Purchasing My First Rolex and Need Help!!!

[crab2008]

I have sold all my Seiko's decided to purchase my first Luxury timepiece to commemorate my graduation from Dental school. I have decided to go with the No Date Submariner. I would like to have the case back engraved with my name and date of graduation. I have several questions as this is my first time going through this process.

1. I have spoken to several different AD's and have been receiving conflicting information. One AD told me they can order the watch directly from Rolex and have to to me in a month at the latest but as soon as a week. They also said Rolex will do the engraving they request it. Is this something that Rolex does? Another AD told me there was a seven month waitlist...

2. I understand that SS models are in high demand, however please correct me if I am wrong but is the No Date Submariner not significantly less popular than the date sub. That being said, would it be ridiculous to ask for a 6% discount on the watch to cover sales tax? I do not have any out of state addresses I can send the watch to.

If there is any other advise for dealing with ADs or buying a Rolex in general, please let me know.

Best regards,

[Junior_]

They don’t actually “order” them, more like tell Rolex they have a confirmed customer.

My understanding is the wait for the 114060 is a month or two in the US. Sometimes less though (I waited two weeks in January for that watch).

You’re never getting a discount on a SS sports model, an AD can sell every single SS sports model they get ten times over. Look what’s in the case. That’s the harder stuff to move and models you’re more likely to get a discount on.

Hope you get one soon, that’s a great watch.

Best thing in dealing with an AD is to have a previous relationship or be local and show a genuine interest in the watch. Tell the AD why you want it, that kind of stuff helps. Believe it or not, lots of ADs want to sell to real customers to build relationships. You’ll never get real info. on the phone, you have to be local and stop in.

[dbleoh7]

If I were you I would stop by the ADs in person and talk to them for a while, tell them what you're looking for, etc. If they see you as a nice person they might just have one locked away in their safe... They will not reveal what they have hidden in their safe to a random person on the phone. You will be highly unlikely to get a discount.

[KFP55]

Originally Posted by dbleoh7

If I were you I would stop by the ADs in person and talk to them for a while, tell them what you're looking for, etc. If they see you as a nice person they might just have one locked away in their safe... They will not reveal what they have hidden in their safe to a random person on the phone. You will be highly unlikely to get a discount.

This was exactly my experience when I bought my first one. I walked in dressed casually and started asking (naive) questions about seeing what he had in stock and that I wanted to see a sub. He proceeded to tell me for ten minutes how they’d had to order one for me, long waits etc. my wife then walked in with our baby, and he overheard her say out loud how she loved how I wanted to buy one to hand down to my son. He immediately smiled and asked if I would be willing to “settle” for a gmt. He then walked out with a new one from the safe....10 minutes I walked out with my GMT LN.

Many ADs genuinely want to sell to the “right” customer...amazing but true

[Junior_]

Originally Posted by KFP55

This was exactly my experience when I bought my first one. I walked in dressed casually and started asking (naive) questions about seeing what he had in stock and that I wanted to see a sub. He proceeded to tell me for ten minutes how they’d had to order one for me, long waits etc. my wife then walked in with our baby, and he overheard her say out loud how she loved how I wanted to buy one to hand down to my son. He immediately smiled and asked if I would be willing to “settle” for a gmt. He then walked out with a new one from the safe....10 minutes I walked out with my GMT LN.

Many ADs genuinely want to sell to the “right” customer...amazing but true

In my purchase, I had a nice assist from my wife who first asked the AD about a Sub while having our baby with her, honestly mentioning how I wanted a Rolex to pass on to my child.

[biscotti]

I don't think that Rolex will do any engraving, they just sell their watches as is. Someone correct me if I am mistaken.

[cheekybird]

Originally Posted by KFP55

This was exactly my experience when I bought my first one. I walked in dressed casually and started asking (naive) questions about seeing what he had in stock and that I wanted to see a sub. He proceeded to tell me for ten minutes how they’d had to order one for me, long waits etc. my wife then walked in with our baby, and he overheard her say out loud how she loved how I wanted to buy one to hand down to my son. He immediately smiled and asked if I would be willing to “settle” for a gmt. He then walked out with a new one from the safe....10 minutes I walked out with my GMT LN.

