CONFIRMED news regarding the professional line

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by thevtcguy

ok, make that 419, you guys are quick!

now cut it out!!!!!! 420!!!!!

[duckowner]

The AD here in Walnut Creek, CA has no clue what this is about. I know most of the staff and talked to the owner myself. He is one of the rare owners that runs his business NOT based on rumors, just facts.

[exador]

Meanwhile in Les Acacias...

[lmcgbaj]

Originally Posted by rexG

Rolex is going out of business........

Well they are pissing off lots of fans right now...


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[jclaraperea]

Originally Posted by exador

Meanwhile in Les Acacias...

Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk Pro

[77T]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

I don't know the answer and have already posted my opinion, I just wish I could start a thread that earned 417 (418) posts.

I think you can do that - I see a “Never-ending Jocke & Paul” thread in your future.


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[BristolCavendish]

This thread along with its countless follow-up posts is absolutely mind-boggling.

Are we talking (or speaking) of an actual 'doomsday prophesy' of sorts?

No wonder some folks mock Rolex wearers as out of touch with reality.

[Jocke]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

I don't know the answer and have already posted my opinion, I just wish I could start a thread that earned 417 (418) posts.

That is easy my very best friend, just post: How many thinks Jocke is genius?

[GerardoG]

Well, hard fact is that overall the Swiss watch industry is hurting sales wise. Real figures, not speculation. HOW are companies dealing with it? Some, buying stock from their dealers, others, developing a bigger SS base (lower entry level complications), other by going to e-commerce. Rolex: cutting back on the biggest sellers. All companies are reacting differently. Which strategy(strategies) will work? Only time will tell.

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Jocke

That is easy my very best friend, just post: How many thinks Jocke is genius?

[BNA/LION]

SS is the New Precious Metal.

The Key to Rolex's strategy will be revealed at Baselworld 2018.

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by BNALION

SS is the New Precious Metal.

The Key to Rolex's strategy will be revealed at Baselworld 2018.

I agree.

[Vipes]

Originally Posted by BNALION

SS is the New Precious Metal.

The Key to Rolex's strategy will be revealed at Baselworld 2018.

Yup, SS is the new PM

[SL BRABUS]

Thanks for the information Gerardo....

[askdanny]

Originally Posted by duckowner

The AD here in Walnut Creek, CA has no clue what this is about. I know most of the staff and talked to the owner myself. He is one of the rare owners that runs his business NOT based on rumors, just facts.

This is what we know:

1) the OP hasn’t seen the letter.

2) He was talking to a guy who is important enough that OP is willing to stake his reputation on.

3) Though the OP says it is one of the largest accounts in the US, we don’t know the dude’s actual title, whether he is the president of the company, or an employee relaying information (who hasn’t seen the letter himself).

4) Because it is third hand, possibly fourth (VIP —> OP —> us) and it was through a discussion between OP and VIP, no written record, there might be some details lost. (Is it the professional line with those particular reference numbers, for example, meaning a new reference number will be released with a new movement?)

5) OP says he doesn’t share what “[he] heard” or what “someone said.” But he is doing exactly that in his post: “I spent all day planning ... as well as talking watches with one of the largest accounts for Rolex in the United States.”

6) We will have no way of measuring whether Rolex is decreasing production, as AD shelves are already bare. So no way of knowing if OP information was right.

I’m sure OP is upstanding guy who is 100% sure his information is correct. Google “banzai cliff,” when you get a chance. (Hundreds of japanese civilians in 1944 in Saipan throw themselves to their deaths because they were convinced they’d be tortured by American soldiers who were coming).

Two more months to Basel...



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[semi-ambivalent]

Originally Posted by Dirt

Agreed.
People here are forgeting that Rolex implements changes on a progressive basis.
To that, i will expect a slow change over spanning years to new movements across different models.
It actually won't be like flicking a switch as that would be much too problematic on all levels.

