Rolex BLNR "Batman" - buy at premium?
Discussion
gentlemanwatchcollector said:
kmpowell said:
A 'grey' here in London apparently has a new 126710BLNR, £17,500, so about £3-4k above 116710BLNR prices.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxMtgc0A6EY/
Wow! Someone will pay it sadly in order to be the first.https://www.instagram.com/p/BxMtgc0A6EY/
kmpowell said:
harleywilma said:
I really do wonder if they are being drip fed these watches by Rolex in order to hype everyone into going and putting there name down for one .
I very much doubt Rolex are dripping them into Greys, however I have no doubt some AD sales staff are in on it. Brown envelopes from customers/greys to get what they want. If you’re a salesman on £15/hr and you get offered £1000 cash in an envelope to bump a S/S to a grey dealer, then if you're the slightest bit 'bent' (to coin the Line of Duty phrase book) then you’re probably going take it...So, hypothetical situation... A man walks into a grey dealer, strikes up a relationship/deal to supply watches, he agrees a £12k price for a GMT that will get sold by the grey for £15k. Man goes to the AD and offers £1k cash to the salesman to be bumped up. Salesman ends up with £1k (and a sale), man walks out of the shop with a GMT and sells to grey pocketing himself £4-5K. Grey dealer sells and pockets £3k. Everyone’s a winner, apart from genuine buyers who want the watch to keep and wear.
How will this cycle ever end? Or can it? In the space of 5-8yrs it’s gone mad what with price rises and shortages. I remember coming to London in 2011, walking into WOS and having a choice of a GMTII, Datejust, Sub or Seadweller. All in the window, all with discount of circa 5% off. Nowadays though, madness.
Watchfinder in Canary Wharf is a huge fuel for this fire, I've been in there and seen people dropping thousands over list, just because they can, a few k over list doesn't bother them, where as to the mere mortal it does.
Supply and demand.
I have spent a long time nurturing a relationship with my local Rolex AD-
If I’m ever passing the shop I’ll always call in for some banter- the manager is actually a
good laugh and an attractive female which helps......
I’ve spent a fair amount of money with them and also I’ve introduced about half a dozen clients to them who have all purchased decent stuff........the outcome of this is that they trust me and subsequently I’m always first on the list with new models I want- yesterday the new Batman.
Despite knowing the AD well they still retain the warranty card for a year and it has been discreetly inferred that if I am found flipping any watch that will be the end of it and they won’t sell me another.
There is no way on earth they could be bribed for cash.
Likewise when at my local Porsche OPC recently I asked the salesman showing me a car if I could bung him 10K to get the next GT3 build slot -he simply looked at me horrified and said no way....as with Rolex the decent stuff goes to good customers they know well.
donutskidmark said:
I’m just not sure this really is the situation anywhere.
I have spent a long time nurturing a relationship with my local Rolex AD-
If I’m ever passing the shop I’ll always call in for some banter- the manager is actually a
good laugh and an attractive female which helps......
I’ve spent a fair amount of money with them and also I’ve introduced about half a dozen clients to them who have all purchased decent stuff........the outcome of this is that they trust me and subsequently I’m always first on the list with new models I want- yesterday the new Batman.
Despite knowing the AD well they still retain the warranty card for a year and it has been discreetly inferred that if I am found flipping any watch that will be the end of it and they won’t sell me another.
There is no way on earth they could be bribed for cash.
Likewise when at my local Porsche OPC recently I asked the salesman showing me a car if I could bung him 10K to get the next GT3 build slot -he simply looked at me horrified and said no way....as with Rolex the decent stuff goes to good customers they know well.
I’m in a similar position, a relatively long relationship ship with the same shop , ( first Rolex bought from them in 2004 ) and sent a good few customers their way.I have spent a long time nurturing a relationship with my local Rolex AD-
If I’m ever passing the shop I’ll always call in for some banter- the manager is actually a
good laugh and an attractive female which helps......
I’ve spent a fair amount of money with them and also I’ve introduced about half a dozen clients to them who have all purchased decent stuff........the outcome of this is that they trust me and subsequently I’m always first on the list with new models I want- yesterday the new Batman.
Despite knowing the AD well they still retain the warranty card for a year and it has been discreetly inferred that if I am found flipping any watch that will be the end of it and they won’t sell me another.
