Rolex just terminated 6 US AD's

[Francist]

Originally Posted by RealMadrid1988

Can’t the same be said about Hong Kong? Aren’t there like 50 there? That’s almost 5x as many as NYC and NYC is larger than Hong Kong.

Absolutely. HK is the worst place to visit a rolex AD.
Worst SA too.

[rambo99]

Originally Posted by Francist

Absolutely. HK is the worst place to visit a rolex AD.
Worst SA too.

why?

[RolexSimon]

Number of ADs doesn't reflect number of watches allocated. I'd imagine the population / work location in NYC is better suited to larger ADs who simply sell more watches each.

[TimepieceRPP]

Originally Posted by rambo99

why?

As far as I know Bundles and selling above MSRP are a norm and must unless you re a VVVIP.

[rambo99]

Originally Posted by TimepieceRPP

As far as I know Bundles and selling above MSRP are a norm and must unless you re a VVVIP.

but the same thing happens in other countries besides HK, doesnt it?

[joli160]

Originally Posted by TimepieceRPP

As far as I know Bundles and selling above MSRP are a norm and must unless you re a VVVIP.

You mean just like in all other countries

[Brew]

Given how things have been going, I’m not sure how to read the emphasis on “just” in OP’s title. This could be good news . . . .


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[Bozack90]

Originally Posted by vh2k

Lux Bond & Green in the Northeast?

they lost it from one a year or so ago but I would be surprised if all of their locations lost the brand

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by Bozack90

they lost it from one a year or so ago but I would be surprised if all of their locations lost the brand

Closing individual locations of big chain dealers “may” be at the company’s whims or a RolexUSA mandate, who knows.
Case in point: six years ago or so three Ben Bridges in Houston had Rolex. When the Deutsch owned Boutique opened around then in the upscale Galleria mall, both Ben Bridges and the now defunct Tourneau location in the mall lost their franchises.
Fast forward to around 2-3 years ago and the BB in Memorial City mall no longer had Rolex. The clerk there told me it was a corporate decision to consolidate their meager allocation to the Willowbrook store. But could the fact that a nicer free standing Thomas Markle AD was right across the street from the mall have been a factor? A little over a year ago that last BB store no longer sold Rolex joining indy store Karat22 that was dropped by Rolex several years prior.
So now the 4th largest city in the US with plenty of wealth and international ties has only six stores owned by four owners. Deutsch with a store and the Boutique, Thomas Markle with two stores, then indies IW Marks and Lewis Jewelers with one store each.

[KWSub]

Originally Posted by kittansett

St Louis has 2 AD. One has committed to renovate a room just for Rolex. Time will tell, based on what I have seen in other cities.

Do you know which dealer there is doing the build out/renovation?

[TimepieceRPP]

Originally Posted by rambo99

but the same thing happens in other countries besides HK, doesnt it?

I know it is also very difficult to get onto the "list". Whether or not you re allocated a watch in the list, at least, like UK, if you have prior purchase history u can name some models. But this won't happen in HK.

[HHIslander]

With extreme prejudice?

[whiskyrolex]

There will be plenty more to come.

[whattimeyougot]

Perhaps these ADs, once officially dropped, will get into the second hand market and open a pre-owned Rolex section and charge market rates. They probably are saying to themselves finally!


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[Jack T]

Originally Posted by ks58

It's hard to fathom they make enough to cover the remodel to begin with, especially with limited supply.

Don't be deceived, their supply isn't necessarily limited, its what they display that's limited.

[hutch300]

I happen to have a smallish town AD. I would be sad to see them lose Rolex. It would be a major blow to a long time family business. They are good people and its sad to see Rolex make some of these decisions.

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

Closing individual locations of big chain dealers “may” be at the company’s whims or a RolexUSA mandate, who knows.
Case in point: six years ago or so three Ben Bridges in Houston had Rolex. When the Deutsch owned Boutique opened around then in the upscale Galleria mall, both Ben Bridges and the now defunct Tourneau location in the mall lost their franchises.
Fast forward to around 2-3 years ago and the BB in Memorial City mall no longer had Rolex. The clerk there told me it was a corporate decision to consolidate their meager allocation to the Willowbrook store. But could the fact that a nicer free standing Thomas Markle AD was right across the street from the mall have been a factor? A little over a year ago that last BB store no longer sold Rolex joining indy store Karat22 that was dropped by Rolex several years prior.
So now the 4th largest city in the US with plenty of wealth and international ties has only six stores owned by four owners. Deutsch with a store and the Boutique, Thomas Markle with two stores, then indies IW Marks and Lewis Jewelers with one store each.

