AD Exhibition Pieces

[derklink]

Good evening,

I was wondering what the chances are to purchase an exhibition piece from an AD?

I read somewhere here the other day that someone bought an Explorer (I think) exhibition piece from their AD.

Does anybody have any insight on this? Does Rolex dictate what exhibition pieces need to be on display and for how long?

Thank you and have a good weekend!

[surgicaltool]

Two weeks ago I was offered an “Exhibition Only” two tone explorer while shopping for another piece, just because I commented on how much I liked it. I suspect there is no rigid across the board policy and it varies AD to AD. They would probably follow the same approach as with any available inventory they have to sell. If they know they have a piece with limited demand they are more likely to offer one that they “aren’t allowed to sell.” Just my conjecture.

[EdwardC]

Originally Posted by surgicaltool

Two weeks ago I was offered an “Exhibition Only” two tone explorer while shopping for another piece, just because I commented on how much I liked it. I suspect there is no rigid across the board policy and it varies AD to AD. They would probably follow the same approach as with any available inventory they have to sell. If they know they have a piece with limited demand they are more likely to offer one that they “aren’t allowed to sell.” Just my conjecture.

All exhibition pieces are actually for sale unless the movement is fake - those that are always stuck at 10:10. It's just a matter of who and how. If you purchase enough jewelry and ask for a piece that is relatively mid to lower demand, aka not Daytona, GMT, then they may offer you those. I witnessed buyers doing that in different ADs in US and Europe. The AD can decide what they want to do. Just remember, money talks.

[humphries.mc]

As my AD gets stock in, it goes into the exhibition case. Must keep 26 watches at all times. As new watches come in, the oldest stock gets offered for sale.


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[dcash0615]

Originally Posted by humphries.mc

As my AD gets stock in, it goes into the exhibition case. Must keep 26 watches at all times. As new watches come in, the oldest stock gets offered for sale.


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This is my understanding as well based on numerous AD discussions I have had.

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Around a year and a half ago I was offered a DSSD from the Exhibition Only case that I had been ogling, much to the disbelief and accusations of fabrication from some here. The thing to remember is that not everything in the Exhibition case is exhibition only. Its safe place with plausible deniability to keep inventory from us plebes, noobs and rubes.

[Joearch]

I pushed pretty hard with my boutique manager for a 41mm celebration that was in the expo box. No go for me. He had previously allocated 4 great pieces to me.

[KatGirl]

My AD explained to me that all watches received, into the store, are for sale, but they have to keep 32 pieces, on exhibition, at all times. I expect that number varies, according to the AD’s tier. I know my AD was excited to learn that they moved up a level for 2024. They generally keep them in the exhibition case for a certain period of time, which is why some members here have gotten calls, and been offered a watch they want. They are asked to prepay, or put a sizable deposit down, and are told they can’t pick it up, until a certain date. Presumably, that date coincides with the day they expect a shipment of more stock.

Kat


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[2loaded]

Originally Posted by EdwardC

All exhibition pieces are actually for sale unless the movement is fake - those that are always stuck at 10:10. It's just a matter of who and how. If you purchase enough jewelry and ask for a piece that is relatively mid to lower demand, aka not Daytona, GMT, then they may offer you those. I witnessed buyers doing that in different ADs in US and Europe. The AD can decide what they want to do. Just remember, money talks.

By "fake" do you mean RLX installs a movement from a clone company?
No, the movement is in the watch disabled by a pin until ready to sell.

[JSCP]

My friend was offered a Sub white gold …after asking , he has some history. He was told they need to replace so they do rotate/ moved them. Braceket wrapped in clear plastic while on display, when pulled out to show it.

The rotation gets offered to good customers from what I can tell.

[4reRlxGuy]

My understanding at one of my ADs is that they show pieces for about a month then offer it to someone on the "list."

[DOUBLE 0 SE7EN]

Also at Vietnam they offered me two tone explorer which was a display product ..

[Calatrava r]

Although mentioned by some here at times, I have never seen a dummy watch in an exhibition case anywhere. The dummy watches were the new releases which circulated as a group around some ADs for an event to showcase the new releases a few years back. They may still do this. My understanding now is also that ADs must hold a certain level of watches for display, and these can be rotated out for sale as new ones come in to replace them. What gets sold is entirely up to each AD.

[derklink]

Thank you all for your feedback and interesting to hear how this works. My Explorer should be back from RSC in about 2 weeks. When I go pick it up, I’ll see what the display case looks like and will voice interest (if there is anything that itches me)

[yankeeromeo]

Originally Posted by humphries.mc

As my AD gets stock in, it goes into the exhibition case. Must keep 26 watches at all times. As new watches come in, the oldest stock gets offered for sale.


