Astonishing discussion with my local Rolex dealer.
Discussion
While its true that Rolex sell every single watch they make.....its only true in respect of their own policy regarding the AD's.
The fact that AD's have lots of hard to shift watches of some models languishing in the windows because Rolex keep sending them to them, while at the same time not having any of the ones people want is the issue, so AD's turn to the grey's to offload these with the carrot of being first in the queue for the in-demand SS sports watches, and thus the cycle continues.
No wonder AD's high roller customers are all the flippers and grey's buyers.........supposedly the very thing that Rolex is trying to clamp down on.
The fact that AD's have lots of hard to shift watches of some models languishing in the windows because Rolex keep sending them to them, while at the same time not having any of the ones people want is the issue, so AD's turn to the grey's to offload these with the carrot of being first in the queue for the in-demand SS sports watches, and thus the cycle continues.
No wonder AD's high roller customers are all the flippers and grey's buyers.........supposedly the very thing that Rolex is trying to clamp down on.
aeropilot said:
While its true that Rolex sell every single watch they make.....its only true in respect of their own policy regarding the AD's.
The fact that AD's have lots of hard to shift watches of some models languishing in the windows because Rolex keep sending them to them, while at the same time not having any of the ones people want is the issue, so AD's turn to the grey's to offload these with the carrot of being first in the queue for the in-demand SS sports watches, and thus the cycle continues.
No wonder AD's high roller customers are all the flippers and grey's buyers.........supposedly the very thing that Rolex is trying to clamp down on.
Aeropilot over the targetThe fact that AD's have lots of hard to shift watches of some models languishing in the windows because Rolex keep sending them to them, while at the same time not having any of the ones people want is the issue, so AD's turn to the grey's to offload these with the carrot of being first in the queue for the in-demand SS sports watches, and thus the cycle continues.
No wonder AD's high roller customers are all the flippers and grey's buyers.........supposedly the very thing that Rolex is trying to clamp down on.
Does any of this really matter? Who are any of us to know better than the manufacturer what is good for their business or not?
Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
GT03ROB said:
Does any of this really matter? Who are any of us to know better than the manufacturer what is good for their business or not?
Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
Indeed.Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
UK was first to see SS shortages, blamed on Brexit vote and currency fall making UK the watch buying tourist destination of choice.
Everywhere else, no such issues, UK unique situation all were saying.
However, before too long reports were coming out of Australia indicating similar lack of stock and being hard to find and no supply coming through.
Then later rest of EU started to show same thing, all the while US posters saying will never happen here, yadda yadda.
Well, surprise, surprise, from start of this year, shock horror those US fans, SS sports models are now in short supply there too.
So.............where the hell are they all going if production quantities haven't changed at source...?
Rolex are playing a marketing blinder whatever it is they are doing, all clocked in the usual Rolex cloak of secrecy of course.
Got to hand it to them.
As one poster has admitted upstream no one knows the real Rolex production numbers other than Rolex themselves. All I can offer is anecdotal information gained from discussions I have had with Rolex AD management around the world as I travel extensively.
In every location/country, Rolex ADs have indicated that Rolex have decreased their deliveries to them - in particular this affects SS Sports Rolex but even includes some PM pieces too.
The shortage of SS Sports Rolex is worldwide and given that Rolex have been culling their ADs worldwide it would seem logical to conclude that they have downsized production volumes of certain models to go with their reduced number of ADs.
In every location/country, Rolex ADs have indicated that Rolex have decreased their deliveries to them - in particular this affects SS Sports Rolex but even includes some PM pieces too.
The shortage of SS Sports Rolex is worldwide and given that Rolex have been culling their ADs worldwide it would seem logical to conclude that they have downsized production volumes of certain models to go with their reduced number of ADs.
chris56 said:
The shortage of SS Sports Rolex is worldwide and given that Rolex have been culling their ADs worldwide it would seem logical to conclude that they have downsized production volumes of certain models to go with their reduced number of ADs.
That does seem to be the continuing report from all around the world. I still don't understand the logic though GT03ROB said:
Does any of this really matter? Who are any of us to know better than the manufacturer what is good for their business or not?
Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
I wonder if that sam AD in Kuwait still has that level of availability (You mentioned 'last year').Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
Last year my local AD in the US had a case full of SS Sports models.. now none.. and the same story as everyone else.
ReaperCushions said:
GT03ROB said:
Does any of this really matter? Who are any of us to know better than the manufacturer what is good for their business or not?
Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
I wonder if that sam AD in Kuwait still has that level of availability (You mentioned 'last year').Marketing models vary by country & region. For example I wonder the coincidence in the fact that the often quoted scarcity of good such as SS Rolexes & Porsche GT cars, did not exist in either case in Kuwait when I was working there last year. I could have had the choice of brand new GT3s & the same with GT4s. When I looked for a Rolex I could have had Subs, ND Sub, GMT, GMT blnr, etc, in fact just about any SS bar a Daytona, by walking in the shop & buying there & then.
Last year my local AD in the US had a case full of SS Sports models.. now none.. and the same story as everyone else.
bonerp said:
Is they do sell every watch the make, why are AD's trying to force you into buying less desirable models (presumably to stay on the active list)?
Because Rolex and their Authorised Dealers aren't the same thing, Rolex sell every watch they make to their Authorised Dealer network, what happens to the watches after that is the Dealer's concern-not Rolex's.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Because Rolex and their Authorised Dealers aren't the same thing, Rolex sell every watch they make to their Authorised Dealer network, what happens to the watches after that is the Dealer's concern-not Rolex's.
Up until the point that so many end up in the grey market via AD's, then Rolex get the hump and put pressure/stitch-up the AD's and customers to suit their way of doing business which has created the situation anyway.....Unfortunately this is what happens when more people become more affluent and cheap credit is available to all. Those with something nice to sell benefit whilst (often) taking the piss because they have unlimited numbers of customers.
Witness the debacle with event ticket re-sellers and even just the official sellers (if you can even buy from them), similarly tourist locations - e.g. I used to live in Italy, Florence specifically and at that time - '70s/'80s there were many tourists of course but nowhere near the number of today.
You could turn up at the Uffizi gallery for example and walk straight in, I used to go to places in my lunch hour(s), similarly other Italian tourist hotspots; Leaning tower of Pisa, the Vatican, Colosseum etc. many were free to enter, others were very cheap, nowadays if you turn up you have to wait for hours to get in, or you can buy a 'tour' to jump the queue but you pay a large premium.
I preferred the 'old world' where the plebs couldn't afford nice stuff, sadly those days are no more...
Witness the debacle with event ticket re-sellers and even just the official sellers (if you can even buy from them), similarly tourist locations - e.g. I used to live in Italy, Florence specifically and at that time - '70s/'80s there were many tourists of course but nowhere near the number of today.
You could turn up at the Uffizi gallery for example and walk straight in, I used to go to places in my lunch hour(s), similarly other Italian tourist hotspots; Leaning tower of Pisa, the Vatican, Colosseum etc. many were free to enter, others were very cheap, nowadays if you turn up you have to wait for hours to get in, or you can buy a 'tour' to jump the queue but you pay a large premium.
I preferred the 'old world' where the plebs couldn't afford nice stuff, sadly those days are no more...
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Because Rolex and their Authorised Dealers aren't the same thing, Rolex sell every watch they make to their Authorised Dealer network, what happens to the watches after that is the Dealer's concern-not Rolex's.
I bet it is - and its the same practice that the AD's are playing on their customers! So the AD's approach is that if they have to buy the less desirable models from Rolex to get the desirable ones, then so the AD's customer has to buy the less desirable models from them!
bonerp said:
So does that mean Rolex force their AD's to buy the less popular watches - if they don't, they aren't on Rolex' most wanted supply list; ie they will never receive a Daytona to fulfill their customer waiting lists?
I bet it is - and its the same practice that the AD's are playing on their customers! So the AD's approach is that if they have to buy the less desirable models from Rolex to get the desirable ones, then so the AD's customer has to buy the less desirable models from them!
Yes the AD's dont get to choose what they get from Rolex , each delivery contains a selection I bet it is - and its the same practice that the AD's are playing on their customers! So the AD's approach is that if they have to buy the less desirable models from Rolex to get the desirable ones, then so the AD's customer has to buy the less desirable models from them!
bonerp said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
Because Rolex and their Authorised Dealers aren't the same thing, Rolex sell every watch they make to their Authorised Dealer network, what happens to the watches after that is the Dealer's concern-not Rolex's.
I bet it is - and its the same practice that the AD's are playing on their customers! So the AD's approach is that if they have to buy the less desirable models from Rolex to get the desirable ones, then so the AD's customer has to buy the less desirable models from them!
Is this all very recent? I bought a steel Daytona a couple of years ago ten minutes after walking into the shop, got a blue and black GMT at a charity auction, an explorer II from a shop with no wait and a ceramic Daytona with about a year’s Delay which seems OK for such an in-demand figure.
I got the wife’s submariner in a week too.
I got the wife’s submariner in a week too.
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