how to pick your first Rolex

Founded in 1905 and headquartered in Switzerland, Rolex is one of the most iconic and popular luxury watches’ brands in the world. Throughout its existence, the company has been innovative with their products, introducing the very first water-proof watch, self-winding movement and the first watch showing the date. 

What Rolex has really managed to perfect, though, is the timeless variety of luxury designs that work well for different needs, occasions and looks. If you are a first-time buyer and need some help picking a Rolex watch - here’s everything you need to know. 

Where To Buy From?

First and foremost, it’s essential that you don’t just pick the first place that has Rolex watches for sale, without making sure that they are either fully authorized dealers or a highly reputable brand. You can still purchase your watch in an online marketplace, as long as they are reliable. 

For instance, the men's luxury Rolex watch collection  from Chrono24 is guaranteed to be authentic, the shipments are insured, there is a possibility of returns as well as a support team to help with any questions.

New Or Pre-owned?

Before looking at any models, it is important that you decide on the budget you are willing to spend and, accordingly, whether you want your Rolex to be brand new or pre-owned. Now, the price for a typical Rolex watch can be anywhere between $5,000 and $80,000. Of course, the most expensive products from the brand can reach hundreds of thousands, or even millions. 

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Most entry-level buyers will spend under $12,000 for a brand new Rolex, although that is completely up to you and your budget. If you go for a pre-owned watch, however, you can potentially purchase a nicer model for a lower price - this is extremely common in the luxury watches industry and, given the high quality of their products, even pre-worn products should retain their excellent condition. 

How To Pick A Model?

Choosing the right luxury watch for you will undoubtedly be the trickiest part. The most popular Rolex watch series for men include Rolex Submariner, Rolex GMT Master II, Rolex Datejust, Rolex Daytona, Rolex Oyster Perpetual and Rolex Day-Date. Each of those ranges will have a number of models, based on their features, colors, materials and so on. 

The material of your chosen Rolex watch is what will highly dictate the price as well as the style of the product. For example, stainless steel is a cheaper choice than some of the more precious metals, like platinum, white gold, yellow gold or rose gold. 

There is also a variety of bracelet styles that your luxury watch can come with: oyster, jubilee, president, pearlmaster, leather or oysterflex. The same goes for the type of bezel you are getting - plain bezel will be more affordable, while a bejewelled, engraved or a precious metal bezel will come at a higher price. 

Dress Vs Sports Watches

Last but not least, your lifestyle and the way you dress will play a huge part in picking the most suitable Rolex model for you: i.e. do you want a dress or a sports watch? 

Dress watches are typically much more formal-looking and can be worn with a suit. Rolex Datejust, Rolex Cellini or Rolex Day-Date series are most suited for formal and business attire. 

Sports watches, such as the Rolex Explorer models, are more casual and can be worn with leisure clothes. Some other models, like Rolex Oyster Perpetual, are more universal and can be dressed up or down accordingly.