Why are Rolex watches used more expensive than new ones?

A visit to the Rolex website may surprise you – some watches go for tens of thousands of dollars, while others are listed as “prices available upon request.” For those new to collecting, it can be confusing to see every reputable pre-owned site selling certain Rolex watches for significantly more than their new retail counterparts.
Many factors affect the price of a pre-owned watch, so we wanted to give you an idea of what determines the value of a pre-owned Rolex. Remember that not all pre-owned fake Rolex watches for men are more expensive than new Rolex models. If a pre-owned Rolex sells for more than its retail price, it may be vintage, rare, or highly desirable.
Of course, rare and discontinued features on certain antiques make them even more valuable. Some people may consider these features obsolete, but first and foremost, they are rare and vintage – and if your Rolex has them, they may be more valuable.
Regarding Rolex watches, rarity and vintage can go hand in hand – but not always. There are Rolex watches that are not yet vintage but are still hard to find – for example, maybe their reference numbers didn’t last long in production. Not only was it the first Submariner to feature this color, but after they discontinued the Kermit, Rolex began making ceramic bezels. The other thing that makes this watch rare is that there aren’t many of them around since it was produced in less than 10 years.
One of the most significant factors that make Rolex pre-owned watches more expensive than brand new watches is that most of Rolex’s top models are sold out at retailers. While some people are happy to take the opportunity to wait, many others are willing to pay well above the retail price to skip the waiting list and add the replica Rolex watch they want to their collection today. With demand for replica Rolex watches vastly outstripping their supply, the secondary market is the only place to buy the model you want without having to wait, which drives up the open market prices of these trendy models.
This also begs the question, why can’t Rolex produce more watches? It is important to remember that each Rolex takes about a year from start to finish. Their dedication to quality and precision is unparalleled. When you consider that their movements are assembled by hand and that the precious materials copy Rolex uses are forged in-house, it is pretty remarkable that they can produce nearly a million watches a year.