ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX
29 May 2016, 02:47 AM | #1 |
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2008
Real Name: Paul
Location: San Diego
Watch: 126619LB
Posts: 21,540
|
Daytona C availability, is Rolex changing strategy?
I have another thread here on my "C" story, so won't go in to that, but yesterday at the AD Larry, (BNALION) and I had an interesting conversation with my rep. Remember back with the old Daytona, how the SS version was so scarce and hard to get? It seems like they were going for well over MSRP on the gray market, and getting one from an AD was akin to finding the city of Atlantis. Even years after it's release, it was still extremely hard to come by.
It doesn't seem to be the case with the C. Here we are only a few months after Basel, and I see several incoming and arrived threads on the forum. My AD had three of them come in! (Don't ask, I got one and the other two are already gone ). But Larry and I found it interesting about the apparent abundance (relatively speaking, compared to the last model Daytona) of available Cs. A couple reps at the AD said they believe it is due to the new President of Rolex, what's his face, and a new strategy of "giving the people what they want." They said there was such a negative backlash from the scarcity of the old Daytona that customers were frustrated and instead purchased a competitor's model; Rolex took note of the lost business and they were not going to make that mistake again. This is, of course, just a theory, but it kind of made sense(?). Do you agree that there APPEARS to be more availability with the new model? And could it really signal a change in Rolex and that (FINALLY) they are listening to customer's complaints? |
29 May 2016, 02:56 AM | #2 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Real Name: Simon
Location: Houston
Watch: Some
Posts: 1,109
|
Makes a lot of sense, specially with all the incoming threads we have seen lately, and you are correct in prevois years it took a while before the release of a model after Basel, not the case this year, another good point of giving what peple want it's the watch itself, how many years did we waited for a C Daytona? I hope it is the "new" strategy of Rolex.
|
29 May 2016, 03:02 AM | #3 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Dirty South
Posts: 629
|
I know a lot of people who are waiting on purchasing a watch because they are waiting on the Daytona C. If they aren't planning on buying it they at least want to see one in person to decide. So the inaccessibility of the Daytona could be slowing down sales of other models to a degree.
|
29 May 2016, 03:02 AM | #4 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: USA
Watch: 5712
Posts: 2,621
|
Hard to tell this early on but looking optimistic!
|
29 May 2016, 03:05 AM | #5 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: St. Louis
Posts: 79
|
It certainly appears that way with both speed to market and availability. This forum may only amplify and make it appear that way, though, since we are all lunatics and the rest of the world isn't even aware it's out. But, I hope you're right since I'm early on my ADs waiting list!
|
29 May 2016, 03:10 AM | #6 |
2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Real Name: Danny
Location: Bay Area CA
Watch: Yellow Gold
Posts: 20,312
|
I agree Paul maybe its a Rolex marketing ploy ......seems like they are readily available
|
29 May 2016, 03:13 AM | #7 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Northeast
Posts: 943
|
I agree they do seem more abundant.
They'll sell every one they make so why impede sales. I do agree if they make it too hard to get its the grey market making all the margins and frustrated customers go elsewhere to a different brand.
__________________
16610LV 16200 116600 116500 |
29 May 2016, 03:14 AM | #8 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: May 2016
Real Name: Beau
Location: Avila Beach, CA
Watch: Rolex 116719BLRO
Posts: 971
|
Rolex is extremely diligent in controlling the market, whatever they do it's based on perpetuating their share of it. I think the BLNR and D-Blue are two perfect examples, and I doubt very much they'll not do the exact thing with the Daytona C.
|
29 May 2016, 03:26 AM | #9 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: NL
Watch: 5513, 1675, 16570
Posts: 97
|
im sure they're trying to find the perfect balance of scarcity (which means desirability) and lost business. I remember Ferrari making 999 (or whatever the number was) of the F50 as it was one less than what they esteemed global demand to be. Make 990 and that's 9 more you have lost a sale on.
|
29 May 2016, 03:34 AM | #10 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 12,446
|
Seems too early to tell.. If more available it's a win win for consumers and Rolex.
|
29 May 2016, 03:36 AM | #11 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: East Sussex U
Posts: 1,351
|
I think this approach is back-to-front. Rolex exists for one reason...to maximise profits. It will have well-developed spreadsheets which outline which combination of production models achieves the best profits. If making more Daytonas is more profitable than making something else, that's what they will do.
The idea that they deliberately hold back some models and not others doesn't make any sense at all. That whole idea comes from many years back when the Daytona had the Zenith movement, supplied in limited numbers. But now Rolex makes it all, and the limit is simply their production capacity. So people assuming big profits on the Daytonas might get a rude shock. If it's worthwhile, Rolex can churn them out by the many thousand. The only result of creating scarcity is that grey dealers can sell above retail, while ADs cannot. That's not in the interest of Rolex, it doesn't help their profits one bit. One result of the whole Daytona 'thing' is that people don't grasp that many Rolex watches are slow the get hold of. I know someone who wants a specific Day-Date and has been told that none exist at the moment...he must wait until they manufacture some more. Or to put it another way; Rolex has never sought to create scarcity. The shortages are created because making other models is more profitable at the time. |
29 May 2016, 03:41 AM | #12 |
2024 ROLEX SUBMARINER 41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Real Name: Lee
Location: 42.48.45N70.48.48
Watch: Too many to list!