There is no way on earth they could be bribed for cash.
Likewise when at my local Porsche OPC recently I asked the salesman showing me a car if I could bung him 10K to get the next GT3 build slot -he simply looked at me horrified and said no way....as with Rolex the decent stuff goes to good customers they know well.
There is no way I’d lower myself to offer a bribe , in turn questioning the integrity of my contact , never mind asking them to risk their job and future so I can earn a few quid .
Add to which the systems in place would highlight unusual buying patterns .
I’m not saying it hasn’t or won’t happen again , but not with most honest folk.
I’ve made it clear every watch I’ve bought from them is still in my family’s possession, that’s what makes the difference.
I think this long relationship stuff is overstated.
How do you people with these long relationships with a shop not know that the watches aren’t just going to mates of the dealers or just people they like more or even random people that walk in that they get along with?
It’s not like you see a list and can see if people are jumping in front of you.
A few of my work colleagues have batmen now. The first one was friends from school with an AD and the dealer offered it to him and told him it would be a good investment, he has since asked the same guy if others want one and two other guys from our work place have now bought them.
None of them are into watches or have even owned a Rolex before.
Since the public don’t really know where the watches are going when they arrive in shops, and there’s no published lists, it’s pretty hard to know how much importance is placed on the amount of watches or business you have bought from that shop?
How do you people with these long relationships with a shop not know that the watches aren’t just going to mates of the dealers or just people they like more or even random people that walk in that they get along with?
It’s not like you see a list and can see if people are jumping in front of you.
A few of my work colleagues have batmen now. The first one was friends from school with an AD and the dealer offered it to him and told him it would be a good investment, he has since asked the same guy if others want one and two other guys from our work place have now bought them.
None of them are into watches or have even owned a Rolex before.
Since the public don’t really know where the watches are going when they arrive in shops, and there’s no published lists, it’s pretty hard to know how much importance is placed on the amount of watches or business you have bought from that shop?
Buster73 said:
donutskidmark said:
I’m just not sure this really is the situation anywhere.
I have spent a long time nurturing a relationship with my local Rolex AD-
If I’m ever passing the shop I’ll always call in for some banter- the manager is actually a
good laugh and an attractive female which helps......
I’ve spent a fair amount of money with them and also I’ve introduced about half a dozen clients to them who have all purchased decent stuff........the outcome of this is that they trust me and subsequently I’m always first on the list with new models I want- yesterday the new Batman.
Despite knowing the AD well they still retain the warranty card for a year and it has been discreetly inferred that if I am found flipping any watch that will be the end of it and they won’t sell me another.
There is no way on earth they could be bribed for cash.
Likewise when at my local Porsche OPC recently I asked the salesman showing me a car if I could bung him 10K to get the next GT3 build slot -he simply looked at me horrified and said no way....as with Rolex the decent stuff goes to good customers they know well.
I’m in a similar position, a relatively long relationship ship with the same shop , ( first Rolex bought from them in 2004 ) and sent a good few customers their way.I have spent a long time nurturing a relationship with my local Rolex AD-
If I’m ever passing the shop I’ll always call in for some banter- the manager is actually a
good laugh and an attractive female which helps......
I’ve spent a fair amount of money with them and also I’ve introduced about half a dozen clients to them who have all purchased decent stuff........the outcome of this is that they trust me and subsequently I’m always first on the list with new models I want- yesterday the new Batman.
Despite knowing the AD well they still retain the warranty card for a year and it has been discreetly inferred that if I am found flipping any watch that will be the end of it and they won’t sell me another.
There is no way on earth they could be bribed for cash.
Likewise when at my local Porsche OPC recently I asked the salesman showing me a car if I could bung him 10K to get the next GT3 build slot -he simply looked at me horrified and said no way....as with Rolex the decent stuff goes to good customers they know well.
There is no way I’d lower myself to offer a bribe , in turn questioning the integrity of my contact , never mind asking them to risk their job and future so I can earn a few quid .
Add to which the systems in place would highlight unusual buying patterns .
I’m not saying it hasn’t or won’t happen again , but not with most honest folk.
I’ve made it clear every watch I’ve bought from them is still in my family’s possession, that’s what makes the difference.
Just like for any retailer, repeat trusted clients may get preferential treatment (particularly when we’re talking limited product availability). Whether one agrees with this or not is a separate issue.