As much as I follow Rolex (I have, like, two watches and only one is a Rolex), your thought make sense and it follows what one already knows about Rolex. (I have read in print rolex's pace of change described as "glacial".) But the problem doesn't appear to be a lack of change but a lack of actual inventory of the models that *appear* to be most in demand. After I caught up on this thread let's say it plays out like this:
1. Rolex knows they have to "modernize" their watches but the designs are already iconic so really we're talking about the calibres. The 3255 proves they know this.
2. They had a tremendous 2017 if what I've read here is correct.
3. They make tons of sales of models like DJ, OP and lady's so they must keep up with that demand. Better margins but takes a % of Production.
4. It looks like demand for the Sports models will continue to be crazy, but they don't make as much margin on those. But they have to have them because Marketing has those models in all the celebrity endorsements they pay for.
5. Rolex wants to blunt competitive pressures by blowing the roof off Basel but they *must* have real product, ready to roll. They have dev costs to service. They also want a price increase on those lower margin, high visibility Sports models but they can't do that and tell the customer there's a two-year wait list. It won't fly. Won't fly with the ADs either. Having the new calibres in them will mitigate the sting. Actually having some to sell will too.
6. The issues with early production of 32xx's is sorted so they ramp back production of current SS Sports models and put resources into building inventory of the new references. It becomes hard to get a current SS Sub, etc. but Rolex is in-house-can't job out so they are bound by a fixed production capacity.
7. Basel arrives. Rolex has the new Refs and there is a good bit of stock to actually purchase, (but not too much). Customers who dreamed of having a Sub & Co. can get one in a reasonable amount of time. And, yes, those with multiple Subs & Co. can buy yet another. ADs have inventory. The grays have a very long, hard winter. All is good at Bienne.

That's what a bit of uninformed idle speculation can get you and you'd be crazy to believe any of it. One wouldn't be seeing any of this if Rolex wasn't plagued with a customer base that bought so many watches per capita. I can't think of any other consumer product that behaves like this. That's why the RF is so entertaining, even for an outsider like me. Just waiting for March to come in and go out like a lion.

[77T]

Rolex24@ Daytona has Checkered.
No SS Daytona-C’s this year.

CONFIRMED: No SS for you!!! Next!!!!!

It’ll be black dial TT for 2018
(last year was White dial TT)




Oh yeah, and a Rolex hat...




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[kilyung]

Originally Posted by BNALION

SS is the New Precious Metal.

Originally Posted by Vipes

Yup, SS is the new PM

Blasphemers!!

[Johny]

This is a great read. Roll on Baselworld.

[OmegaManOnTheMoon]

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Well, hard fact is that overall the Swiss watch industry is hurting sales wise. Real figures, not speculation. HOW are companies dealing with it? Some, buying stock from their dealers, others, developing a bigger SS base (lower entry level complications), other by going to e-commerce. Rolex: cutting back on the biggest sellers. All companies are reacting differently. Which strategy(strategies) will work? Only time will tell.

Do you think maybe they are thinning the Rolex Professional models to make the Tudor line more attractive? A lot more potential customers can afford a BB than a Sub. They could perhaps increase overall marketshare?

[Magwitch]

Maybe all the watch workers at Rolex have vaped themselves to death.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by BNALION

SS is the New Precious Metal.

The Key to Rolex's strategy will be revealed at Baselworld 2018.

Perhaps foreshadowed by the SS Skydweller

Maybe a SS DD40 is not a stretch

[codester]

There is a lot of newly created wealth snapping up luxury goods and supply can’t keep up. Rolex has to decide what to produce and the high margin watches will be first in line resulting in a lot of Datejusts and less professional models. Datejust is still a very nice watch. Skydwellers aren’t in the professional line up so maybe there will be a few more to go around. There is only so much line time for Rolex to make watches.

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by OmegaManOnTheMoon

Do you think maybe they are thinning the Rolex Professional models to make the Tudor line more attractive? A lot more potential customers can afford a BB than a Sub. They could perhaps increase overall marketshare?

IMHO, they are in different segments. Rolex STARTS in the high 5k us range, while Tudor starts well under that. Just for fun, let’s suppose that was the idea...once again, why ALL pro models, not only the SS? The higher end Tudors are way under (price wise) a two tone professional model, and even further from precious metals. Once again...only Rolex knows why.

[melrob1]

I personally feel it’s true that they are cutting back. For two reasons. First Rolex is a marketing powerhouse! They are raising demand and helping dealers move the last of their product. Why? I think because a new kill movement is coming and they didn’t want dealers stuck with old product. Second I think they really want to clean up the market on grey sellers. Once these old models are clean they will be very strict on discounting and not allow it. If dealers get caught they will have a strick policy to take Rolex status away. In the consumer electronics industry there are companies like Samsung that will not allow a discount unless authorized certain parts of the year. I think Rolex hates that their brand is being discounted and wants to establish an “Apple” like policy on discounting. Thier brand is who they are and discounting and re selling is not how they see their brand.