Posts: 33,697
|
As Adam has said; there hasn't been such a string of incomings since the BBN was intro'd. I'm curious now as to how many there have actually been to date. Seems like an awfully high number. Anyone keeping tabs?
|
29 May 2016, 03:47 AM | #13 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Canada
Watch: Yachtmaster & SubC
Posts: 641
|
I think it's too early to tell. This is the first wave of deliveries.
|
29 May 2016, 03:55 AM | #14 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 4,350
|
Instead of a completely new movement as was with the Rolex Daytona in 2000, I would imagine a new ceramic bezel is fairly easy to make in large quantities, especially since so many other Rolex watch models have a ceramic bezel now.
|
29 May 2016, 03:57 AM | #15 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Real Name: Larry
Location: Kentucky
Watch: Yes
Posts: 35,047
|
I agree that there does appear to be more availability. As to the rest, time will tell.
|
29 May 2016, 03:59 AM | #16 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: New Mexico
Watch: Seiko #SRK047
Posts: 34,460
|
I believe it was Peter who pointed out that the only differences are the bezel and the dials and that is likely what helped Rolex to hit the ground running on these.
__________________
JJ Inaugural TRF $50 Watch Challenge Winner |
29 May 2016, 04:04 AM | #17 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: GA
Posts: 403
|
i put up a poll to see how many are on here and the spread of black vs white, but think its a flop.
|
29 May 2016, 04:24 AM | #18 | |
"TRF" Life Patron
Join Date: Jun 2005
Real Name: Peter
Location: Llanfairpwllgwyng
Watch: ing you.
Posts: 53,063
|
Quote:
__________________
ICom Pro3 All posts are my own opinion and my opinion only. "The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop. Now is the only time you actually own the time, Place no faith in time, for the clock may soon be still for ever." Good Judgement comes from experience,experience comes from Bad Judgement,.Buy quality, cry once; buy cheap, cry again and again. www.mc0yad.club Second in command CEO and left handed watch winder |
|
29 May 2016, 04:38 AM | #19 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Real Name: Yannis
Location: Europe
Watch: maniac
Posts: 9,070
|
They have probably made a shipment of the first batch to the US (it is raining Daytonas Hallelujah).
it remains to be seen how soon the second shipment will be Paul. They will probably play the scarcity game like with the Deep Blue and BLNR. |
29 May 2016, 04:43 AM | #20 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Real Name: Neil
Location: UK
Watch: ing ships roll in
Posts: 59,369
|
I remember the SDc coming out mostly in June so this may be being rolled out at an even quicker rate. With this Daytona in SS before TT and WG and YG, and the T-Rex Exp and the DD40 Rolex seem to be listening and riding the populist wave. If only the Chinese economy had tanked a couple of years earlier we might have had an SS BLRO...
|
29 May 2016, 05:00 AM | #21 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 19,706
|
Quote:
Members here (apparently including BC ) have been in 1st position on lists since Basel...The watch was so highly anticipated. I am not at all surprised at the # of these threads. |
|
29 May 2016, 05:18 AM | #22 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Real Name: Josh
Location: Canada
Watch: undecided
Posts: 4,777
|
Quote:
You are not going to convince me that a company as rich as Rolex cant slap a ceramic bezel and new dial on old Daytona cases faster and in higher production than what they are currently doing. They could ship 20 ceramic daytonas to each AD and they would sell (i bet they have enough made). But they release them slowly to increase perceived exclusivity. How can you even type "Rolex has never sought to create scarcity". Its such a huge part of their sucessful brand image! Lots of people want a hulk or blnr and cant get one because for every 5 or so black divers only 1 blnr/hulk is made. |
|
29 May 2016, 05:21 AM | #23 |
TRF Moderator & 2024 SubLV41 Patron
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: Ken
Location: SW Florida
Watch: One on my wrist.
Posts: 64,008
|
Agree with this. Only thing different is we now see Basel watches earlier each year. Last year June and this year mid to end of May. My guess is they will slow down and be no different than DSSD Blue, BLNR and old Daytona. Time will tell but that is my hunch.
__________________
SPEM SUCCESSUS ALIT |
29 May 2016, 05:33 AM | #24 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Real Name: Flavio
Location: N/A
Posts: 14,654
|
They need to sell more watches, apparently, and fast. Otherwise we wouldn't have what 'we' always wanted so early, and I mean not only hitting the market but released as a whole. That's the way I see it and In my humble opinion of course.
|
29 May 2016, 05:37 AM | #25 |
2024 Pledge Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 12,446
|
Pretty safe bet that the beginning wave might be bigger to build the hype and advertise virally .... Then dwindle supplies to maintain exclusivity. They'll be selling watches just having people walk into ads looking /asking for the new Daytona.
|
29 May 2016, 06:44 AM | #26 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Real Name: Al
Location: USA
Posts: 1,550
|
Quote:
|
|
29 May 2016, 06:50 AM | #27 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Watch: Sub
Posts: 862
|
Quote:
Hope Rolex doesn't go IPO one day like Ferrari did. |
|
29 May 2016, 06:52 AM | #28 |
2024 ROLEX SUBMARINER 41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: USA
Watch: DSSD, SD43, Pepsi,
Posts: 2,084
|
I too get the feeling there are more Daytona C's being released quicker than the older Daytona. In fact, when I was chatting with my AD a few days ago he said that if you start measuring from two weeks ago, a DSSD D-Blue is more rare and harder to come by than the DaytonaC. Now, this of course is just two weeks and two corresponding shipments from Rolex that he is measuring. But it is interesting none the less.
|
29 May 2016, 07:17 AM | #29 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Real Name: Kenny
Location: northern ireland
Watch: SDs, Subs & GMTs
Posts: 5,136
|
Quote:
|
|
29 May 2016, 07:48 AM | #30 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 1,372
|
Quote:
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
*Banners
Of The Month*
This space is provided to horological resources.