El stovey said:
I think this long relationship stuff is overstated.
How do you people with these long relationships with a shop not know that the watches aren’t just going to mates of the dealers or just people they like more or even random people that walk in that they get along with?
It’s not like you see a list and can see if people are jumping in front of you.
A few of my work colleagues have batmen now. The first one was friends from school with an AD and the dealer offered it to him and told him it would be a good investment, he has since asked the same guy if others want one and two other guys from our work place have now bought them.
None of them are into watches or have even owned a Rolex before.
Since the public don’t really know where the watches are going when they arrive in shops, and there’s no published lists, it’s pretty hard to know how much importance is placed on the amount of watches or business you have bought from that shop?
If this long relationship stuff is overrated it begs the question how come friends of mine went to numerous Rolex AD’s trying to buy a Hulk Submariner and were told ‘not a chance’ yet I got one in 2 weeks for my nephew??How do you people with these long relationships with a shop not know that the watches aren’t just going to mates of the dealers or just people they like more or even random people that walk in that they get along with?
It’s not like you see a list and can see if people are jumping in front of you.
A few of my work colleagues have batmen now. The first one was friends from school with an AD and the dealer offered it to him and told him it would be a good investment, he has since asked the same guy if others want one and two other guys from our work place have now bought them.
None of them are into watches or have even owned a Rolex before.
Since the public don’t really know where the watches are going when they arrive in shops, and there’s no published lists, it’s pretty hard to know how much importance is placed on the amount of watches or business you have bought from that shop?
donutskidmark said:
If this long relationship stuff is overrated it begs the question how come friends of mine went to numerous Rolex AD’s trying to buy a Hulk Submariner and were told ‘not a chance’ yet I got one in 2 weeks for my nephew??
Because they didn’t know or like your friends or none had just come in that day? Maybe some other bloke got one in 1 week who had bought much less than you but the dealer knew them from his running club or school?
I’m not saying the watches are just going to randoms but it’s who the dealer knows and likes not necessarily who has bought the most stuff from them.
My point is that you don’t know who is getting the watches before you and why.
There’s three people I work with all wearing batmen who’ve never bought a Rolex before and never gone on any list. Do you think that AD didn’t have a list of customers who wanted one?
If you were an AD would you sell one to your friends and friends of friends or people you didn’t really know who’d bought other Rolex’s and were willing to wait on a waiting list?
Maybe you got a watch in 2 weeks but someone else who’s spent more than you will wait 2 months because they weren’t as liked as you or phoned on the wrong day etc?
The ADs are just selling to who they want. Obviously they want to get repeat business and keep repeat customers happy but it’s not as rigid as people are suggesting.
Surely you must have numerous examples in your life of occasions when you have got products or services or better treatment based on relationships that aren’t just based on past purchases or money spent with that person?
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 11th May 09:23
donutskidmark said:
El Stovey- what you are now saying seems completely non sensical and contradictory.
You initially say having a long term relationship with the AD is overrated and subsequently then say in the next post that my friends didn’t get an LV Hulk because the Rolex AD didn’t know them.
No I’m saying having a relationship based on what you’ve bought is different to just knowing a dealer or being liked by a dealer.You initially say having a long term relationship with the AD is overrated and subsequently then say in the next post that my friends didn’t get an LV Hulk because the Rolex AD didn’t know them.
What’s overstated is the notion that watches are allocated purely on previous purchases. When all sorts of factors will dictate where watches go to.
FWIW said:
I could do with selling my BLNR - what's the best method? Do any dealers do SOR at a reasonable rate? Is Chrono24 any good/safe?
The quickest and safest would be direct to a watch dealer, however you might be surprised on the spread from sale price to trade price, I'd try Hackett watches they have a good rep on here. FWIW said:
I could do with selling my BLNR - what's the best method? Do any dealers do SOR at a reasonable rate? Is Chrono24 any good/safe?
Sold mine via eBay on a £1 selling fee day. After a few idiot offers along with some genuine ones it turns out a watch dealer came over to view and bought it for cash. Lovely guy and it all turned out good for me.This was around July this year and paid me £12k. I used it infrequently and really enjoyed owning it but the Apple Watch was always on my wrist and I started to get worried about wearing £12k worth of watch outside the house.
Very happy with my sale as I only paid £5.5k for it new back in 2014.
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