[OmegaManOnTheMoon]

Originally Posted by askdanny

This is what we know:

1) the OP hasn’t seen the letter.

2) He was talking to a guy who is important enough that OP is willing to stake his reputation on.

3) Though the OP says it is one of the largest accounts in the US, we don’t know the dude’s actual title, whether he is the president of the company, or an employee relaying information (who hasn’t seen the letter himself).

4) Because it is third hand, possibly fourth (VIP —> OP —> us) and it was through a discussion between OP and VIP, no written record, there might be some details lost. (Is it the professional line with those particular reference numbers, for example, meaning a new reference number will be released with a new movement?)

5) OP says he doesn’t share what “[he] heard” or what “someone said.” But he is doing exactly that in his post: “I spent all day planning ... as well as talking watches with one of the largest accounts for Rolex in the United States.”

6) We will have no way of measuring whether Rolex is decreasing production, as AD shelves are already bare. So no way of knowing if OP information was right.

I’m sure OP is upstanding guy who is 100% sure his information is correct. Google “banzai cliff,” when you get a chance. (Hundreds of japanese civilians in 1944 in Saipan throw themselves to their deaths because they were convinced they’d be tortured by American soldiers who were coming).

Two more months to Basel...



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[DandyAnt]

Originally Posted by SackLVG

Decrease production so they can increase prices? And in the future ramp up production when demand meets the new higher prices.

This sounds logical.

Limit production. Let the grey dealers increase prices even further. Then massively increase RRP and start to slowly increase production.

This is genius marketing.

Also I believe the grey market has a long way to go in price increases as the demand increases.

[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by askdanny

This is what we know:

1) the OP hasn’t seen the letter.

2) He was talking to a guy who is important enough that OP is willing to stake his reputation on.

3) Though the OP says it is one of the largest accounts in the US, we don’t know the dude’s actual title, whether he is the president of the company, or an employee relaying information (who hasn’t seen the letter himself).

4) Because it is third hand, possibly fourth (VIP —> OP —> us) and it was through a discussion between OP and VIP, no written record, there might be some details lost. (Is it the professional line with those particular reference numbers, for example, meaning a new reference number will be released with a new movement?)

5) OP says he doesn’t share what “[he] heard” or what “someone said.” But he is doing exactly that in his post: “I spent all day planning ... as well as talking watches with one of the largest accounts for Rolex in the United States.”

6) We will have no way of measuring whether Rolex is decreasing production, as AD shelves are already bare. So no way of knowing if OP information was right.

I’m sure OP is upstanding guy who is 100% sure his information is correct. Google “banzai cliff,” when you get a chance. (Hundreds of japanese civilians in 1944 in Saipan throw themselves to their deaths because they were convinced they’d be tortured by American soldiers who were coming).

Two more months to Basel...



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...so let me understand: let me blow up a 25 YEAR old personal relationship with some of the largest accounts in the Us for Rolex, Cartier, Tudor, AP and other brands just to make you happy? Maybe my ‘low level’ contacts are the reason why I get invited to Rolex EXCLUSIVE events (sorry, did not see you at last years Rolex hospitality tents) and those low level individuals are also the reason why we have PHYSICALLY the Tudor releases a few weeks after Basel, year after year. Oh, also those low level contacts get us VIP presentations and insiders information which, by the way, I SHARE with over 100 TRF members during gatherings in Las Vegas, Houston, Chicago, Miami and other venues. 100 people who travel and meet me face to face. Those are on top of the probably 200 TRF members I have MET over the last 15+ years.

...so, let me jeopardize all of this to make YOU happy.


Sorry, it will not happen. My family and friends, REAL friends are ALWAYS first.

[cdbeaver66]

Originally Posted by BNALION

SS is the New Precious Metal.

The Key to Rolex's strategy will be revealed at Baselworld 2018.

I agree and I'm looking forward to it.

[pickettt]

Originally Posted by rexG

Rolex is going out of business........

I hope so, then maybe my insatiable lust will go away.