able to sell a Rolex even if you have been on all the waiting lists for a long time.

What's more, a "dealer" is not even obliged to put every interested party on the waiting list. Even if this does not happen very often, he could decide at any time not to add a potential customer as an interested party or to remove them from the list. The lists are not kept and managed by Rolex itself - this is all the responsibility of the dealer.

This also makes it understandable why the term "list of interested parties" would actually be the correct one. With a waiting list, you assume that deliveries will be made in the order in which the names land on the list. And that is precisely not the case with the "Rolex waiting list".

Against this background, it is clear how valuable a good relationship with Rolex dealers can be. Let's imagine the following situation: After a year of waiting, the dealer finally receives five Rolex watches of a certain reference. A look at his list tells him that 25 people are currently waiting for this exact watch. He has to make a decision and choose who he will sell a watch to. If the list contains both new and existing customers, he will naturally first address his offer to the people he already knows and values ​​as customers.

If there are not enough examples to cover all interested existing customers, the retailer will most likely look at how much he has benefited from each candidate in the past. This is where customer history comes into play. The retailer looks at how regularly the prospective customers have bought from him and how much they have spent. In all likelihood, the watch lover who has invested the largest sums in jewelry and watches from this jeweler to date will win the race.

It may be a little more difficult for the salesperson to make a choice if the list is full of new customers. It is probably harder for them to assess them and it is also difficult to predict whether they will only buy from him once or will keep coming back if they are satisfied. In this case, the sympathy factor may be quite important. The salesperson will remember the conversations with the prospective customers and assess what impression they made on him.

If he is unsure about whether a candidate is potentially willing to resell the watch quickly, he will almost certainly cross out the associated name. Because: Profitably reselling a rare Rolex watch immediately after purchase is absurd and can lead to you not being offered a rare Rolex for a long time. Anyone who does not want to jeopardize their reputation with dealers should therefore steer clear of quick resales.

A hotly debated topic surrounding the Rolex waiting list and ways to get a rare Rolex relates to so-called additional purchases. This means buying other products, which is supposed to increase the dealer's favor and give you a better chance of getting your dream Rolex model. It's no longer a secret that such additional purchases can actually have the desired effect and are even a fairly common method of getting a Rolex that is hard to get. Nevertheless, not every dealer takes additional purchases into account to the same extent and it is not always necessary to make an additional purchase to get a little closer to the Rolex you have been longing for. But it is also a fact that additional purchases have helped one or two lucky Rolex owners to buy their dream watch.

The question of what role dealers play in the Rolex waiting list can therefore be answered quite clearly: a huge one. Even if they base their sales on requirements set out by Rolex, they decide for themselves who they sell what to and when. A long-standing, valued customer will therefore almost always be given preference over a new customer - regardless of which of the two was first on the waiting list.

Reasons for the high demand for Rolex watches

Rolex produces around 1.3 million watches every year. A number that doesn't initially suggest a long wait. With 1.3 million, everyone should get exactly the model they want - right? If you take into account the worldwide recognition of the Rolex brand, it's clear why this isn't the case. Rolex does produce a considerable number of watches, but they are still nowhere near enough to meet demand. The demand is simply many times higher - that was the case years ago and is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.

There are various factors that have already been mentioned in this article that are responsible for this. These include the brand's incomparably good reputation, its worldwide reputation, the symbolic power of a Rolex watch, the clever marketing strategy and the waiting time for Rolex watches themselves.

Let's be honest: A watch that is available immediately doesn't have to be bad. But a model that is sold out for months and that you have to wait a year or more for because it is so popular - well, that kind of watch simply has to be above average. This is exactly the kind of thought that consciously or subconsciously goes into the minds of watch fans when they are faced with a waiting period. And of course, this principle applies not only in the watch industry, but virtually everywhere. Most of us automatically assume that a product that you have to wait for is definitely worth the wait.

In the case of Rolex, this conclusion is certainly not wrong. Anyone who has even superficially studied watches knows that Rolex timepieces are hard to beat in terms of quality. Rolex has been producing watches for decades that have impressed both watch fans without specialist knowledge and experts alike. When you buy a Rolex watch, you don't have to ask yourself whether it is high-quality, functional and durable - you know it with certainty. Accordingly, the well-heeled customer always goes for a Rolex when he or she does not want to make any compromises in terms of quality.

