The two biggest Rolex partners in the United States, Bucherer and Watches of Switzerland, were first to start offering Certified Pre-Owned timepieces from the brand, and the programme expanded significantly on November 1 with a slew of independents jumping on board.
Chicago’s C.D. Peacocks and Boston’s Long’s Jewelers started selling the certified and Rolex-guaranteed watches at the start of the month.
They were joined by The 1916 Company, a new business created by the merger of Govberg Jewelers in Philadelphia, Hyde Park Jewelers, headquartered in Denver, and Radcliffe Jewelers from Maryland.
Prestons is the only family-owned British partner to join the Rolex CPO programme.
The 1916 Company’s participation in the programme is notable because of the experience WatchBox brings to the merged organisation.
It undercut prices being offered by other Rolex CPO partners, and tells WatchPro that it thinks a 15% or $2,000 mark-up over the prices offered by the secondary market specialists is a reasonable premium that reflects the gold standard set by Rolex along with its international guarantee.
Other early members of the Rolex CPO programme are charging premiums as high as 50% over market prices.
CORDER’S COLUMN: Price war breaks out between Certified Pre-Owned Rolex partners
