All you need to know about waiting lists and the grey market

That's it, you've finally walked into the shop of your dreams! After so many years of saving up for the model you have always wanted, you are finally going to leave with the watch on your wrist! Impatient, you ask for a salesman to try the watch but quickly the disillusionment arrives because your watch will be available, in the best of the cases in... 2040! You discover the world of unavailable models in shops and the famous waiting lists. But what exactly are we talking about?

Sometimes waiting lists are just a backdoor way to make some customers look good who will never be served. 

 

The truth about waiting lists

The brands do not set up waiting lists for their customers, it is the retailers who choose to do so or not. The retailers (franchise shops) independently set up these lists in order to regulate demand as some watches are in high demand. When waiting lists exist and are respected, each customer is served as the list progresses. So depending on the number of people in front of you, you will have to wait more or less time to get the model of your dreams. The retailers receive the watches randomly which means that it is very difficult to give you a precise waiting time. Sometimes waiting lists are just a way of getting customers to promise to buy watches that they will never actually get.

ROLEX OYSTER PERPETUAL SUBMARINER DATE 41mm 126610LV Black

As each shop receives a limited number of watches, it chooses to sell them to whomever it wishes. For the most popular models, the best customers are usually served first. Occasionally, however, a boutique will offer a rare piece to a new customer, although this trend is becoming increasingly rare. Since rare watches can be sold on the grey market for much higher prices, boutiques prefer to sell these pieces to their regular customers. It is important to note that some rare watches are sold directly on the internet, at prices much higher than those charged on the brand's website. This is known as the grey market because the watches are new and available but at much higher prices than in the shop.

How can you maximise your chances?

To hope to obtain a highly sought-after model, you must establish a good relationship with your dealer, be patient and courteous, and not hesitate to visit the dealer from time to time to check on the progress of the waiting list. Don't hesitate to ask a seller directly if you have a real chance of obtaining the watch or if the waiting list is so long that it would take you several lifetimes before you could hope to obtain the piece you are looking for! If after shopping around you realise that the watch of your dreams is impossible to find, you have only two options. Either you accept to pay more and go through the grey market, or you opt for another watch model. Believe us, there are many alternatives for every watch model and they are often cheaper, immediately available and more original!