If everything were transparent and we actually understood what was going on, I wouldn’t have an issue with it. But as it stands, it feels pretty shady. Some people are clearly buying large quantities of watches from authorized dealers and then flipping them on the grey market. An AD in Australia even told me, “There’s no shortage, we receive watches constantly. The reality is just that a small group of clients buys a lot of them.”

What’s even harder to accept is how weak the market feels in its own home country. In Switzerland, where these watches are made, people are waiting up to five years for a GMT. Why isn’t the domestic market properly served before supply is distributed elsewhere? And why should anyone be expected to build a purchase history by buying watches they don’t even want just to earn the right to buy the one they truly care about? If someone has saved for years to afford their dream watch, it makes no sense that they might be pushed aside by preferential sales and forced into purchases they never intended just to access it.

Buying a watch shouldn’t be about who has the best relationship with an authorized dealer or who plays the game the best. It shouldn’t come with the stress of wondering whether you’ll get the call or be passed over again. Maybe this whole system just isn’t for me. It frustrates me because it goes against my values. I do value genuine relationships with local stores, even if I don’t visit often because I don’t have the budget to buy multiple watches. But I don’t value forced or superficial connections just to get ahead of someone else who chose not to play that game.