Rolex VIP night in Tampa: RESULTS!

[astcell]

What a fun night at Mayor's in International Plaza! Got there about 6pm and had a glass of white wine. Had about six actually. Saw some really nice watches! One was $480,000 and was a GMT with so many diamonds I could not see any gold. Nickname was "Rolex Ice." Also present was the YMII, Leopard Daytona, several masterpiece models and more subs that you can count.

I saw Chuck, the local Rolex Rep, and got this information below. It is not all verbatim, it i over a three hour evening and tidbits of several conversations combined. I did get some direct info and it is all below.

1. The GV is not being discontinued in May 2009. They plan on keeping all the Milgauss models for a very long time. BTW a brand new movement was made for the Milgauss. Other companies may have simply re-used an old movement. Not Rolex! I will call the AD tomorrow and say that I do not want the GV.

2. No changes are planned for the Daytona. Rolex wants people to see the Daytona from 10 feet away and have no doubt as to what it is. No supercase is planned, and if such a design is included, it cannot change the lines and leave any doubt as to the model.

2a. When Rolex made the Turn-O-Graph it was a basis for the Submariner. When they moved it to the Datejust line, that was the kiss of death for it. They will not lose product like that again.

3. They would love to make the GMT II have a bi-color ceramic bezel. It has to be one piece, they will not use two separate pieces mated together. This is a big project for the engineers and a time when the marketing people are glad they are not engineers. So it will be in the future, if it can indeed be created.

4. There was talk about a GMTIIc in platinum.

5. As for older parts, Rolex keeps them around for 35 years, which is longer than anyone else. Sorry we cannot do better.

6. What about lume? Rolex tips their hats to Panerai in that department. The PAM is made for the Italian Special Forces, hardly a task for Rolex. Panerai wins this round.

7. The USA gets 11% of the Rolexes made. For every Daytona you hear about selling, nine others sold outside the USA.

8. Anything green on a Rolex means it has been around for 50 years. The Milgauss came out in 1957 so in 2007 they get green. Watch for this on other watches too.

9. I asked him about putting DEEPSEA in red on the DSSD. That got a good laugh out loud from him. Adding red would mean they would never sit in a case, ever. Red sells.

10. 904L is the best stainless steel out there. The L means Limited, as there is a limited amount of carbon in the steel, which is a byproduct of the manufacturing process. Rolex is very proud of their steel.

11. The Daytona will NEVER have a date.

To top off the evening they raffled off the chance to buy four watches. They had a black millie, a white millie, a black SS Daytona and a white SS Daytona. They had two buckets, one for each model, and you put a business card in each.

First ticket for the Daytona was won by a gal there. Then they drew for a MiIlgauss and a guy got it. Right then and there they traded the winning tickets so she got the Milgauss and he got the Daytona. Then they drew the second round. First was for the last Milgauss. The gal who won the Daytona (and traded her ticker to get a Milgauss) won this drawing too! So she got both Milgauss models!!! Then they last Daytona was drawn for and the guy who won it was very excited.

The hit watch of the evening: my GV! There was none on display or for purchase, and mine was most noticed. Made me wish I had worn a Timex. :-)

[cody p]

interesting post, thanks.

[swatty]

Sounds like you had a great time Robert .

[astcell]

As for CHARITY: Rolex chooses who to support, they get lots of requests though.

[chriseskew24]

Very cool..

[DARK_KNIGHT]

Originally Posted by astcell

2a. When Rolex made the Turn-O-Graph it was a basis for the Submariner. When they moved it to the Datejust line, that was the kiss of death for it. They will not lose product like that again. :-)

What does the above mean? Please, more details. Thank you.

[astcell]

Originally Posted by DARK_KNIGHT

What does the above mean? Please, more details. Thank you.

The Turn-o-graph was the basis for the Submariner. When they re-vamped it, it received a Datejust case and an engine turned bezel. Sales plummeted. People did not want that. In hindsight, Rolex believes they should have made the TOG its own design, like the Milgauss, and not mated it to a DJ.

[Submariner 1]

I wish I was there! Glad you had a excellent evening. Don

[-Subsevens]

WOW!!! Thanks for sharing!

[astcell]

None of the watches smiled at me so I came home with what I took.

