Has the Rolex bubble finally burst? Perhaps it has

[Buster73]

Geertsen said:

Buster73 said:

[...]
• We will reserve the timepiece for 7 days for you to decide whether you wish to purchase it. If you do not offer to buy the timepiece, or contact the showroom within this time, the timepiece will become available to another client. In this instance your registration of interest will continue to be active unless you indicate otherwise.

• If you offer to purchase the timepiece, full payment and collection are needed within one week from our initial contact. When your purchase is complete, the registration of interest will no longer be live.
[...]

Kind regards,
The Goldsmiths Team

I found this very interesting, it wasn’t long ago that people on here were being offered their allocation and bing told they had to visit the shop the same day to complete the purchase.

Definitely happened to me

[bordseye]

FreeLitres said:

I ventured into my local AD today which is the one I'm registered at.

My main contact wasn't in (again!!) but i had a chat with another Rolex representative.

Several models were available to buy. The usual full gold models and gold/oysterflex models. However, some of the steel 36mm Datejusts were also available! I was fleetingly tempted by a 36mm, slate grey dial Datejust on Oyster bracelet.

I mentioned to this new rep that I'm registered for a steel Sub and then she shared an insight..

"Oh Sir, that is a really popular model. I'd recommend that you build up your profile by buying some jewelry for your family. Building your profile moves you up the list. Have you heard of our certified pre-owned models"

I've obviously heard of this sneaky concept before but to hear it straight from the lips of a Rolex AD rep....

Does this basically mean I will not get a call for a Submariner unless I spend a few £k on extra crap? Not happy.

No, it doesnt mean that. It simply means that you are more likely to get a call if you are a regular customer who has bought jewelry with a 100% mark up. If you were running the shop, you would take the same approach assuming you were any sort of businessman. All the woman has done is to be commendably honest.

Business of this sort is a two way trade. The shop looks after its best customers first.

But dont worry. The market is changing as other posts show, and the time will come when shops are desperate to get any customer and will offer discounts to do so. When that happens many current potential customers will lose interest since a new watch will not be a ticket to ride financially.

[Blown2CV]

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

[Dimebars]

Blown2CV said:

oh you mean "the naranja"

Surprised it doesn't have a sh!t nickname like "the OP41 Fanta" or some other bullsh!t

[SpanishTony]

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

[popeyewhite]

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

'El Naranja' surely

[Blown2CV]

popeyewhite said:

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

'El Naranja' surely

no because rolex owners would not only say The, but they would also pronounce a hard J.

[eyebeebe]

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

'El Naranja' surely

no because rolex owners would not only say The, but they would also pronounce a hard J.

The more worldly of us would call it “la naranja”

[Rusty Old-Banger]

eyebeebe said:

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

'El Naranja' surely

no because rolex owners would not only say The, but they would also pronounce a hard J.

The more worldly of us would call it “la naranja”

You posh gits. I thought "Spanish Orange" was what truckers left in 2 litre bottles in laybys.

[lowdrag]

I played the Las Naranjas" golf course a number of times. But not wearing a Rolex though. I couldn't afford one.

[Geertsen]

Rusty Old-Banger said:

You posh gits. I thought "Spanish Orange" was what truckers left in 2 litre bottles in laybys.

[dickymint]

popeyewhite said:

Blown2CV said:

popeyewhite said:

Geertsen said:

Red

Spanish orange in that pic, surely.

oh you mean "the naranja"

'El Naranja' surely

I'd prefer 'The Trump' or Trumper

[r159]

bordseye said:

FreeLitres said:

I ventured into my local AD today which is the one I'm registered at.

My main contact wasn't in (again!!) but i had a chat with another Rolex representative.

Several models were available to buy. The usual full gold models and gold/oysterflex models. However, some of the steel 36mm Datejusts were also available! I was fleetingly tempted by a 36mm, slate grey dial Datejust on Oyster bracelet.

I mentioned to this new rep that I'm registered for a steel Sub and then she shared an insight..

"Oh Sir, that is a really popular model. I'd recommend that you build up your profile by buying some jewelry for your family. Building your profile moves you up the list. Have you heard of our certified pre-owned models"

I've obviously heard of this sneaky concept before but to hear it straight from the lips of a Rolex AD rep....

Does this basically mean I will not get a call for a Submariner unless I spend a few £k on extra crap? Not happy.

