Calling Rolex AD's to be put onto interest lists

[911Thrasher]

kmpowell said:

The Rolex 'Boutique' (WOS) on Bond Street runs a 'physical deposit' only waiting list for all watches, and having seen their waiting list, their categories of customers have lots of "VIP" statuses littered through the waiting list.

That said, I could be proved wrong, and I will be exploring the 'dual purchase' option this week with a few AD's.

Bought a couple watches at that particular shop, BLNR no later than a couple weeks ago (i was originally in for sometimes in 2018, so got it earlier), am on the waiting list for a SS white Daytona (refused to be on the black face list) - and never dropped a "physical deposit". And i know i will get one, like i did get whatever before and being on the different lists a couple times.

Btw, i am a "nobody", way far from being a VIP either. But always have courteous chats with my sales lady, no stupid blabla and it seems to work. If there is a fit, no matter what, there is a fit.

[kmpowell]

911Thrasher said:

But always have courteous chats with my sales lady

Crystal, by any chance? Same person who i deal with, very sensible and nice, but she has always maintained that waiting lists in there are deposit only.

[andyman_2006]

nikaiyo2 said:

andyman_2006 said:

For me the only way to stop all this rubbish (which is Rolex playing games) is to refuse to buy, and eventually like 2/3 years ago there will be more stock than demand. Rolex have even tried to apply this silly waiting list game to their sub brand Tudor with the new bi colour pelagos (my local dealer told me) and i'm so fed up of these games i'm going to buy other brands in future.

Lol Tudor don't make a bi colour Pelagos, so you might be waiting a long time for that

lol detail my friend, point still being tudor/rolex play games, i'm not playing them. Simple.

Tudor Heritage black bay it appears was the one, and others have said they have been asked to pay up front and wait 4 months for the watch. Crazy.

https://www.tudorwatch.com/watches/new-black-bay-s...

Either way, i don't see why customers are happy to play these games.

Andy

[911Thrasher]

kmpowell said:

911Thrasher said:

But always have courteous chats with my sales lady

Crystal, by any chance? Same person who i deal with, very sensible and nice, but she has always maintained that waiting lists in there are deposit only.

nope, that's not her (and no deposit for me, but my name is on the list, she showed it to me)

[sandman77]

Fallingup said:

I actually quite enjoy the fuss over warranty cards and sticker removing.

So did you let them retain the warranty card and remove the protective packaging?

[simonr100]

kmpowell said:

simonr100 said:

kmpowell said:

Simon

Forgive my naivety, but are you suggesting AD's across the country have safes full of Ceramic Daytona's, Batman's, stainless skydwellers, hulk's and Sub's, that they keep quiet unless you buy another watch?!?

Not safe fulls but I bet they have some of the more coveted models in the safe for big spenders or to ease a sale of a less desireable watch.
It's only my experience. Think of it from an AD point of view - if somebody reguarly spends £50k a year on jewellery with them and they ask for a watch wouldn't it be nice to be able to get them the piece immediately and tell them that they hold one back for VIP customers? Would you rather sell a 116500 to somebody who won't buy another watch from you or sell do somebody buying a gold date just?

Ss skydwellers are still incredibly hard to get, I don't want one so it doesn't bother me.

I suggest some may hold some watches back to make other sales or to be able to sell easily if they are close to their sales targets.

So you're saying that if I wander into an AD and say I want to buy a White Gold Day-Date 40, but only if they sell me a 116500LN with it at the same time, that will up my chances?!?

Whilst I would love this to be true, I can't see it myself, else I'd do it tomorrow. The Rolex 'Boutique' (WOS) on Bond Street runs a 'physical deposit' only waiting list for all watches, and having seen their waiting list, their categories of customers have lots of "VIP" statuses littered through the waiting list.

That said, I could be proved wrong, and I will be exploring the 'dual purchase' option this week with a few AD's.

In London you will have little chance, you need to find a small Rolex AD who isn't part of a chain and is outside London for your best chance - there is too much money in London.

[p993man]

"Hamilton & Inches in Edinburgh. Can't recomend them highly enough."

I'd second that. I've bought a couple of watches from Hamilton & Inches and they are a pleasure to deal with. The last watch I bought from them was an SD43 - I was in Edinburgh just after the SD43 was announced at Basle in March this year - went into H&I, bought a Tudor Black Bay Heritage that I'd been stalking for a while and asked to go on the waiting list for the SD43 - in mid July I had a call from them saying the SD43 was ready for me to collect! There was never any suggestion of them keeping the warranty card or insisting on taking the stickers off (although they did, because I was going to wear the watch straight away). The staff there always seem to have the time to chat and make a real effort to seem interested!

[Flying machine]

p993man said:

"Hamilton & Inches in Edinburgh. Can't recomend them highly enough."