Many ADs genuinely want to sell to the “right” customer...amazing but true

I had the same experience. Called an AD a month ago and said I was looking for Milgauss and I wanted to buy it asap. He said great I have one, come and get it. I went two days later to buy it. When I got there I asked if he had a GMT and he said let me look in safe. Sure enough, out comes a black GMT. And I bought the Milgauss. And of course the black GMT is no longer being made.....frown.

[oldman2005]

Congrats on your graduation. 1 month waiting isn't too bad

[Dana1]

Waiting for a month or maybe 2 is fair. You could also check on the forum see if you can find any for sale and have an AD look it up before making payments

Sent from my M5 mini using Tapatalk

[Seibei]

Just wait. It is well worth it.

[amh]

Originally Posted by KFP55

This was exactly my experience when I bought my first one. I walked in dressed casually and started asking (naive) questions about seeing what he had in stock and that I wanted to see a sub. He proceeded to tell me for ten minutes how they’d had to order one for me, long waits etc. my wife then walked in with our baby, and he overheard her say out loud how she loved how I wanted to buy one to hand down to my son. He immediately smiled and asked if I would be willing to “settle” for a gmt. He then walked out with a new one from the safe....10 minutes I walked out with my GMT LN.

Many ADs genuinely want to sell to the “right” customer...amazing but true

Note to self: Must take wife & baby with me next time

[WatchLurv]

ADs put in a "wishlist" to Rolex. Say they tell Rolex they want 10 Subs. On the next shipment Rolex gives them 0. This depends on Rolex's relationship with the AD and how well they perform in other categories. Rolex wont just ship out a watch per demand from an AD...They ship what they like to ship to the AD and it's up to the AD to meet these salesfigures. They won't be able to refuse a shipment.

In your case asking for a discount. No chance. Getting it within a month? I highly doubt that as first time customer with no previous history.

[Lou wants a Rolex]

Originally Posted by crab2008

I have sold all my Seiko's decided to purchase my first Luxury timepiece to commemorate my graduation from Dental school. I have decided to go with the No Date Submariner. I would like to have the case back engraved with my name and date of graduation. I have several questions as this is my first time going through this process.

1. I have spoken to several different AD's and have been receiving conflicting information. One AD told me they can order the watch directly from Rolex and have to to me in a month at the latest but as soon as a week. They also said Rolex will do the engraving they request it. Is this something that Rolex does? Another AD told me there was a seven month waitlist...

2. I understand that SS models are in high demand, however please correct me if I am wrong but is the No Date Submariner not significantly less popular than the date sub. That being said, would it be ridiculous to ask for a 6% discount on the watch to cover sales tax? I do not have any out of state addresses I can send the watch to.

If there is any other advise for dealing with ADs or buying a Rolex in general, please let me know.

Best regards,

You are buying a Rolex. You are a Dentist. Pay the 6 % like a man.

[stidr]

Originally Posted by Lou wants a Rolex

You are buying a Rolex. You are a Dentist. Pay the 6 % like a man.

Just some general fyi here. He just graduated. Dental school cost around $300-500K these days. There's a new "corporate" dental office opening shop everyday. Saturation.

Crab, you shouldn't have much of a problem getting your sub with some patience at your local ADs. Maybe you can drop the "D" bomb at the store.

Good luck in your dental career!!!

[Andad]

You should have kept your Seiko’s.

[Andad]

Originally Posted by biscotti

I don't think that Rolex will do any engraving, they just sell their watches as is. Someone correct me if I am mistaken.

Ok, you are mistaken.

[amh]

Originally Posted by Lou wants a Rolex

You are buying a Rolex. You are a Dentist. Pay the 6 % like a man.

