ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX
15 October 2008, 01:17 PM | #1 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
Rolex VIP night in Tampa: RESULTS!
What a fun night at Mayor's in International Plaza! Got there about 6pm and had a glass of white wine. Had about six actually. Saw some really nice watches! One was $480,000 and was a GMT with so many diamonds I could not see any gold. Nickname was "Rolex Ice." Also present was the YMII, Leopard Daytona, several masterpiece models and more subs that you can count.
I saw Chuck, the local Rolex Rep, and got this information below. It is not all verbatim, it i over a three hour evening and tidbits of several conversations combined. I did get some direct info and it is all below. 1. The GV is not being discontinued in May 2009. They plan on keeping all the Milgauss models for a very long time. BTW a brand new movement was made for the Milgauss. Other companies may have simply re-used an old movement. Not Rolex! I will call the AD tomorrow and say that I do not want the GV. 2. No changes are planned for the Daytona. Rolex wants people to see the Daytona from 10 feet away and have no doubt as to what it is. No supercase is planned, and if such a design is included, it cannot change the lines and leave any doubt as to the model. 2a. When Rolex made the Turn-O-Graph it was a basis for the Submariner. When they moved it to the Datejust line, that was the kiss of death for it. They will not lose product like that again. 3. They would love to make the GMT II have a bi-color ceramic bezel. It has to be one piece, they will not use two separate pieces mated together. This is a big project for the engineers and a time when the marketing people are glad they are not engineers. So it will be in the future, if it can indeed be created. 4. There was talk about a GMTIIc in platinum. 5. As for older parts, Rolex keeps them around for 35 years, which is longer than anyone else. Sorry we cannot do better. 6. What about lume? Rolex tips their hats to Panerai in that department. The PAM is made for the Italian Special Forces, hardly a task for Rolex. Panerai wins this round. 7. The USA gets 11% of the Rolexes made. For every Daytona you hear about selling, nine others sold outside the USA. 8. Anything green on a Rolex means it has been around for 50 years. The Milgauss came out in 1957 so in 2007 they get green. Watch for this on other watches too. 9. I asked him about putting DEEPSEA in red on the DSSD. That got a good laugh out loud from him. Adding red would mean they would never sit in a case, ever. Red sells. 10. 904L is the best stainless steel out there. The L means Limited, as there is a limited amount of carbon in the steel, which is a byproduct of the manufacturing process. Rolex is very proud of their steel. 11. The Daytona will NEVER have a date. To top off the evening they raffled off the chance to buy four watches. They had a black millie, a white millie, a black SS Daytona and a white SS Daytona. They had two buckets, one for each model, and you put a business card in each. First ticket for the Daytona was won by a gal there. Then they drew for a MiIlgauss and a guy got it. Right then and there they traded the winning tickets so she got the Milgauss and he got the Daytona. Then they drew the second round. First was for the last Milgauss. The gal who won the Daytona (and traded her ticker to get a Milgauss) won this drawing too! So she got both Milgauss models!!! Then they last Daytona was drawn for and the guy who won it was very excited. The hit watch of the evening: my GV! There was none on display or for purchase, and mine was most noticed. Made me wish I had worn a Timex. :-)
__________________
SS GMTII "D", TT GMTIIc "Z" |
15 October 2008, 01:23 PM | #2 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Canada
Watch: Air-King 114200
Posts: 2,878
|
interesting post, thanks.
|
15 October 2008, 01:29 PM | #3 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
As for CHARITY: Rolex chooses who to support, they get lots of requests though.
__________________
SS GMTII "D", TT GMTIIc "Z" |
15 October 2008, 01:29 PM | #4 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Real Name: Christopher
Location: fort lauderdale
Watch: Bunches
Posts: 1,860
|
Very cool..
|
15 October 2008, 01:29 PM | #5 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Real Name: Peter
Location: Sydney
Watch: The Game
Posts: 17,415
|
Sounds like you had a great time Robert .
|
15 October 2008, 01:31 PM | #6 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Real Name: Jack
Location: Dothan
Watch: Cartier
Posts: 1,236
|
|
15 October 2008, 01:34 PM | #7 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: May 2008
Real Name: Don
Location: ohio
Watch: 16610 Sub
Posts: 213
|
I wish I was there! Glad you had a excellent evening. Don
|
15 October 2008, 01:34 PM | #8 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: May 2008
Real Name: Eric
Location: So. California
Watch: Submariner
Posts: 382
|
WOW!!! Thanks for sharing!
|
15 October 2008, 01:34 PM | #9 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
None of the watches smiled at me so I came home with what I took.
__________________
SS GMTII "D", TT GMTIIc "Z" |
15 October 2008, 01:36 PM | #10 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Real Name: Dennis
Location: Bay Area - 925
Posts: 40,018
|
Thanks. Unfortunately, I'm in California right now, or else I would attend !
__________________
TRF Member #6699 (since September 2007) |
15 October 2008, 01:38 PM | #11 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
The Turn-o-graph was the basis for the Submariner. When they re-vamped it, it received a Datejust case and an engine turned bezel. Sales plummeted. People did not want that. In hindsight, Rolex believes they should have made the TOG its own design, like the Milgauss, and not mated it to a DJ.
