Buying a new Rolex in the UK - in mint condition

[NWCarver]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

those models are not being flipped hence they don't care.

Read Neils post. He has said it many times before but Rolex in the UK is leaning on their dealers pretty hard regarding watches ending up on the secondary market. No one knows Rolex's official policies, but its safe to say the AD's are getting the message from Rolex none the less.

Agreed, Rolex are leaning on them with regards to secondary market but 'stickers' off/on they are not - that is not Rolex official policy but is down to individual dealers implementing their 'own policy' alone to prevent the secondary market sales.

Having just been to Rolex, St James, it also appears that Goldsmiths are retaining the bezel protectors for OPs and not supplying them with the watch. I was told by them that Rolex do not supply these with the watch anymore when I picked mine up on Friday, despite me explaining to Goldsmiths that's incorrect...Something confirmed today by Rolex themselves, so while in Rolex, St James, I called the Goldsmiths AD direct and asked for his explanation in not supplying the bezel protector with my watch...to which I got a very sheepish and sullen reply that '...we have a lot in the drawers and don't bother giving them out, if you want one then come in' - totally backtracking on his earlier reply to myself....Needless to say, I simply accepted Rolex, St James, kind offer of a bezel protector and cloth and will not return to Goldsmiths again.

I know that such a thing is pretty minor really but when I pay a relatively large sum of money for something I do expect to actually get everything that is supposed to come with that purchase.

As I said previously, they have been one of the worst ADs that I have actually used, and if it wasn't for the fact that I had been unable to find the watch I was looking for elsewhere then I would not have used them.

[69ways]

I was asked if i wanted the stickers to be removed
I said no , the joy of removing them on my own

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by NWCarver

and will not return to Goldsmiths again.

You do know that that is easier said than done right? Goldsmiths, Watches of Switzerland including the boutique on Bond Street, and Mappin and Webb are all owned by the same company. So boycotting one and not the others does no good. Sad but true.

Ive been down that road and my options are very limited. Especially so in London.

[NWCarver]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

You do know that that is easier said than done right? Goldsmiths, Watches of Switzerland including the boutique on Bond Street, and Mappin and Webb are all owned by the same company. So boycotting one and not the others does no good. Sad but true.

Ive been down that road and my options are very limited. Especially so in London.

Sigh...yep, I know...:-(

It does indeed make it limited for buying.

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by Macnavara

Not so sure its a buyers market at the moment

It’s certainly not a buyers market just now. Quite the opposite

[SC11]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

those models are not being flipped hence they don't care.

Read Neils post. He has said it many times before but Rolex in the UK is leaning on their dealers pretty hard regarding watches ending up on the secondary market. No one knows Rolex's official policies, but its safe to say the AD's are getting the message from Rolex none the less.

Yep

Rolex are encouraging the AD’s in implement measure to help reduce the amount of models being purchased for resale.

From what I know it’s at the AD discretion to what methods/levels they do this too.

This can also be client based as know some AD’s who will always say they must desticker a watch prior to sale yet some good customers have picked up models still in the coffins.

[A.I.]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

You do know that that is easier said than done right? Goldsmiths, Watches of Switzerland including the boutique on Bond Street, and Mappin and Webb are all owned by the same company. So boycotting one and not the others does no good. Sad but true.

Ive been down that road and my options are very limited. Especially so in London.

Never had a problem north of Hadrians Wall in either M&W or WOS to be honest.

Quite the opposite in fact.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by A.I.

Never had a problem north of Hadrians Wall in either M&W or WOS to be honest.

Quite the opposite in fact.

In London they are not good so i just don't shop with the company. When they stopped providing insurance valuations when you bought a watch, that was the last straw. You have to ship the watch you just bought to the north of england to some valuation company they own and it takes weeks. All to get a valuation for insurance.
All you need is a document that says: Your Name, Watch Serial Number, New replacement cost, Purchase date.

[stevedssd]

Originally Posted by NWCarver

Agreed, Rolex are leaning on them with regards to secondary market but 'stickers' off/on they are not - that is not Rolex official policy but is down to individual dealers implementing their 'own policy' alone to prevent the secondary market sales.

Having just been to Rolex, St James, it also appears that Goldsmiths are retaining the bezel protectors for OPs and not supplying them with the watch. I was told by them that Rolex do not supply these with the watch anymore when I picked mine up on Friday, despite me explaining to Goldsmiths that's incorrect...Something confirmed today by Rolex themselves, so while in Rolex, St James, I called the Goldsmiths AD direct and asked for his explanation in not supplying the bezel protector with my watch...to which I got a very sheepish and sullen reply that '...we have a lot in the drawers and don't bother giving them out, if you want one then come in' - totally backtracking on his earlier reply to myself....Needless to say, I simply accepted Rolex, St James, kind offer of a bezel protector and cloth and will not return to Goldsmiths again.

I know that such a thing is pretty minor really but when I pay a relatively large sum of money for something I do expect to actually get everything that is supposed to come with that purchase.

As I said previously, they have been one of the worst ADs that I have actually used, and if it wasn't for the fact that I had been unable to find the watch I was looking for elsewhere then I would not have used them.

Which branch of Goldsmith's if you don't mind me asking............

[Rustynuts]

The London AD where i bought my LN Sub removed the stickers etc., and I never gave it a thought. I wear the watch most days, and am happy that the packaging went in their bin and not mine.

[Steve36Efc]

I’ve bought 5 in the last 5 and a half years and only left the shop with stickers intact on one occasion my BLNE, I witnessed the stickers being removed from the others. I have only been told that Rolex insisted they are removed when I collected the 116500 LN. Didn’t really bother me either way.

[AK797]

Originally Posted by NWCarver

Sigh...yep, I know...:-(

It does indeed make it limited for buying.

In truth I would give all UK ADs a free pass at the moment as everything is in flux so I wouldn't judge them; before Brexit I would have and judged one's service against the other, but until supply returns to a normal level I wouldn't make any executive decisions, only hurt yourself.