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. :-)