I'd second that. I've bought a couple of watches from Hamilton & Inches and they are a pleasure to deal with. The last watch I bought from them was an SD43 - I was in Edinburgh just after the SD43 was announced at Basle in March this year - went into H&I, bought a Tudor Black Bay Heritage that I'd been stalking for a while and asked to go on the waiting list for the SD43 - in mid July I had a call from them saying the SD43 was ready for me to collect! There was never any suggestion of them keeping the warranty card or insisting on taking the stickers off (although they did, because I was going to wear the watch straight away). The staff there always seem to have the time to chat and make a real effort to seem interested!

And me! I bought my Sub LV from there in 2013. How different things were then, I just happened to be walking past the window, looked in and on a whim decided that I wanted a green watch. They didn't have one the same day and I had to wait a couple of months, but i don't remember anything like the almost hysteria that seemingly accompanies trying to buy a new Rolex at the moment.

I was allowed to keep all the faffy little bits of plastic stuck to it too!

[Bushman1]

With all these waiting lists, will dealers only take full price for these watches? Or is there room to haggle?

[sidicks]

Bushman1 said:

With all these waiting lists, will dealers only take full price for these watches? Or is there room to haggle?

If you can sell the watch 5 times over, as a dealer, why would you accept less than RRP...?!

[st33ly]

Hamilton & Inches service my 1997 16610 last year. I had to ask for the green rolex pouch. The old guy was a bit of a snob but the girl that I spoke to initially was lovely. I went into Laings last week and put my name down for three. LV, GMT 11 and SD43. What ever arrives first I'll take. She said they do not keep the cards nothing. The system they run is you get a call from an Edinburgh number. If you answer it you get a week to pick up the watch. If you miss it no message will be left and you have to phone back. `if you decline the watch you wait for the next one to come around. They have no idea what watches will be coming and can give no timescales on when it will arrive. Just my 2p.

[sad61t]

st33ly said:

... They have no idea what watches will be coming and can give no timescales on when it will arrive. Just my 2p.

Which, to me, indicates a supply chain that's no longer fit for purpose. Rolexes are mass produced, premium but still mass produced, and a buyer's experience should be no different from walking into a premium car dealers; going through a configurator with the sales person and selecting from the list of dials, bezels, straps. Then confirm the order, get a nice 3D pic of your watch, put down a 10% deposit and receive an estimated delivery date a day or so later. A few emails along the way saying where it is in the manufacturing and supply chain and pick it up.

[st33ly]

That sounds like a perfect solution.

[anonymous-user]

simonr100 said:

I have been collecting Rolex for over 20 years.

Things are harder now but here is what took me years to figure out.

Be honest with the AD - if you want a hard to get model ask them what you need to do - if it's buy 5 watches first it may be cheaper to buy grey market than take the loss on the 5 watches.

ADs are not impressed if you just buy sports models, they can sell them easy, you aren't doing them a favour buying them.

If you buy a precious metal piece say you will only buy when they have a daytona in stock that you can also buy - they will get you one from the safe.

Offer to leave the paperwork with them for a year so they know you aren't going to sell it on.
Make them realise you are a collector - send a picture of you at Basel etc.

Let them know you can buy immediately - not on finance- when they need to meet their sales targets you will be the person that they call.

Good luck everyone

These AD wkers sound exactly like the tossers who operate Porsche dealerships.

It's the same thing. They will only 'allow you' to 'possibly' buy a GT3 if you buy a new 911 Carrera plus a new Macan for your wife and a Boxster for your daughter.

Even after all that they they will still pull the rug out from under you and put you back at the bottom of the list if one of their mates rocks up who has previously bought more Porsches than you.

It's a bloody stainless steel sports Rolex for fk sale. You aren't begging to be allowed to buy a rare Van Gogh from a museum.

Stupid state of affairs and they can keep it as far as I'm concerned, as I will happily keep buying and selling used Submariners etc or whatever I fancy at the time (as I have done).

It's just a kick in the nuts for me that I'm into both Porsches and Rolex watches, so I have to avoid getting shafted by both of them

[funinhounslow]

sad61t said:

Which, to me, indicates a supply chain that's no longer fit for purpose. Rolexes are mass produced, premium but still mass produced, and a buyer's experience should be no different from walking into a premium car dealers; going through a configurator with the sales person and selecting from the list of dials, bezels, straps. Then confirm the order, get a nice 3D pic of your watch, put down a 10% deposit and receive an estimated delivery date a day or so later. A few emails along the way saying where it is in the manufacturing and supply chain and pick it up.

I wonder what that would do to demand though, if you could just get a skydweller or Daytona as easily as that?

Surely it is the relative scarcity of these two models in particular that makes them so desirable?

[randlemarcus]

st33ly said:

That sounds like a perfect solution.

Unless your marketing team have looked at Porsche GT car sales, and decided that's a cracking model (or vice versa)...