__________________
SS GMTII "D", TT GMTIIc "Z" |
15 October 2008, 01:54 PM | #12 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Toronto
Posts: 640
|
very good thread! As for the green signifying 50 yrs, reading that made my appreciate my LV even more :)
|
15 October 2008, 01:56 PM | #13 | |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Huntington Beach
Watch: Rolex/Omega/Seiko
Posts: 2,560
|
Quote:
The only thing that really jumped out at me as a little odd was #9. Personally, I don't get it. If red sells, great, but why restrict a market from something it really wants??? If their only problem is it leaves the case too fast, then how about raising the price? It's all about supply vs. demand...I've got to believe Rolex can find a happy balance. Hell, make a few 'Limited Production' models w/ red writing and set the price out of this world...I'm not saying I would buy it, but at least you give the consumer (albeit a smaller pool) a chance to buy what they really want. Doesn't make sense to this kid... |
|
15 October 2008, 01:56 PM | #14 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Scott
Location: GMT -7
Watch: GMT's & Sub's
Posts: 10,401
|
Wonderful recap of what sounded like a reallt fun evening. Thanks for sharing that.
~Scott
__________________
"The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of lower price is forgotten." -Benjamin Franklin Member No. 922 |
15 October 2008, 02:15 PM | #15 |
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2008
Real Name: Justin
Location: Baltimore, MD
Watch: TT Diamond DJ
Posts: 2,809
|
thanks for sharing...I will be attending a similar event in a week or two and HOPE to get the shot at a SS daytona !!!!!!!
|
15 October 2008, 02:18 PM | #16 |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2024 SubLV41 Sponsor & Boutique Seller Join Date: Sep 2008
Real Name: Oscar
Location: Florida
Watch: Me!!!
Posts: 23,233
|
seems to be fun robert..i have an invitation...may i ask do you need to purchase something to be in the raffle?? i heard you need to buy something to qualify..is that true?? and can you take pictures??
__________________
|
15 October 2008, 02:26 PM | #17 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Robert
Location: Angelus Oaks, CA
Watch: 116713
Posts: 6,828
|
No purchase needed, but you had to be present to win. I wanted to take pictures but that would have been tacky.
__________________
SS GMTII "D", TT GMTIIc "Z" |
15 October 2008, 02:31 PM | #18 | |
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2024 SubLV41 Sponsor & Boutique Seller Join Date: Sep 2008
Real Name: Oscar
Location: Florida
Watch: Me!!!
Posts: 23,233
|
Quote:
i know its gonna be tacky... i just wanted to put it on our site the new colections... maybe on my phone..i will try to be discreet..hahahhaha where there a lot of people??
__________________
|
|
15 October 2008, 02:35 PM | #19 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: New Mexico
Watch: Seiko #SRK047
Posts: 34,460
|
That's a very good report.
Thanks for going to the trouble to get the answers to these questions and post them here. |
15 October 2008, 02:40 PM | #20 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 1,365
|
great entertaining post thanks
steve |
15 October 2008, 02:56 PM | #21 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Real Name: Wolfgang
Location: New Jersey.
Watch: Rolex Tudor Omega
Posts: 5,592
|
Thanks for the report. I wish I was there.
__________________
TRF member #917 |
15 October 2008, 03:41 PM | #22 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Real Name: Jerome
Location: N. California
Watch: GMT I/EXP II/DJ
Posts: 3,351
|
Thanks for all the information Robert! Number eight struck me as interesting, maybe we'll see a Datejust or Explorer II have green on them for the very first time when their 50th anniversaries come around.
__________________
-Rolex Explorer II Black dial 16570 (circa 2001) -Rolex GMT Master I Pepsi 1675 (circa 1978) -Rolex Datejust TT Champagne 16233 (circa 1991) -Vintage Longines Automatic La Grande Classique -Vintage Seiko 6138 Automatic Chronograph with "Kakume" Dial |
15 October 2008, 05:01 PM | #23 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: thailand / m'sia
Watch: YG DD & GMT,TT SUB
Posts: 1,265
|
any pics for our perusal ?
__________________
Present Collections TT Date-just, TT Sub. (Bluesy), YG Date-Date, YG GMT IIc (Black dial). SS GMT IIc |
15 October 2008, 05:15 PM | #24 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Real Name: Chris
Location: S Florida
Posts: 221
|
Great report!
|
15 October 2008, 05:19 PM | #25 |
2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Real Name: Eddie
Location: Australia
Watch: A few.
Posts: 37,533
|
Well done Robert.
Excellent confirmation of some old Forum statements that required confirmation.
__________________
E |
15 October 2008, 06:27 PM | #26 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Malaysia
Posts: 101
|
I was hoping that Rolex put a date on Daytona, maybe at the 12 o'clock and remove some writings... Well, until date appearing on Daytona, it's out of my list...
|
15 October 2008, 06:29 PM | #27 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Real Name: ChrisTOPHer
Location: Sydney
Watch: Rolex, Brellum,
Posts: 12,601
|
Robert- you certainly had a good conversation and what sounds like a great night
__________________
"Where no counsel is the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." Member No.# 11795 |
15 October 2008, 06:59 PM | #28 |
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2008
Real Name: Michael
Location: LaLa Land
Watch: Sub Date 16610
Posts: 1,757
|
....... he he!! Good to know yours was the most noticed there, Robert!!!! :-) :-)
|
15 October 2008, 07:13 PM | #29 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 9,407
|
Nice one Robert...sounds like you had a great time.
Your info on the Pepsi ceramic is exactly the same as mine that I put forward prior to Basel...they will never make a two piece and until it can be done as one, they will never release it! J |
15 October 2008, 08:04 PM | #30 |
"TRF" Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Andalucia Spain
Watch: WG daydate-Daytona
Posts: 1,338
|
Interesting update, thanks for posting
|
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.