My Local Rolex AD Has Transformed My Life!
Discussion
My local Rolex AD has transformed my life for the better.
Seriously, and measurably:
- My employer is now sending me on very expensive residential training courses, with very marketable qualifications at the end;
- I’m joining a local yacht club;
- I have much more free time now that I can bring myself to say ‘no’;
- I seem to be having more sex;
- (And the big one!) Not sure yet, but it is possible that next time a conservatory roof salesman tries bullying me in my own sitting room, I’ll be able to throw him out rather than continuously apologising!
And all this is thanks to my local AD who is never, ever, ever, going to sell me a new Rolex.
Now, whenever I find myself slipping back into my habitual don’t upset anyone / don’t risk a humiliating rejection / let others go first . . . . I just channel the inner rage and resentment that flowed from that specific dawning realisation, and become the assertive and confident person I wanted to be ever since I sat in that local authority children’s home waiting for adoption. All I have to when I realise I am about to roll over and let someone piss on me is silently recite thrice the incantation ”Rolex AD” and I cease to be Bruce Banner and turn into . . . (s
t, bad example!).
It was over a year ago that I plucked up the courage to walk into the AD. Second one I’d tried. I’m after an AirKing as a work daily - I’m an Analyst / Data Scientist / highly trained philosopher / poet (don’t get paid for the last two!) – it would be the perfect watch for the job, and I find them genuinely attractive.
The AD is very polite. Very kind. Very understanding. Very solicitous. Checks I am local. I try on a pre-owned AirKing on for size . . . . generously, they tell me I am absolutely welcome to purchase that one - it’s only 196% of the RRP of the new one (not exactly how they phrased it), and comes with a box and a guarantee!
So, I’m on “the list”. I also asked for a Deep Sea for “big birthday” in 2024, but even the suave store manager (think the cuddly-on-the-inside hotel manager in “Pretty Woman”) couldn’t quite supress a faint smile at that request.
Time passes. My wife has a much wider circle of friends than me – some of them are what others might unkindly call “trophy wives”, but they tend to be the smartest, sweetest, kindest, and – definitely – the funniest people I know. Turns out their husbands are able to walk in and get whatever stainless steel sports watch their fancy takes them in a few days, couple of weeks, a month, tops.
And their husbands’ mates, with the old ”tell him I sent you” move. What do we reckon - 50/50 split between spur of the moment present to themselves, and a quick flip to fund a short break in New York? Mates of mates, golf club mates, someone with an apartment in Marbella (even Sunny Beach in Bulgaria swings it!) that’s available for a week at Easter. They’re all leaping energetically to the front of the queue.
I now realise that the AD has absolutely no intention of selling me an AirKing (or a Deep Sea!), unless and until, of course, the market collapses and no one higher up the pecking order wants one. And I am certainly not going to buy a flipped watch and put money in the pockets of those tossers who will only give me the time of day (ho ho) when they want something.
An epiphany.
Just filled in an application for membership of one of the local yacht clubs, and even dropped it off in person. A year ago I could never have done it: “but what if they say ‘no’?” Now, I just think . . . “fk ‘em . . . ”.
I’m much more bolshie and assertive at work – not about the work because I was always well on top of that, but about my employment.
If only I could have not purchased a Rolex thirty years ago. Trouble is, I couldn’t have afforded one then. And if I could have, then it was just a matter of walking into a shop. Or flicking through the pages of ‘Exchange & Mart’ or ‘Loot’ (readers who aren’t of a certain age, ask your parents).
So, sincere (OK, maybe not) thanks to my local AD. You’ve transformed my life.
Seriously, and measurably:
- My employer is now sending me on very expensive residential training courses, with very marketable qualifications at the end;
- I’m joining a local yacht club;
- I have much more free time now that I can bring myself to say ‘no’;
- I seem to be having more sex;
- (And the big one!) Not sure yet, but it is possible that next time a conservatory roof salesman tries bullying me in my own sitting room, I’ll be able to throw him out rather than continuously apologising!
And all this is thanks to my local AD who is never, ever, ever, going to sell me a new Rolex.
Now, whenever I find myself slipping back into my habitual don’t upset anyone / don’t risk a humiliating rejection / let others go first . . . . I just channel the inner rage and resentment that flowed from that specific dawning realisation, and become the assertive and confident person I wanted to be ever since I sat in that local authority children’s home waiting for adoption. All I have to when I realise I am about to roll over and let someone piss on me is silently recite thrice the incantation ”Rolex AD” and I cease to be Bruce Banner and turn into . . . (s
t, bad example!).It was over a year ago that I plucked up the courage to walk into the AD. Second one I’d tried. I’m after an AirKing as a work daily - I’m an Analyst / Data Scientist / highly trained philosopher / poet (don’t get paid for the last two!) – it would be the perfect watch for the job, and I find them genuinely attractive.
