So, what’s the deal with RCPO? Basically, it’s Rolex’s way of saying, “Okay, okay, we know people are buyin’ and sellin’ used Rolexes. Instead of lettin’ some shady character in a back alley ‘certify’ somethin’, we’re gonna do it ourselves.” Smart move, if you ask me. Cuts down on the fakes, which are rampant, and gives a *smidge* of reassurance when you’re dropping serious coin on a secondhand Submariner.
Now, here’s where my personal opinion kicks in. I’m kinda torn. On one hand, it’s great. You get a legit Rolex stamp of approval, which is worth its weight in gold (pun intended, obvs). But on the other hand… are they just gonna jack up the prices even *more*? Probably. I mean, it’s Rolex. They could sell air in a Rolex-branded can and people would line up to buy it.
And, like, what *exactly* does “certified” even MEAN? Does it mean it’s had a full service? Does it mean it’s got all original parts? They don’t really spell it out clearly enough, do they? It’s all a bit vague. You’d think for somethin’ this expensive, they’d have a more, you know, transparent process. Maybe they do and I just haven’t dug deep enough, I dunno.
Plus, let’s be real, the grey market for Rolexes is already bonkers. Will RCPO actually *change* anything significantly? I’m not entirely convinced. Maybe it’ll just shift the demand a bit. More people clamoring for the “official” used Rolexes, driving *those* prices up, while the non-certified ones maybe become a *slightly* better deal? (Emphasis on slightly).
And another thing that bugs me… the Italy thing. Why start in Italy? Is it because of the whole mafia thing and they wanted to legitimize the market there? I’m joking, mostly. But still, why Italy first? Seems kinda random.
