Want a New Watch? Put Your Name Right Here. (Published 2022) (2024)

Luxury watch brands have always liked the concept of a waiting list and the exclusivity that it often signals to prospective buyers.

But with lists becoming more common and growing in both length and duration, some in the industry have warned of rising frustration among consumers who have money in their pockets but are being told to wait, wait and wait some more for their hearts’ desires.

A number of lists are said to stretch to years, decades even. The pre-owned website Watchmaster recently reported that the Rolex list for its GMT-Master II with a red and blue bezel, nicknamed the “Pepsi,” runs to 20 years.

Others, however, say the lists are being created by brands and retailers to manufacture hype, increase demand and inflate perceptions of value.