Why is the Tiffany Patek so expensive?
For one thing, the premium stainless steel, sapphire glass and other materials used in the collaboration watch were costly, and the labor required to handcraft them was extensive. Patek Philippe also produced only 170 of the watches, so demand is much greater than the available supply. Obviously, Pateks are more expensive, but that doesn’t necessarily make them “better” in the grand scheme of things. Patek has been making watches for 180 years, while Rolex has only been around for 110,” notes Bob’s Watches founder and renowned Rolex collector, Paul Altieri.The chances of being able to buy a watch from Patek Philippe is the same as trying to walk in and buy a brand new Rolex Daytona… Slim to none. This is because most of the collections from the brand have an extensive waitlist that stem from under a year to around 8 years at the time of writing.So, can you walk into Rolex and buy a watch? Yes—but don’t expect it to be like walking into your local department store. Depending on what model you’re after, you might be met with a waitlist, a bit of patience-testing, or the suggestion to consider other options.With the enduring quality of the Rolex, even if the watch is over 20 years old, you are ensured the same technology, precision and scalability of a watch made today. What’s more, you are buying a piece of history whose prices continue to rise year after year.