Rolex Airport AD's at Airports?

[redd0g]

Hi - I have read a few threads about Airport AD's, but have seen slightly mixed messages (possibly due to some of the threads being a few years old)

A few questions:

-Do Airport AD's have lists? If so, is being on a list at an airport better than a normal retail location AD?

-Do AD's get a certain amount of SS watches that arrive on a first come, first served basis, meaning you need to check the AD every time you go to the airport (or maybe phone ahead?)?

-Any other advantages to using airport AD's?

-Are any particular airport AD's better than others?

For background post Corona, I will hopefully go back to having access to the AD's at London Heathrow, Munich, Frankfurt and Zurich

[redd0g]

hope you don't mind if I bump

[TswaneNguni]

Airport AD list ?

I guess if you are a frequent flyer.

[uddind]

I believe they do have a list, I put my name down for the tudor blue 58 and 4 weeks later I get a call however I wasnt flying so have it a miss

[redd0g]

Originally Posted by uddind

I believe they do have a list, I put my name down for the tudor blue 58 and 4 weeks later I get a call however I wasnt flying so have it a miss

Did they say you had to pick it up within a certain time period?

[uddind]

Originally Posted by redd0g

Did they say you had to pick it up within a certain time period?

Yh I had to pay immediately and pick it up within 2 weeks I think.

[Ranger67]

My son was a retail project director at LHR until recently so asked home to accompany me on visits to 2 AD’s in different terminals as I thought it might help, carried no influence at all, obviously pre pandemic.

[VintageVagabound]

Personally I feel that most lists are BS. Many stores will tell you you’re on the “list” but there isn’t an actual list (ask them what number you are on said list :) For difficult to source watches stores will sell to their loyal clients and bundlers first. So maybe you’re on the “list” for 18 months and I walk into the store and offer to buy 5 gold lady datejusts. I’ll end up with a Pepsi GMT without waiting on any list and you’ll continue to wait until the point when the store has a surplus of a specific model and is looking to unload it.

For this reason I can’t see any airport having a list since it’s unlikely they’d hold it for you until the next time you fly into town. There is no incentive for them to do this. Buying a Rolex at an airport is a game of luck and good timing.

[redd0g]

So the advice is, you should visit the AD every time you are in an airport, and hope they have a watch that you want?

Do you know how they decide what stock airport AD's get there stock? Do they get some SS models in airports?

[Ranger67]

Originally Posted by redd0g

So the advice is, you should visit the AD every time you are in an airport, and hope they have a watch that you want?

Do you know how they decide what stock airport AD's get there stock? Do they get some SS models in airports?

Yes the SA’s I visited at the airport both said “just try every time you fly out” they wouldn’t take my details.

[supernova]

Sorry I just thought the title was quite funny, would you find an airport AD other than in an airport


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[redd0g]

Originally Posted by supernova

Sorry I just thought the title was quite funny, would you find an airport AD other than in an airport


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LoL, I think I must have been thinking I needed to emphasis Airports!

[Rocketman39]

Like most sales people, a lot of "Hand Full of Howdy and a Mouth full of Much Obliged" !

[ROLEXster]

My brother-inlaw was flying home from Sweden 2 weeks ago.
The AD kept telling him they don't have any decent watches in stock.
After some persistence, the SA finally went to the back safe and brought out a TT black dial sub. And gave my bro-inlaw 30 mins to decide.

So, all ADs have goodies in the safe.
If you are a smooth talker, you may score big.

[makrxx]

Airport ADs in London do not have a good supply of sports model. And because it's owned by WoS, they also see your purchase history as well before telling you what's at the back. One of them offered me a half-gold Daytona earlier in the year.

[swink6112]

Was at the Bangkok Airport AD and they saw me wearing my black sub-c and told me they have the BLRO in the safe if I want it. Then I woke up. Damn that was a good dream.

[SeeDweller]

Originally Posted by swink6112

Was at the Bangkok Airport AD and they saw me wearing my black sub-c and told me they have the BLRO in the safe if I want it. Then I woke up. Damn that was a good dream.