No, it doesnt mean that. It simply means that you are more likely to get a call if you are a regular customer who has bought jewelry with a 100% mark up. If you were running the shop, you would take the same approach assuming you were any sort of businessman. All the woman has done is to be commendably honest.

Business of this sort is a two way trade. The shop looks after its best customers first.

But dont worry. The market is changing as other posts show, and the time will come when shops are desperate to get any customer and will offer discounts to do so. When that happens many current potential customers will lose interest since a new watch will not be a ticket to ride financially.

100% mark up…doubt that….try doubling and then some…

[Mont Blanc]

r159 said:

100% mark up…doubt that….try doubling and then some…

100% markup is doubling.

But your addition of 'and then some' is still accurate in most cases. High street jewellers often mark up items 3 to 4 times wholesale price. Not in all cases of course, it depends on the brand, their buying power, the rules of the brand, and so on.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this of course. Jewellers are free to price items as they see fit, and buyers are free to buy or haggle as they see fit.

[bordseye]

eyebeebe said:

The more worldly of us would call it “la naranja”

Would they? An orange might be feminine, but a watch that is coloured orange is masculine.So which would the shorthand ferefence be?

[Blown2CV]

das Naranja

[gregs656]

bordseye said:

eyebeebe said:

The more worldly of us would call it “la naranja”

Would they? An orange might be feminine, but a watch that is coloured orange is masculine.So which would the shorthand ferefence be?

I think so. The nick name would be 'the orange' as in the fruit, otherwise it's not much of a nick name.

[FULCRUM53]

Or “the Jaffa?”

[Ninjin]

Buster73 said:

Funnily enough I’ve had an email today but it doesn’t mention which watch or when , but it has quite a list of conditions on it.





We are contacting you to remind you of your registration of interest with us.

If you would like to make any changes or cancel your registration of interest, then please visit your nearest showroom. Click here to book an appointment

Your chosen timepiece is both in high demand and of limited distribution. It is therefore not possible to provide you with a timescale of availability or say with certainty that we will be able to source this exact timepiece for you.

If we can source your chosen model for you, we have summarised some key details from our related policies.
KEY DETAILS:
• If the timepiece becomes available for you we will contact you. We have your details on record, although please inform us if any of your personal contact details change.

• We will never take payment for the purchase of a timepiece by any other method than in-store payments. We will never ask you to transfer money into any bank account, or ask you for your credit or debit card details over the phone or by email.

• The price to be paid will be the recommended retail price at the time the purchase is completed.

• We will reserve the timepiece for 7 days for you to decide whether you wish to purchase it. If you do not offer to buy the timepiece, or contact the showroom within this time, the timepiece will become available to another client. In this instance your registration of interest will continue to be active unless you indicate otherwise.

• If you offer to purchase the timepiece, full payment and collection are needed within one week from our initial contact. When your purchase is complete, the registration of interest will no longer be live.

• When you collect the timepiece, you will need to bring a current photo driving licence or passport as identification.

• We are committed to doing all we can to protect the brand, by minimising wherever possible the activities of re-sellers operating unofficially on the ‘grey market’. In all cases the timepiece is sold and intended for your personal use only and will have the protective elements (bezel protector and stickers etc.) removed. We cannot make any exceptions to this.

• In the interests of fairness, we currently only accept one registration of interest per model and a maximum of three differing timepieces per client across the Watches of Switzerland Group. Please rest assured that all showrooms have the same access to our central stock allocations.

• If multiple registrations are made by any one client for the same model in different showrooms within our Group, all registrations of interest for that client will be cancelled.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any further questions at this stage. We look forward to supporting you on your journey and hope to see you again in due course.

Kind regards,
The Goldsmiths Team

Edited by Buster73 on Thursday 2nd May 21:59

I got this email on the 30th April. I have 2 Rolex on the wishlist. A OP41 Silver dial (around 12months wait) and a Polar EXP2 (over 24months now).

Got a call on Thursday saying an OP41 is arriving tomorrow and would I still like to purchase. Not sure if it was sheer coincidence, or the call may come soon after for others too.

[bordseye]

I wonder if " The price to be paid will be the recommended retail price at the time the purchase is completed." classes as retail price maintenance, which is of course illegal. Might be worth asking the CMA.