CONFIRMED news regarding the professional line

[SeaDweller50]

Never on rubber.

[cdbeaver66]

Would like to see the Oysterflex as an option on the Sub but can’t see it being an additional strap in the box as they have stated


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[GerardoG]

Originally Posted by Jocke

Nope, I guess he licks his wounds.

[Etschell]

I purposely stayed away from this thread but do have some comments.

Ive met Gerardo in real life and he is a nice guy who loves food, watches, traveling and his family / friends.

Anyone who thinks any less is invalid in my mind.

As for this news many are jeering because it is late in the rumor mill. Doesnt mean the source isnt more valid than any rumor spread by observation.

Eliot







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[jph4387]

Was just at BOTH AD's here in Charlotte, NC which is not a small market. Between the two there was one Explorer 1 and one Explorer II polar. Both said they have not received a single steel sports watch since Christmas.

[jackcarls0n]

My 2 cents on the thread.

I don't think there is a shortage of SS Sport watches, it is just the demand for them is much higher compared to the TT/PM, in most markets. Especially with a lot of younger buyers, everyone wants to buy SS Sports watches. Rolex manufactures different variants of different models and for markets all around the world. They don't make a watch after they get an order. They make watches based on an algorithm, that gives the best margin, keeps their brand image in place, works as a marketing tool, keeps the demand high, keeps competition in check etc etc. They are too many variables for a business to work on these days! At the end of the day it is about profit that can sustain for a long period of time, and keep the companies mission intact. Its a complex web of various things, and not as simple as keeping supply lower than demands anymore!

Regarding the OPs post suggesting that the company might scale back their SS models, who knows! Rolex and all the companies are very secretive! I don't think they will send a letter to ADs informing them they will doing it in the future! And if they did, what benefit they have? How does it help the AD or Rolex? Are they asking for feedback from ADs? Most of the decisions are made and sent out after final approval and it is across the board, and it happens instantaneously. Rest everyone can just speculate like the stock market, what is gonna happen next.

[OmegaManOnTheMoon]

Originally Posted by jackcarls0n

Regarding the OPs post suggesting that the company might scale back their SS models,

It was not a suggestion, it was a confirmation IN WRITING. He used all caps for "IN WRITING," for emphasis I think.

It also didn't talk about SS; it talked about ALL Professional including SS, TT, and PM.

Are you now "suggesting" that he meant to say SS DJ as well? Please don't start new rumors - this thread has gone off the rails in every direction imaginable.

Originally Posted by GerardoG

Rolex is letting all Authorized Dealers IN WRITING that, effective immediately, they will CUT BACK the production of ALL professional line watches. Not only SS, but 2T and precious metal.

[Jocke]

The last I've heard is Sweden will get all the SS Professionals watches that US should have and RUSA's HQ will be in Stockholm.

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by OmegaManOnTheMoon

It was not a suggestion, it was a confirmation IN WRITING. He used all caps for "IN WRITING," for emphasis I think.

It also didn't talk about SS; it talked about ALL Professional including SS, TT, and PM.

Are you now "suggesting" that he meant to say SS DJ as well? Please don't start new rumors - this thread has gone off the rails in every direction imaginable.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by lightspire

"As a side note, some discussions on forums indicate that there is a shortage of the Submariner and that the watch is almost impossible to find at retailers… If this is a reality, it might well indicate an imminent update." -

I'll credit Monochrome with being better written and more coherent than Rolex Passion Report. They lose points, however, for not at least acknowledging Rolex's tradition of rolling models out in PM and TT first, and explaining why Rolex would jump the gun and drop a new SS LN first.

[jackcarls0n]

Sorry for the confusion, I got confused with the sports and professional! And then got confused with SS shortage from other thread.

But, I know that he emphasized on it that they received a written letter. And he might be correct, who knows. But Rolex doesn't publish they production numbers per model publicly, so even if they cut back production, how would one know? Will Rolex announce it publicly? The only way to notice the change would be shortage in the market, or go by the post about ADs inventories. But that might provide incorrect information, the shortage could be due to increased demand or maybe the certain models being routed to other parts of the world.

Anyhow, Professional watches AKA sports watches account for more than 50% of Rolex's line up. All I was saying cutting the production and letting the ADs know doesn't make sense to me and over the years Rolex has increased their production of their watches and not decrease them.

[77T]

Originally Posted by Jocke

The last I've heard is Sweden will get all the SS Professionals watches that US should have and RUSA's HQ will be in Stockholm.

Don’t forget us poor relations while you are drowning in new oysters.


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[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by jackcarls0n

I don't think there is a shortage of SS Sport watches, it is just the demand for them is much higher compared to the TT/PM, in most markets.