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My AD is 40 on show at all times

[yankeeromeo]

Today at the Goldsmiths AD lakeside U.K
They had a fair amount exhibition. The SA did say all the bi metals (12) in the window were available to purchase. Nothing sports or massively sought after

[Kevin of Larchmont]

Originally Posted by derklink

Thank you all for your feedback and interesting to hear how this works. My Explorer should be back from RSC in about 2 weeks. When I go pick it up, I’ll see what the display case looks like and will voice interest (if there is anything that itches me)

Don’t forget to look in the CPO case, the back catalog is deep and wide.

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by yankeeromeo

My AD is 40 on show at all times

The number required to be on display is most likely determined by the tier rating of the AD. Yours must be a higher tier, and probably gets more stock per month, than mine, which must keep 32 watches on display.

Kat


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[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by yankeeromeo

Today at the Goldsmiths AD lakeside U.K
They had a fair amount exhibition. The SA did say all the bi metals (12) in the window were available to purchase. Nothing sports or massively sought after

That’s interesting. I tried on the Wimbledon bimetal, on several visits, to my AD, but was not offered it, until another person was there, to pick his allocated one up, but turned it down, at the last minute. Right place, right time.

Kat


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[sgt10p]

AD in Liverpool had 2 x Starbucks 126610LV on Exhibition. The one I tried on worked as it should but they wouldn't sell either.

I'm sure it's about annual spend which in turn keeps some people supplied with what they want and the majority hanging.

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[londondude]

Originally Posted by humphries.mc

As my AD gets stock in, it goes into the exhibition case. Must keep 26 watches at all times. As new watches come in, the oldest stock gets offered for sale.


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Same with my AD in London. I was told that there are no exhibition pieces, they all get sold eventually

[wilsonpepper]

Originally Posted by 2loaded

No, the movement is in the watch disabled by a pin until ready to sell.

Really, you mean to tell me that AD's open the case and remove a "pin" before they sell you a watch? Really?

Are these the same AD's (some) that can barely size a bracelet without screwing up the screw head or scratching a bracelet ?

Not all AD's even have a "qualified" Rolex technician on the property !

Please post picture of said "pin".

Not sarcastically said, just interested in what the pin looks like, and where it's located on the movement.....

[KatGirl]

Originally Posted by wilsonpepper

Really, you mean to tell me that AD's open the case and remove a "pin" before they sell you a watch? Really?

Are these the same AD's (some) that can barely size a bracelet without screwing up the screw head or scratching a bracelet ?

Not all AD's even have a "qualified" Rolex technician on the property !

Please post picture of said "pin".

Not sarcastically said, just interested in what the pin looks like, and where it's located on the movement.....

I found that hard to believe, too. I imagine that if such watches do exist, they are sent back to RSC to have said pin removed.

Kat


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[BigFig]

The manager of my local AD told me they keep the watches on display for one year. After that they go back to Rolex to be reallocated. I have no clue what the real story is, but I imagine he just wanted me to quit asking about the BLNR.

[GVAZQUEZ]

Originally Posted by humphries.mc

As my AD gets stock in, it goes into the exhibition case. Must keep 26 watches at all times. As new watches come in, the oldest stock gets offered for sale.


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This is the real deal. I have purchased several watches and they have to be “instock” for there inventory and “exhibition”.


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[CFR]

Originally Posted by KatGirl

I found that hard to believe, too. I imagine that if such watches do exist, they are sent back to RSC to have said pin removed.

A boutique near me used to have these "blocked" exhibition models on display. At some point in the last year or two, they replaced them with working exhibition models. So the blocked models may not exist any longer.

[Pacamack]

I walked out with an exhibition BLNR from my AD on Christmas Eve.

[Peterflycat]

My AD told me that they receive exhibition pieces which don't come with a warranty card, they will need to ship them back to Rolex after the exhibition period ends for those batches, and receive new ones from Rolex to rotate.

It's all "what my AD says" and I have no way to verify...

[Hodog16]

I've had two ADs tell me the same -- the watches get returned and new models come in to replace them.

I've spent a fair amount at both and they give me some insights on how things work on their end, so I don't have reason to think they would lie to me. On the other hand I haven't asked to buy any exhibition pieces because none were on my wish list.

I don't know if it's dependent on ownership, regional managers, etc but it seems like there are different rules in place.

My uneducated guess to explain the disparity is that there are different "tiers" of watches, and when one comes in they can decide if they want to sell an existing watch in the case or the new watch and at a certain point in time they have to return the models to Rolex to prove they aren't just selling off watches, and the cycle repeats. Maybe some ADs choose to sell on the fly whereas others choose to keep exhibition models as they are.

For example one AD in town has a blue skydweller in the case. Maybe they can't sell that unless they choose to replace it with a Pepsi or a stainless Daytona.

[thughes]

Interesting that others have been offered TT Explorers. When I picked up my watch recently, while chatting I mentioned that if /when I got another Rolex it would be an Explorer 1. They pointed in the case and said that one is available. It was a TT!