Rolex Sub Date/no Date availability

[AlyRba]

Hi,

Have things improved to the extent that one can get on the waitlist for a Sub date/no date as a first time walk-in customer at an AD and get the watch within few weeks/months? I am planning to travel to Portland and Miami during next few months and was hoping to put my name down at few ADs as a walk-in customer. I have given up on the ADs in my current city. Thank you for the response.

[Guppydriver]

Every once in a while I'll read an incoming where the stars aligned for someone with minimal purchase history. Even then, it's a few months waiting. It's certainly the exception and not the rule.

These are locals though. The prospect of an out-of-towner securing a Sub with no purchase history seems extremely bleak IMO, irrespective of wait.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Guppydriver

Every once in a while I'll read an incoming where the stars aligned for someone with minimal purchase history. Even then, it's a few months waiting. It's certainly the exception and not the rule.

These are locals though. The prospect of an out-of-towner securing a Sub with no purchase history seems extremely bleak IMO, irrespective of wait.

This is pretty much my feeling as well OP.

It can’t hurt to visit

[Daveh3196]

Originally Posted by Guppydriver

Every once in a while I'll read an incoming where the stars aligned for someone with minimal purchase history. Even then, it's a few months waiting. It's certainly the exception and not the rule.

These are locals though. The prospect of an out-of-towner securing a Sub with no purchase history seems extremely bleak IMO, irrespective of wait.

This sums it up nicely. I’ve been on “the list” at 3 local ADs for 10 months. One with 2 prior purchases and nothing. Some people do seem to get lucky though so I’d say anything is possible.

[1William]

As with most things it depends on where you are and the relationship with the AD. I do like the stories of walk in and zero spend history buyers getting a watch. It gives the rest of the watch seekers hope. So you never know without trying. With that said, the prices from a lot of the Trusted Sellers on the SS Submariners has adjusted downward and they are available without being 2x the retail. Part of watch hunting is the game and I do like it myself when the playing field is somewhat level but in the last few years it has not been. Save your time and get the watch you want now. Find the watch you want on a Trusted Sellers site, call and negotiate the price, pay and have the watch tomorrow by lunch and start the ownership experience. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[blufinz52]

I went into an AD last June and asked if I could get a124060. The SA said it may take 3-4 months and took my information. In January I got a text that she had a Sub for me and asked if I still wanted it. It's hardly been off my wrist since.

[quantumdna]

Rolex almost always sends several 124060 or 126610LN in their shipments to Tier A & Tier B AD’s. I cannot imagine either of them “difficult” to get.

Between March and April, 4 of the guys in our local watch club in Texas got the Cermit aka Starbucks from their AD’s as either their first or second watch.

[JRell]

I was watching a video this weekend from a major online dealer. He suggested by far the demand is the highest with the black sub dates and black subs. He has to have a constant stream of inventory to keep up with the demand and that no other watches come close in the demand. So Rolex has to make more black subs than any other. As others have mentioned, getting one at MSRP at retail is a very hard to predict. Depends on the AD, how many are on the waitlist in front of you, the relationship, etc. What I do know is getting any Rolex while traveling is tough because ADs keep them for their local clients.

[Osmin]

Don’t you have any local principle in the US? Here in Germany every dealer says: ask your local AD.
Also most of it is dominated by the big groups, and they only accept one model per customer. They can see where you are on the list. Very disappointing.

No chance to get a submariner here without any purchase history

[Calatrava r]

On the "list" for a Sub. Told there are few delivered so it will be a while for my name to be reached. I think the SubDate is easier to get from an AD. Those come in pretty regularly.

[Cwillis0001]

I've thought about this and obviously there's a lot of factors like location, history, all that. Just don't forget the human touch. Remember, people who work in retail sales are just regular old people too and like any interaction with any other person, the same social skills apply. The gift of gab, being likeable, being memorable, all that basic friendly stuff. I'll tell you this, when I got a 41mm Sub not long after they came out, I was a walk in complete nobody with no spend history at all. Waited about three weeks, but full disclosure I was a local. Here's a couple little tips that I'm sure some here will crap all over, it's TRF after all, so feel free to do with them as you choose or completely ignore them altogether:

Don't say you're on a bunch of lists at other places. Don't seem discouraged about your past lack of success, seem excited about the possibility of your "first" Rolex. Play up whatever special occasion it's for, real or not. Ask the guy if, when you eventually get your watch, their location does caseback engraving to mark said special occasion, or if you'll have to send it out to someone else. Yeah Yeah, I know you're not getting it engraved, but he doesn't. Are all these games a bunch of bullsh*t? Clearly. But no offense, whatever you've been doing hasn't been working, so take it for whatever it's worth or not.

Genuine best of luck with your hunt!

[Podmornica]

The 124060 has a very low resale value on the grey market but still a long waiting time at the AD. If you would like to have a watch this summer, you may want to consider paying a grand or so more and have one tomorrow at your doorstep.

[Chaucer1787]

Originally Posted by Cwillis0001

I've thought about this and obviously there's a lot of factors like location, history, all that. Just don't forget the human touch. Remember, people who work in retail sales are just regular old people too and like any interaction with any other person, the same social skills apply. The gift of gab, being likeable, being memorable, all that basic friendly stuff. I'll tell you this, when I got a 41mm Sub not long after they came out, I was a walk in complete nobody with no spend history at all. Waited about three weeks, but full disclosure I was a local. Here's a couple little tips that I'm sure some here will crap all over, it's TRF after all, so feel free to do with them as you choose or completely ignore them altogether:

Don't say you're on a bunch of lists at other places. Don't seem discouraged about your past lack of success, seem excited about the possibility of your "first" Rolex. Play up whatever special occasion it's for, real or not. Ask the guy if, when you eventually get your watch, their location does caseback engraving to mark said special occasion, or if you'll have to send it out to someone else. Yeah Yeah, I know you're not getting it engraved, but he doesn't. Are all these games a bunch of bullsh*t? Clearly. But no offense, whatever you've been doing hasn't been working, so take it for whatever it's worth or not.

Genuine best of luck with your hunt!

+ 1


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[Osmin]

Originally Posted by Podmornica

The 124060 has a very low resale value on the grey market but still a long waiting time at the AD. If you would like to have a watch this summer, you may want to consider paying a grand or so more and have one tomorrow at your doorstep.

Where do I get it for one 1k more? I will take five

[Nads786]

I think the premium for a Sub Date is $2,500 right now ( assuming 9.5% sales tax for the retail purchase).

A separate note - I really like the engraving idea when I get my watch.

[FrankieM]

It’s really hard to say! It has forsure gotten better than it was last year or the year before. Best chance is going to multiple ADs and just letting them know what you want. Also side note, I’ve heard this from multiple ADs, sub dates are much easier to allocate than a No date sub. They get more sub dates in their shipments and more people ask for the No date. So if your okay with a date sub then your chances increase much more


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[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by AlyRba

Hi,

Have things improved to the extent that one can get on the waitlist for a Sub date/no date as a first time walk-in customer at an AD and get the watch within few weeks/months? I am planning to travel to Portland and Miami during next few months and was hoping to put my name down at few ADs as a walk-in customer. I have given up on the ADs in my current city. Thank you for the response.

I wouldn’t waste your time.
They’ll have long lists of local customers for steel subs.

[dozer327]

I think things have improved. I got my sub date after a four month wait last year with no purchase history. I also went to two other ADs at the same time last year. Once called me in January and the other just called last week if I was interested.