Originally Posted by jackcarls0n

...the shortage could be due to increased demand or maybe the certain models being routed to other parts of the world.

So...it's a shortage?

[Silvio_86]

been offered two new 114060 from ad last month. 1 month waiting list. been waiting for gmt black since december, though

[frankoman]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

So...it's a shortage?

Exactly!

[jackcarls0n]

Originally Posted by frankoman

Exactly!

Shortage yes, but not due to production being scaled back. On the other hand, I was at an AD yesterday, and his display case was full of professional watches, PM, TT, Steel- He had a steel sub no date, steel sea dweller, TT Sky-D, TT Bluesy Sub, Pepsi in WG and a bunch of other watches!

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by jackcarls0n

Shortage yes, but not due to production being scaled back.

How do you know that? Couldn't the low stock at many locations (your personal observation yesterday notwithstanding) be read either way?

[Randy]

I received three calls from ADs in different states in the last few days. They have all received Rolex shipments to restock cases. Subs, explorers, sea Dwellers, Deep seas, yachtmasters, etc. I’m sure the Daytona’s and watches in demand spoken for. Nice to see ADs receiving inventory.

[jackcarls0n]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

How do you know that? Couldn't the low stock at many locations (your personal observation yesterday notwithstanding) be read either way?

I don't know for a fact, but no one else knows that for a fact either(unless backed up by hard facts!). Yes, it is personal observation after visiting 10+ ADs around the world. Others are speculating that shortage is due to Rolex cutting back production and that they talked to the Rolex personnel etc.

Maybe we can do a poll here, and see what kind of watches have been bought by members over the last 6-8 months and whether it is professional watches or non-professional ones. This will give us a brief idea! The demand in Asia for sports model is huge too. I think it is demand drying the market. And Rolex wouldn't cut back on their production of their professional watches, is what I am speculating.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by jackcarls0n

Yes, it is personal observation after visiting 10+ ADs around the world.

What have you observed?

Sorry, I don't mean to get all Socratic method on you, but I'm trying to discern if you have observed a lack of inventory, and are arguing reasons for it that go against what Gerardo reported; or if you have observed there is no lack of inventory, and the observations by some members to the contrary are anomalies.

If you have observed a lack of inventory, what is it about your observations that leads you to think it is demand that is outpacing unchanged supply, rather than a decrease in supply? Put another way, what have you seen that causes you to doubt the veracity of Gerardo's information (not that Gerardo is dishonest, just that the information he honestly reported is incorrect)?

[falkenauge]

I work for an important retailer that's one of Rolex's biggest partners. Never actually heard of something like this. SS models were always "limited" but the most important factor is demand. The retailers order watches at the beginning of the year and sometimes don't anticipate such huge demands. The DaytonaC was such a model where retailers were simply overwhelmed and are now struggling to get more models.

[77T]

Originally Posted by falkenauge

I work for an important retailer that's one of Rolex's biggest partners. Never actually heard of something like this. SS models were always "limited" but the most important factor is demand. The retailers order watches at the beginning of the year and sometimes don't anticipate such huge demands. The DaytonaC was such a model where retailers were simply overwhelmed and are now struggling to get more models.

Welcome to TRF

Were you at a distributor, or a Rolex Official Jeweler (AD) here in the US.


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[rexG]

My 2 cents. Spoke with my AD today.....he confirmed this. He also told me he that other ADs he knows are modifying their display cases....making them smaller so they don’t look so empty due to the reduction of supply......

[donq]

So this is still going on, huh?

[falkenauge]

Originally Posted by 77T

Welcome to TRF

Were you at a distributor, or a Rolex Official Jeweler (AD) here in the US.


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Thanks a lot for the Welcome!

In Switzerland, actually. Still am so I don't want to risk anything by stating where exactly - you never know. But I'm dealing with Rolex directly from time to time or through other people at the company and I know for a fact they would never send out such a letter. They're pretty silent/discrete, even to it's direct customers.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by donq

So this is still going on, huh?

40 pages or die trying!

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by rexG

My 2 cents. Spoke with my AD today.....he confirmed this.

Did he confirm he received a letter?

[rexG]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

Did he confirm he received a letter?

We didn’t discuss the letter.....just talked about the rumors swirling around.

[Naples09]

What does the 1000th reply win?

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by rexG

We didn’t discuss the letter.....just talked about the rumors swirling around.

Thanks for the info. If ADs are modifying their cases, that suggests they don't see an increase in supply as imminent. It wouldn't kill my AD to do that, actually. The wall case was a sea of green...completely empty. The sad thing is just a year or so back, they upgraded the Rolex section to be a mini-boutique inside the store, and now it's going to waste.