Then there is the product selection. At Rolex, almost everyone who appreciates the luxury of a technically sophisticated, exclusive watch will get their money's worth. From classic models such as the Day Date and Datejust, to pilot's watches and models with a calendar, to the sporty long-running favorites, of which the Submariner is an excellent example, the Rolex product portfolio is characterized by a pleasantly wide range. Regardless of whether you are looking for an elegant watch for an evening dress, a functional watch for everyday use, or a technical masterpiece for the display case: at Rolex you will usually find what you are looking for.

Rolex combines exclusivity, design diversity and product quality with effective marketing, influential cooperation partners and the long-standing positioning of the timepieces as status symbols. Since we have already mentioned all of these aspects in this article, we will not go into them again here. However, it should be emphasized that it is probably the ingenious interplay of various factors that leads to Rolex models receiving a lot of attention and actually always being in demand.

The impact of waiting lists on the price of Rolex watches

After having discussed in detail how the long wait for Rolex watches comes about, we naturally cannot resist looking at the effects of the waiting lists on the market. To what extent does the sometimes poor availability of sought-after Rolex models affect prices on the secondary market?

Before we delve into the topic, we would like to clarify a few terms. When it comes to the prices of watches, we are talking about the list price and the price on the secondary market. It is important to know the difference here. The list price is the price that Rolex charges for each watch. The price on the secondary market differs from this in the vast majority of cases. It is rarely lower - often significantly higher - than the list price and indicates the price that sellers on the open market ask for their Rolex.

Pricing essentially follows a simple principle: what is desired by many and difficult to obtain becomes more expensive, while products that are in abundance and unpopular are offered very cheaply. So you can put two and two together and you already have a rough idea of ​​the prices at which sought-after Rolex watches are currently being traded on the secondary market.

It is actually quite logical that a rare, popular Rolex, for which you have to wait several months or even years from a dealer, is extremely expensive on the secondary market. So you pay a price that is sometimes significantly higher, but on the other hand you save yourself the waiting time in a very simple - albeit expensive - way.

The price situation on the secondary market also means that in many cases a Rolex increases in value significantly from the moment it passes from the dealer into the hands of the buyer. But be careful: dealers are extremely unhappy when the pieces of jewelry they sell to carefully selected clients are then sold at a high price on the secondary market shortly afterwards. As we have already mentioned, such behavior can be enough reason for this "dealer" never to sell you a Rolex watch again.

The Rolex Waiting List Controversy

The Rolex waiting list is a controversial topic that is always being discussed and is surrounded by a few myths. If you look around online, you will constantly find posts claiming that Rolex and its authorized dealers maintain a regular waiting list. Sometimes it is even stated that there is a kind of "VIP waiting list" that is managed by Rolex itself and is reserved for customers with particularly large budgets and contact networks. For all we know, this is simply false.

So we repeat once again: If you want to buy a Rolex that is not immediately available, you can be put on a waiting list, but this is more like a list of interested parties. It is only used by the dealer to note who is interested in the respective model. Contrary to what many people think, a place on the waiting list is no guarantee that you will receive the Rolex you want. Because it is not the time of the request, but the number of units delivered, the number of interested parties and their purchase histories as well as their relationships with the dealer that determine who is offered a model.

Of course, putting your name on the list is a first step towards getting your dream watch, and it's simply not possible without it. However, it's important that interested parties know exactly what being put on the waiting list really means for them, how the process works and what they have to expect. In plain language, this means that anyone who gets themselves on the list without a purchase history or a solid relationship with the dealer must expect to wait months or even years, depending on the model - always without absolute certainty that the wait will pay off in the end.

Conclusion

Whether it's the Rolex GMT-Master II, Rolex Submariner, Rolex Daytona or Rolex Sky-Dweller: watch lovers have to wait a year or more for many sought-after references from Rolex. This is primarily because Rolex watches are in huge demand and the Swiss company produces significantly fewer watches each year than there are interested buyers. While some less popular models can sometimes be bought directly from the dealer without any waiting, the really sought-after timepieces usually have long waiting times. The only way to avoid this is to buy on the secondary market, which in turn is associated with significantly higher prices.

The Rolex waiting lists, about which there are numerous myths and theories, are ultimately nothing more than lists of interested parties kept by the dealers. The dealer writes down who has expressed interest in a reference and uses this information when he receives new Rolex goods. He is not bound to a specific order of delivery and can decide for himself and in principle arbitrarily who he sells to. This decision is usually based on several factors - such as purchase history and the relationship with the customer - which is why new customers often have a difficult time. But even if the Rolex waiting list is no guarantee of a purchase offer, it is an important tool for the dealer and it is essential to be put on such a list in order to have a chance of getting a Rolex watch at the list price.