The AD is very polite. Very kind. Very understanding. Very solicitous. Checks I am local. I try on a pre-owned AirKing on for size . . . . generously, they tell me I am absolutely welcome to purchase that one - it’s only 196% of the RRP of the new one (not exactly how they phrased it), and comes with a box and a guarantee!
So, I’m on “the list”. I also asked for a Deep Sea for “big birthday” in 2024, but even the suave store manager (think the cuddly-on-the-inside hotel manager in “Pretty Woman”) couldn’t quite supress a faint smile at that request.
Time passes. My wife has a much wider circle of friends than me – some of them are what others might unkindly call “trophy wives”, but they tend to be the smartest, sweetest, kindest, and – definitely – the funniest people I know. Turns out their husbands are able to walk in and get whatever stainless steel sports watch their fancy takes them in a few days, couple of weeks, a month, tops.
And their husbands’ mates, with the old ”tell him I sent you” move. What do we reckon - 50/50 split between spur of the moment present to themselves, and a quick flip to fund a short break in New York? Mates of mates, golf club mates, someone with an apartment in Marbella (even Sunny Beach in Bulgaria swings it!) that’s available for a week at Easter. They’re all leaping energetically to the front of the queue.
I now realise that the AD has absolutely no intention of selling me an AirKing (or a Deep Sea!), unless and until, of course, the market collapses and no one higher up the pecking order wants one. And I am certainly not going to buy a flipped watch and put money in the pockets of those tossers who will only give me the time of day (ho ho) when they want something.
An epiphany.
Just filled in an application for membership of one of the local yacht clubs, and even dropped it off in person. A year ago I could never have done it: “but what if they say ‘no’?” Now, I just think . . . “f
k ‘em . . . ”.I’m much more bolshie and assertive at work – not about the work because I was always well on top of that, but about my employment.
If only I could have not purchased a Rolex thirty years ago. Trouble is, I couldn’t have afforded one then. And if I could have, then it was just a matter of walking into a shop. Or flicking through the pages of ‘Exchange & Mart’ or ‘Loot’ (readers who aren’t of a certain age, ask your parents).
So, sincere (OK, maybe not) thanks to my local AD. You’ve transformed my life.
okgo said:
And this is the trick they’ve pulled. Obviously ‘you’ couldn’t get one. That’s the rub, your £9k isn’t as good as someone else’s £9k.
Exactly - and I’m as angry at myself as I am at them, for falling for it! It’s pressed and hit all my buttons / tender spots / insecurities / chips on shoulder accumulated as a lifelong outsider. So when I hear of others getting a “we’ve got a couple of these in, are you interested?” calls, unsolicited, without the humiliating interview for the non-existent “list” my piss tends to boil (well, that few drops remaining after the AD took the rest)!
Joey Deacon said:
This is how I imagine a preferred AD customer to be
I guess I had better face up to the fact that I am not the sort of person Rolex want to allow to wear one of their watches. I am not a powerfully built company director, I am not a member of a Golf club or Masonic Lodge, I am not the loudest person at the bar at said Golf Club.
So what you are saying is there is an exclusive club for people to be allowed to buy a Rolex, and you feel like a failure because you have not met all the entrance criteria?
In a nutshell. Certainly in my neck of the woods. Plus then getting my nose rubbed in it.I guess I had better face up to the fact that I am not the sort of person Rolex want to allow to wear one of their watches. I am not a powerfully built company director, I am not a member of a Golf club or Masonic Lodge, I am not the loudest person at the bar at said Golf Club.
So what you are saying is there is an exclusive club for people to be allowed to buy a Rolex, and you feel like a failure because you have not met all the entrance criteria?
okgo said:
Sorry to burst the bubble but I’ve found the buying exp perfectly normal for an expensive retail transaction, bit like buying a kitchen or a car or something. No sneering. No weird judgement. Just entirely normal people selling stuff in a shop for a living.
This was in probably the most expensive area of London, there’s also never been more than a few people in the shop at any time but I’ve certainly not noticed any people like the ones mentioned above.
Well, no one’s refused to sell me one kitchen for eighteen months plus, whilst ringing round the flipper coterie who bought several kitchens each last year, to tell them about the new colour worktop that’s their’s for the asking. This was in probably the most expensive area of London, there’s also never been more than a few people in the shop at any time but I’ve certainly not noticed any people like the ones mentioned above.
Said coterie can then either rub their new kitchen in my peasant face, or offer it around at 100% profit.
There are some parallels, perhaps, with certain Porsche models, especially the GT cars and Sports Classics? The allocation of build slot allocations, and consequent opportunity to turn a substantial and virtually risk-free buck.
Edited by Octoposse on Monday 20th March 22:33
Update: got my letter today (no, not that letter).
Accepted for membership at local yacht club . . . slight butterflies before the interview (to be fair, the committee members were unexpectedly lovely) . . . but when I felt my resolve weakening I just had to repeat the ”I am not a piece of st” incantation which protects me from psychological harm twice a day when I walk past my local AD.
I think I’ll wear my orange Citizen diver on the water, and save the racy teal number for the bar?