He's likely a Dentist in debt

[Junior_]

Originally Posted by directioneng

You should have kept your Seiko’s.

I love my Seiko's; there is totally a time and place for a Seiko. I do not own, but lust for a Sekio Pogue and really, really wish Seiko would come out with a modern Pogue.

[2ltdjorn]

shipping out of state to avoid sales tax is a misnomer, as you are still required to pay the piper.

[emtee]

Discount lol

[jimcameron]

Originally Posted by crab2008

That being said, would it be ridiculous to ask for a 6% discount on the watch to cover sales tax? I do not have any out of state addresses I can send the watch to.

Just pass the 6% on to your patients by telling them you can only use platinum for their fillings.

[arctct]

Go and have a friendly chat with them and mention you want it engraved. They sometimes have one in the safe. Engraving means you're not looking to flip it and "smear" their reputation.

[Lifeisarolliecoaster]

Originally Posted by FlyFishingLawyer

Each time you look at the watch you’ll know what it commemorates.

But...we watch fans can be a fickle bunch. What happens in 10 years when you open your 2nd office and you want to maybe upgrade to something else as your daily watch?

Engraving is rarely worth the trouble in my fickle opinion. I switched Rolexes just 2 months ago and would’ve been looking at significantly less if I had my graduation date on my watch.

First of all, congratulations. The hard slog has paid off.
It’s your watch (when Rolex let you have it) but I would be less inclined to have it engraved. I would think having a photo in the store wearing it would mean more in the end. Even if you keep this watch for the rest of your life and no date Sub will do nicely, telling the next generation how you got it will mean more than engraving. Look forward to you posting a picture of the beauty when you take delivery

[LNazmm]

Originally Posted by KFP55

This was exactly my experience when I bought my first one. I walked in dressed casually and started asking (naive) questions about seeing what he had in stock and that I wanted to see a sub. He proceeded to tell me for ten minutes how they’d had to order one for me, long waits etc. my wife then walked in with our baby, and he overheard her say out loud how she loved how I wanted to buy one to hand down to my son. He immediately smiled and asked if I would be willing to “settle” for a gmt. He then walked out with a new one from the safe....10 minutes I walked out with my GMT LN.

Many ADs genuinely want to sell to the “right” customer...amazing but true

This is fairly close to my experience from about a year ago. I just walked in my local AD to see a few nice watches (with my wife and two very young sons). I had zero idea about the SS "shortage" as I was a newbie to the hobby. They had a white gold sub in the case, which they let me try on. I indicated maybe someday I'd like to get a SS sub, and I possibly mentioned I was turning 40 and that it'd by my son's one day (maybe I didn't even mention that, either way, I didn't express much, other than to the salesman I was obviously not a reseller). In no time he went back to the safe and brought out a 114060 to show me and offer to me. I didn't buy it (I was no where near thinking about actually buying a Rolex, and if I did eventually, I wanted the 116610).

Eventually, my wife talked me into buying a couple months later for my 40th when she got lucky by calling the AD at the exact time they just opened a shipment that included a 116610. We still went in that next morning and chatted with them before buying it (they weren't holding anything and I wasn't on any "list", I wasn't even sure when we got there if it would still be available, although they remembered me and my wife and boys).

Long story short, go in to the AD, show your interest, be cool, and it'll probably work out for the better.

[crab2008]

Wow this community is amazing! Thank you guys for all the responses and advise. Unfortunately the student loan debt burden is real however my financial advisor told me not to delay all gratification as his clients he sees do this usually cave eventually and become very irresponsible. Just check it off my list and don't add anything to my list. Thanks to you guys I will hold off on the engraving. I will keep you all posted!

Best regards

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Lou wants a Rolex

You are buying a Rolex. You are a Dentist. Pay the 6 % like a man.

Yes.

And learn when to use advise Vs. advice

[crab2008]

Originally Posted by Speed

Yes.

And learn when to use advise Vs. advice

Sorry speaking four languages, it gets difficult some times!