A Rolex or any other overpriced Swiss timepiece can be substituted for by a $20 watch.

A trip to Switzerland can't be substituted.

I'm pretty certain that you won't save money on a Rolex or any of the other famous Swiss brands. What you will find in Switzerland is more variety and more brands than you will in the US. But, for a Rolex, it is doubtful that you will find any models not available from a good dealer in the US, and you will probably pay more for it to boot.

My brother was looking at watches when we were in Switzerland. I can't remember the brand..it was not a Rolex, but not cheap...in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars. He didn't buy it and several months later saw the same watch at Costco for about three hundred dollars less and bought it.

Now, was it EXACTLY the same thing, all inner workings the same etc., who knows, but the price was right for him and he's had it many years.