Accepted for membership at local yacht club . . . slight butterflies before the interview (to be fair, the committee members were unexpectedly lovely) . . . but when I felt my resolve weakening I just had to repeat the ”I am not a piece of s
t” incantation which protects me from psychological harm twice a day when I walk past my local AD.I think I’ll wear my orange Citizen diver on the water, and save the racy teal number for the bar?
Soleith said:
My advice, try a few different AD's and find one that's not a snotty st who thinks their job makes them special.
Thanks - that’s my plan. Unfortunately my next nearest AD is 25 miles away, and (like mine) has some very affluent areas in the hinterland! t who thinks their job makes them special.(One of my - numerous - gripes about my local AD was the pantomime of checking I was local to them, when I now realise that they had absolutely no intention from the moment I walked in of selling me a watch).
I’m in London in May for a two week course - supposedly very intensive, but I assume there will be breaks sufficient to make it to an AD or two and start over . .
wisbech said:
Octoposse said:
Update: got my letter today (no, not that letter).
Accepted for membership at local yacht club . . . slight butterflies before the interview (to be fair, the committee members were unexpectedly lovely) . . . but when I felt my resolve weakening I just had to repeat the ”I am not a piece of st” incantation which protects me from psychological harm twice a day when I walk past my local AD.
I think I’ll wear my orange Citizen diver on the water, and save the racy teal number for the bar?
Well done! Remember, they are nerds like you, that have a shared hobby about sailing. (sailing is very nerdy...) They are very happy to have more nerds join the club. Same way that every time I am in a strange town I seek out the local board gaming club.Accepted for membership at local yacht club . . . slight butterflies before the interview (to be fair, the committee members were unexpectedly lovely) . . . but when I felt my resolve weakening I just had to repeat the ”I am not a piece of s
t” incantation which protects me from psychological harm twice a day when I walk past my local AD.I think I’ll wear my orange Citizen diver on the water, and save the racy teal number for the bar?
I have a range of powerboat / safety boat / VHF radio qualifications, so can make myself useful in other ways. Lovely bar and restaurant overlooking the harbour - I’m a bit socially anxious (and, yes, nerdy, just not in very boaty ways!) but I’m sure I’ll find people to talk to (not about watches though!).
Soleith said:
In general I think it's less about the affluence of the area and more about the attitude of the salesperson. I'm based in the City of London and happy to take you along to introduce you to Watches of Switzerland Broadgate if you want which is where I get my stuff. I'd probably suggest not going to the west end ADs as they're full of mega rich foreign visitors.
FYI, in general if/when you get offered a watch and you decide to take it, you usually have to collect in person within 7 days so would just make sure you can get to London relatively easily if you decide to go that route.
Many thanks for the offer - another forum member is putting me in touch with their AD, and I hope that one will be straight with me (can’t think of a good phrase, but you know what I mean!).FYI, in general if/when you get offered a watch and you decide to take it, you usually have to collect in person within 7 days so would just make sure you can get to London relatively easily if you decide to go that route.
I’m in London for a two week course in May, and I’m assuming there’ll be enough free time to visit the AD in person then. And if / when a watch comes, two hours on National Express to pick up.
Will make sure it is the “lifetime” watch before paying . . . had I got one unaided, and it didn’t grown on me, I’d have been happy to sell after a few months. With the kindness of an introduction, honour bound to keep and hand it down to my son.
Feeling a bit different about my first world / affluenza problem . . my son’s best friend (well, the one who isn’t a girl) is round here today. He’s one year older, 14. Stupidly, I asked him about games consoles . . . he made an excuse about he’d lent it to someone else. I’m reasonably certain that he’s never had one - he lives with his mum, small flat, and I know that they spent ages in ‘emergency’ housing B&B.
Anyway, my son doesn’t have a bike, and I think this lad assumed it was because we couldn’t afford one (this was before he came to our house). So he found an old bike and fixed it up for my son - everything working except the front brake because that needed a new cable and they cost actual money.
Deep said:
Ok...now you've confused me..easily done perhaps lol.
You've made the point many times, that you had your heart set on an Air King. It was the only watch you wanted, nothing else quite scratched the itch for anywhere near the price etc etc
Now you're saying that you will make sure it's a lifetime watch before paying. So you're not actually sure that you want the watch??
Have you not tried the watch on at an AD already?
Not the 2022 . . . “my” AD let me try on a previous model, pre-owned, and offered it to me for £9500. New one is slimmer and (IMHO) better looking.You've made the point many times, that you had your heart set on an Air King. It was the only watch you wanted, nothing else quite scratched the itch for anywhere near the price etc etc
Now you're saying that you will make sure it's a lifetime watch before paying. So you're not actually sure that you want the watch??
Have you not tried the watch on at an AD already?
I understand your argument, but mine was just the very specific point that if someone helps you get your grail / (perceived) perfect watch, you can’t in good conscience sell it on a year later if you change your mind.
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