I'm afraid that (6) doors for Houston is probably still too many for Rolex liking.

In comparison, AP and Patek only have one door respectively in the Houston market.

There are only (3) AP doors for the entire state of Florida!

Based on the appearance of their store front (unless they have dramatically renovated), I would be concerned that IW MARKS won't make the cut during the next round of eliminations.

Rolex USA wants less dealers. That is very clear.

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by RealMadrid1988

Can’t the same be said about Hong Kong? Aren’t there like 50 there? That’s almost 5x as many as NYC and NYC is larger than Hong Kong.

So in HK, you can def see sufficient foot traffic, then plus all the shoppers from China, then plus the weird allowance of inventory to gray market hub in HK, so number of stores oddly makes sense for demand (though not for retail strategy).

[RealMadrid1988]

Originally Posted by ArtNouveau

So now the 4th largest city in the US with plenty of wealth and international ties has only six stores owned by four owners. Deutsch with a store and the Boutique, Thomas Markle with two stores, then indies IW Marks and Lewis Jewelers with one store each.

So Dallas is the 4th largest city in the US?

[Ryan_SC]

One of the two AD in Columbia, SC lost Rolex recently. The dealer who lost Rolex is a jewelry store in a mall. I actually liked going there, got to know the manager and he was a really good guy. I actually went in hoping to purchase something and he told me they lost Rolex, didn’t really give a reason other than he felt Rolex was trying to move away from locations in shopping malls.

[McinRolex]

I hope they close down the Ben Bridge locations heavily.

They are bunch of sleazy sales people.

[hutch300]

Originally Posted by McinRolex

I hope they close down the Ben Bridge locations heavily.

They are bunch of sleazy sales people.

Went in to a Ben Bridge yesterday and asked a Cartier question and was totally blown off. Never had a good experience at one of their store. Probably why I have ZERO desire to buy from them.

[Tanalasta]

Originally Posted by TimepieceRPP

I know it is also very difficult to get onto the "list". Whether or not you re allocated a watch in the list, at least, like UK, if you have prior purchase history u can name some models. But this won't happen in HK.

What happens in Hk? You used to be able to walk into the shopping mall and see trays of options.


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[dannyp]

Originally Posted by macrowatch

So in HK, you can def see sufficient foot traffic, then plus all the shoppers from China, then plus the weird allowance of inventory to gray market hub in HK, so number of stores oddly makes sense for demand (though not for retail strategy).

Are you saying more inventory is funneled to secondary market in Hong Kong than other places?

[avidflyer]

Originally Posted by kittansett

St Louis has 2 AD. One has committed to renovate a room just for Rolex. Time will tell, based on what I have seen in other cities.

Simon (great people) Remodeled probably two or three years ago, maybe longer. I’d really hate for something to happen to them and I think they have a great relationship with Rolex.

[Mr. K]

Originally Posted by cerendigit

My AD told me Rolex wants to reduce supply to drive prices higher.


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This is interesting. Would mean Rolex would actually have to raise their prices.

[CrazyMD]

Originally Posted by jw72

*FREDRIC H. RUBEL JEWELERS‬ has/had 2 stores Rolex locations Mission Viejo mall and Laguna Beach, I did not see Mission Viejo Mall location on the Rolex site. That mall has really declined that could be one of the 6.

They were terminated unfortunately.


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[garyk]

Does this mean the waitlist shrunk also? I know better, AD closes and those who have been waiting are SOL…

[ArtNouveau]

Originally Posted by RealMadrid1988

So Dallas is the 4th largest city in the US?

Houston is #4, Dallas #9. I never mentioned Dallas, only slightly familiar with their Rolex network.

[srvrf]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

No surprise here at all.

There will be many more indy, family owned Rolex AD in the USA being relieved of their AD status in the coming years.

As said before, the shift is to larger metro areas that will make better use of precious inventory.

I get that but with limited inventory it doesn’t seem like a smaller city say with 250,000 people would have a hard time selling the 2 Daytonas and 2 Submariners (or whatever) they get per year.


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