Advice on possible Submariner purchase

[UnclePat]

DJMC said:

I was in an AD today, listening in to a buyer being told, politely, he couldn't have the Rolex he wanted. I understand restrictions keep demand and prices high, but this may ps off some potential buyers. My respect for Rolex diminished a little more today.

That customer was probably one of hundreds who have already asked at that AD to buy a Ceramic Rolex Daytona, or the new 43mm Sea Dweller released at Basel World.

Those watches are recently released and white-hot with hype at present, so much so that the AD probably only has entitlement to receive a handful each year, and already has a lengthy waiting list for them – they never even make it as far as the shop window, and buyers can ‘flip’ them second-hand for an immediate 50% profit on the grey market.

The AD probably didn’t even physically have the watch to sell, and even if they did, why would they give it to some random bloke who walks in off the street, when they are operating a waiting list? I’m sceptical about the veracity of how ADs operate their waiting lists, but it makes sense that they will keep back such models for their very best customers, or jump someone to the top of it if they are willing to spend thousands on buying some less-popular precious metal models at the same time. It’s not fair maybe, but that’s business.

As to whether Rolex can be blamed for deliberating ‘drip feeding’ supply to their ADs, that’s arguable. On the one hand, these models are just released, and with a production of circa one million watches a year, Rolex are already running at full capacity. The flip side of that is they know that this approach builds hype, buzz & demand, and works for their desirability factor.

It’s easy to castigate Rolex for that, and it is frustrating, but they can hardly be blamed for doing what has been tried & proven to work best for them as a business – they’d be mad not to.

Take a look online about how perceived scarcity, exclusivity & rarity are key & deliberate tenets for most makers of luxury goods – it’s a deliberate ploy (and actually a prudent safe-guard against over-reaching & destroying brand power), and it works well for them.

You can complain about Rolex’s approach, but they are no different to waiting for a Patek Philippe Nautilus, a Hermes hand-bag, a Ferrari or any number of Michelin Star Restaurants with reservation wait times extending into many months – you’ll have to damn them all by association.

Edited by UnclePat on Wednesday 10th May 17:50

[immigrant]

Belligerent??

Mass produced watch sold in shopping malls and precincts around the world. Somebody likes the look of the thing and decides to buy one, you think that's belligerent.

[UnclePat]

immigrant said:

Belligerent??

Mass produced watch sold in shopping malls and precincts around the world. Somebody likes the look of the thing and decides to buy one, you think that's belligerent.

Ah, my mistake - I saw the 'drunk' bit of DJMC's post, which was clearly a joke, but I forgot that clarification when responding to him quite a time later.

No, a mere request to buy is not what I would term belligerent, and my post has now been edited to clarify same.

[immigrant]

Figured so.

Your posts are measured and not the 'Submariner uber alles' horse that's usually splashed around here.

[UnclePat]

immigrant said:

Figured so.

Your posts are measured and not the 'Submariner uber alles' horse that's usually splashed around here.

Cheers!