That was funny!!!

Good timing!

[MoreGarages413]

Aren’t most airport dealers just subsidiary branches of established jewelers?


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[redd0g]

Originally Posted by MoreGarages413

Aren’t most airport dealers just subsidiary branches of established jewelers?


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Oh, ok, so if you went on a list, you would actually be going on a list of the AD in the centre of that city?

[VintageVagabound]

Originally Posted by redd0g

Oh, ok, so if you went on a list, you would actually be going on a list of the AD in the centre of that city?

The “list” is as real as Santa Claus. You probably have a better chance getting one from him anyway. The only reason they would ever need to refer to the “list” is if they run out of walk-in customers for stainless steel models. They’ll happily write your phone number down and call you if you’re asking for a Pearlmaster 34.

[Lagetickers]

Originally Posted by MoreGarages413

Aren’t most airport dealers just subsidiary branches of established jewelers?


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I will agree they also came from different established jewelers.

[Luke@TRF]

WoS in LHR do have a list, or did. One of my sporty model was purchased there after I bought 2 lady DJs 6 months ago and was put on the list.
They do have sport models in the back but the SAs can't sell you without getting approval from their managers, at which point they have to see your purchase history and make assessment of your profile.

If you have a good relationship with your SA at WoS, he/she can look at their system to show you how many sub/pepsi/daytona is at each shop.

[HansSolo]

Like some others have said, airport AD's usually do not have lists or "registers" because the nature of traveling means no regular clients. I heard a few stories before the Pandemic where people were scoring GMTs or Sub LVs at airports just because they happened to pass through the day the stock came in. All the hot stuff went into the displays. Like getting a fresh lobster at the seafood place on the coast lol

[sirC]

Picked up a Stainless Sub in Frankfurt a year ago September. Was not displayed so I asked if they had one.
Didn't want it for myself but have a friend who had been waiting for several months.
Sold it to him for what I paid.
They had a Platinum Daytona as well. Took a pass on that one. Wife was with me.

[ccc75]

I bought my first Rolex in the Amsterdam airport in October of 2019. Got the Rolex bug mid 2019 and started a relationship with my local AD. Was looking for a SS Sub or Batman. Of course, knew it would be a bit of a wait.

When I flew into Amsterdam I stopped into the Rolex AD in the airport and tried to chat up the SA. No dice. In the 10 minutes I was in the store at least 5 people came in and asked about SS availability.

A couple days later when I was flying back to the US, I made sure to save some extra time to stop back into the Airport Rolex AD and try my luck again. Chatted up the SA and after a few minutes she tells me that the branch in the other terminal had two TT Subs in stock. One with a black dial and the other with a blue dial. Said I could have either one.

I had never thought about a TT Sub but had them send the Bluesy over to look at it as I'd never seen it in person. Fell in love with it instantly and bought it on the spot. Given the good exchange rate and no VAT I ended up paying $11.3k out the door.

So I'd say it never hurts to ask. Be nice and you never know what may happen.

Then fast forward eight months and my local AD calls and tells me that they have a Batman for me...about a year after I started talking to them. All in all it ended up very well for me.

[andrewjb88]

AD in Rome had some stock in the back last time I passed through, all of it out of my price range mind you.

[garyk]

Before the pandemic, we traveled to Paris a lot and the Paris airport AD had empty cases just like every other AD...

[BogdanS]

Originally Posted by garyk

Before the pandemic, we traveled to Paris a lot and the Paris airport AD had empty cases just like every other AD...

Charles De Gaulle on 6th of January 2019:







Big regrets over that OP39. Also could’ve bought tax free (21% off) as I was traveling outside EU...


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[WatchNutcase]

I haven't had any luck in airport AD's yet but it's always worth a drop by

[garyk]

I was there November 2019, they actually had a Bluesy that I passed on. It ate at my brain until a found a grey market one at the end of June 2020.