[Guycord]

funinhounslow said:

sad61t said:

Which, to me, indicates a supply chain that's no longer fit for purpose. Rolexes are mass produced, premium but still mass produced, and a buyer's experience should be no different from walking into a premium car dealers; going through a configurator with the sales person and selecting from the list of dials, bezels, straps. Then confirm the order, get a nice 3D pic of your watch, put down a 10% deposit and receive an estimated delivery date a day or so later. A few emails along the way saying where it is in the manufacturing and supply chain and pick it up.

I wonder what that would do to demand though, if you could just get a skydweller or Daytona as easily as that?

Surely it is the relative scarcity of these two models in particular that makes them so desirable?

But that says it all doesn't it?

Rolex make a tonne of watches no one really wants / too boring / too conservative and to allegedly pump the system, rarify the watches people do want to buy but then find a large % entering the flip market by people who probably never wanted to own or who could afford to own one but know there's a cheeky 35-50% return on their cash.

As said. Rolexs marketing model is busted. Most of us just don't know it or see it yet.

I would happily buy a white dial SS Daytona from an AD for £15k if I was walking past a shop and compunction took me inside. None of this BS of customers having to buy boring crap to get on an elite list which I have no-doubt gets shuffled to suit everyone but the average Joe with money burning a hole in his pocket

Edited by Guycord on Sunday 1st October 13:06

[sidicks]

randlemarcus said:

Unless your marketing team have looked at Porsche GT car sales, and decided that's a cracking model (or vice versa)...

Except the comment about Porsche GT sales isn't entirely accurate, so does not make for a sensible comparison!

[kmpowell]

simonr100 said:

kmpowell said:

simonr100 said:

kmpowell said:

Simon

Forgive my naivety, but are you suggesting AD's across the country have safes full of Ceramic Daytona's, Batman's, stainless skydwellers, hulk's and Sub's, that they keep quiet unless you buy another watch?!?

Not safe fulls but I bet they have some of the more coveted models in the safe for big spenders or to ease a sale of a less desireable watch.
It's only my experience. Think of it from an AD point of view - if somebody reguarly spends £50k a year on jewellery with them and they ask for a watch wouldn't it be nice to be able to get them the piece immediately and tell them that they hold one back for VIP customers? Would you rather sell a 116500 to somebody who won't buy another watch from you or sell do somebody buying a gold date just?

Ss skydwellers are still incredibly hard to get, I don't want one so it doesn't bother me.

I suggest some may hold some watches back to make other sales or to be able to sell easily if they are close to their sales targets.

So you're saying that if I wander into an AD and say I want to buy a White Gold Day-Date 40, but only if they sell me a 116500LN with it at the same time, that will up my chances?!?

Whilst I would love this to be true, I can't see it myself, else I'd do it tomorrow. The Rolex 'Boutique' (WOS) on Bond Street runs a 'physical deposit' only waiting list for all watches, and having seen their waiting list, their categories of customers have lots of "VIP" statuses littered through the waiting list.

That said, I could be proved wrong, and I will be exploring the 'dual purchase' option this week with a few AD's.

In London you will have little chance, you need to find a small Rolex AD who isn't part of a chain and is outside London for your best chance - there is too much money in London.

So This weekend I’ve popped into 3 small AD’s in not affluent areas on the premise of buying 2 watches, a DD40 plus a CD or SD43.

AD1 - not a chance of getting a CD. They have only seen 1 this year and that went to a premiership footballer client of theirs. They said if I bought the DD40 they had in stock (with 10% discount offered), they would bump me to the top of the SD43 list and I would have one before Xmas.

AD2 - said I could be put on the CD waiting list for consideration, but I would need to be spending at least £50-100k in the next 12mths to even be considered and even then it would be unlikely if I saw a CD for two years . Said I could have a SD43 in 6months if I was spending large amounts but again no garauntees

AD3 - for all in demand watches they run no waiting lists and no reservations, it’s first come first served for what goes in the window, with heads-up phone calls made to their their valuable high spending clients. The first person to see it and/or get there and buy it gets it. No concessions would be made for me buying anything else at the same time.

So the bottom line is; waiting lists mean fk all, it’s all about relationships and how much you spend.

I’m going to try my luck in Paris a few weeks from now when I’m there on business for a few days. I’ll make my way around all the AD’s and see if there’s any difference in their situation. I doubt it, and being English will probably count against me, but I have no other option.

‘bored with it all now to be honest. All this st takes the gloss off what should be a very pleasurable buying experience.

Edited by kmpowell on Sunday 1st October 17:22

[raceboy]

Is there really anything wrong with a little wait for something you really desire?
I bought a Daytona some years ago, I just walked in my local AD, didn't have any prior relationship with them, paid £100 deposit and waited, and waited, I think it was about 3 years, but I got the call, and paid the balance.....and I've still got it.
I know people that have done the same, and some that are continually on a list for something or other 'Rolex', or a number of 'premium' cars, one probably has about £30k spread around a few dealers waiting for one thing or another and most of these waits are 'years'.
If things were more easily available they would be less desirable.