[sea-dweller]

Thanks. Unfortunately, I'm in California right now, or else I would attend !

[rodo]

very good thread! As for the green signifying 50 yrs, reading that made my appreciate my LV even more :)

[moby33]

Originally Posted by astcell

9. I asked him about putting DEEPSEA in red on the DSSD. That got a good laugh out loud from him. Adding red would mean they would never sit in a case, ever. Red sells.

Thanks for the info, all good stuff. I guess I'll never be a Daytona owner...promised myself I wouldn't buy until they come with a date.

The only thing that really jumped out at me as a little odd was #9. Personally, I don't get it. If red sells, great, but why restrict a market from something it really wants??? If their only problem is it leaves the case too fast, then how about raising the price? It's all about supply vs. demand...I've got to believe Rolex can find a happy balance. Hell, make a few 'Limited Production' models w/ red writing and set the price out of this world...I'm not saying I would buy it, but at least you give the consumer (albeit a smaller pool) a chance to buy what they really want. Doesn't make sense to this kid...

[watchfan1]

Originally Posted by moby33

The only thing that really jumped out at me as a little odd was #9. Personally, I don't get it. If red sells, great, but why restrict a market from something it really wants??? If their only problem is it leaves the case too fast, then how about raising the price? It's all about supply vs. demand...I've got to believe Rolex can find a happy balance. Hell, make a few 'Limited Production' models w/ red writing and set the price out of this world...I'm not saying I would buy it, but at least you give the consumer (albeit a smaller pool) a chance to buy what they really want. Doesn't make sense to this kid...

ditto !!!

BTW, Robert...thanks for a great report.
I was supposed to be there as well. I know all those good folks there
as they are responsible for me partying with good sums of money in that store ;)
...did not go though...started to watch Rays thumping the Red Sox and could not leave until it ended

[SLS]

Wonderful recap of what sounded like a reallt fun evening. Thanks for sharing that.
~Scott

[valentine]

thanks for sharing...I will be attending a similar event in a week or two and HOPE to get the shot at a SS daytona !!!!!!!

[bodybump]

seems to be fun robert..i have an invitation...may i ask do you need to purchase something to be in the raffle?? i heard you need to buy something to qualify..is that true?? and can you take pictures??

[astcell]

No purchase needed, but you had to be present to win. I wanted to take pictures but that would have been tacky.

[bodybump]

Originally Posted by astcell

No purchase needed, but you had to be present to win. I wanted to take pictures but that would have been tacky.

i know its gonna be tacky... i just wanted to put it on our site the new colections... maybe on my phone..i will try to be discreet..hahahhaha where there a lot of people??

[worktolivelife]

great entertaining post thanks

steve

[Wolfgang427]

Thanks for the report. I wish I was there.

[BiG JeEzY]

Thanks for all the information Robert! Number eight struck me as interesting, maybe we'll see a Datejust or Explorer II have green on them for the very first time when their 50th anniversaries come around.

[ral]

Originally Posted by BiG JeEzY

Thanks for all the information Robert! Number eight struck me as interesting, maybe we'll see a Datejust or Explorer II have green on them for the very first time when their 50th anniversaries come around.

Unfortunately, I think some of its watches hit the 50 year mark before Rolex decided on the green thing. The Datejust turned 50 in 1995 or 1996, and the Explorer I in 2003. Maybe we will see it in the Explorer II, but that is sometime in 2020

[watchnut]

Sounds like a great time, Robert! I flew into Tampa two weeks ago and will be flying out next week. Never been to Mayor's but will check it out sometime. Very informative post! You must handle your wine better than I do. For some reason, wine, more than another other spirits, really gets to me. Six glasses would have put me in my cups! I couldn't have written a coherent recap of the evening.

[GradyPhilpott]

That's a very good report.

Thanks for going to the trouble to get the answers to these questions and post them here.

[golfball123]

any pics for our perusal ?

[vzmax]

Great report!

[Andad]

Well done Robert.

Excellent confirmation of some old Forum statements that required confirmation.

[kiasunkiasi]

I was hoping that Rolex put a date on Daytona, maybe at the 12 o'clock and remove some writings... Well, until date appearing on Daytona, it's out of my list...

[toph]

Robert- you certainly had a good conversation and what sounds like a great night