Rolex by The Pound
(At left, a vintage Rolex advertisement. If I were flying the Concorde tomorrow, I probably would be able to afford to buy a Rolex, because that would be quite a salary!)
I have told you before that I used to chuckle about the story my dad told me about his adventure in Tijuana. When he was in his late teens or early twenties, he took a cross country road trip with his buddies, and ended up in Tijuana just for kicks. They bought a Rolex that stopped working the minute they reentered the United States. Of course, it was fake, but the whole point was to buy a counterfeit Rolex on purpose just to say they did. Instead of the street salesman of yesteryear, most people didn’t wander into a situation where they would see a Rolex if they weren’t in the market. Now, they are all over the internet. There was a site that offered vintage Rolexes that I once saw, but now there are sites like www.bestoftime.com that are following the big box model of price wars. They buy Rolexes in a certain quantity, so they are able to pass the savings on to you. They also buy preowned Rolexes. Most of the shops started out as independent jewelers.
This concept just seems a little strange to me when it comes to an item like this, where people are favoring authenticity over any sort of “best deal.” I never imagine Rolex wearers shopped around for the best price, and rather thought they went with someone they trusted, even if they paid a little more. I never knew that there were pricing controls on Rolexes, but there are! Some speculate that it just rises as the exchange rate changes, but I have never seen the prices go down to adjust for it when the exchange rates dip. The way that some places get around them are to buy in such bulk or to buy pre-owned Rolexes and resell them.
I always think that if you are looking for high quality at a low price, you won’t always find it unless you buy vintage or second hand, which gives you a lot more bang for your buck. If you are looking at a major jewelry purchase, I encourage you to shop around for something that fits into that category. No one will point out that you are wearing a watch from a bunch of seasons ago, they will just think you look spiffy. Also, if you are buying a high ticket item, or something with diamonds in it, be sure to have it appraised so you know what you are getting if you are not an expert and you pay a precious penny.
I did a little sleuthing and discovered that the website is dba Alex’s Jewelry, which is a chain in the Atlanta area. They have physical stores, rather than just being a drop shipper. I found a few addresses in the area such as in Sandy Springs and in the city proper, if you are looking to research the business further. I would suggest if you are buyinga high ticket item over the internet, that you don’t just research if the pricing is competitive, but you also see what the Better Business Bureau has listed. They don’t always indicate if a business is stellar, but merely if there are any complaints. However, that is a helpful start.
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