CONFIRMED news regarding the professional line

[jw0n]

Thanks for sharing G. I am late to this thread, because I was away (usually go Internet-free on weekends).

- Tudor levels up
- Rolex levels up

[GradyPhilpott]

Originally Posted by Wcdhtwn

If true Rolex needs to do more than limit supply to catch Patek, they need to make better watches. And maybe that's the plan, stop making the crappy sports models and make more dressy Patek like watches.

What makes you think that Rolex is even interested in competing directly with Patek?

Rolex builds Rolex watches and they are the best in the world at doing that. There are plenty of companies that try to out Rolex Rolex, but nobody has even come close. They build good watches, but Rolex, they are not.

Patek could never compete directly with Rolex doing what Rolex does or vice versa.

That's almost as silly as suggesting that Rolex should emulate Philippe Dufour's model and produce one watch per year or that Philippe Dufour should start churning out a million watches a year from his one-man atilier.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Dusko.Popov

For those who don’t think that anyone but Rolex knows what’s going on in advance, I guess you’ve never read Rolexpassionreport.com

Go back two years on that site and see the foreshadowing of the 116500 and the 126600. He was spot on with both months in advance (photoshops that were spot on) as he has inside contacts.

Well...he did predict a Coke GMT last year.

[Dusko.Popov]

Originally Posted by JacksonStone

Well...he did predict a Coke GMT last year.

True. And I believe potentially a blue/blue gmt the year before.

But he hit on the sea dweller increase to 43mm, the cyclops addition, and the red script a month before Basel.

There is no way he could call that without a connection.

And he called the ceramic Daytona weeks before Basel with a photoshop that was identical.

So the people who say that "no one knows but Rolex" are just flat wrong.

As far as the wrong calls, I can only figure that misinformation gets floated around pre-Basel that perhaps he becomes privy to. Because a couple of weeks before he accurately called the sd43 to the letter, he was prognosticating green script on it.

Or, and an even more scintillating possibility, Rolex is still contemplating different release options into February and the Red/black gmt and blue/blue gmt was still a consideration as late as February.

Either way, I'm a fan because he has bona fides and as good a track record of predicting Rolex releases as anyone.

Can't wait to see what he forecasts for this year.

[rowdy3]

I was reading an article about Louis Vuitton and since November their most popular bags are hard to find. They cut production so they could concentrate their efforts on bags that cost over 10k. Production should resume back to normal by spring.
Maybe Rolex is doing the same thing.

[JacksonStone]

Originally Posted by Dusko.Popov

So the people who say that "no one knows but Rolex" are just flat wrong.

Technically it would seem you're right. The Daytona C and SD43 predictions were too exact to be guesses. But when the right ones are outnumbered by the wrong ones, that diminishes the effectiveness of the correct ones as predictions. Readers are still left to guess which ones might actually happen. The correct predictions are only evident in hindsight. It's still fun to read and wonder, though.

[Egelber]

am I the only one who starts at the last page and works there way backwards???

[AzHadEnuf]

I’m not doubting G’s information. I was at the Winn in Vegas to day and the salesperson claimed that production had not changed on SS sport models. He said that the vast majority of it was being shipped to the emerging Chinese markets. Just passing along what I was told. Oh, they had nothing in stock.

[galaxy101]

Originally Posted by rowdy3

I was reading an article about Louis Vuitton and since November their most popular bags are hard to find. They cut production so they could concentrate their efforts on bags that cost over 10k. Production should resume back to normal by spring.

Maybe Rolex is doing the same thing.

Yes, very likely. As I said previously, companies do this all the time and usually is short term


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[meganfox17]

Originally Posted by Egelber

am I the only one who starts at the last page and works there way backwards???

That's nothing but beware, it could cost you an arm and a leg.Somebody already lost his 'member'ship...

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by GB-man

You guys read this far. You deserve a treat. Vickie’s models 2018

ROLEX NEW LINE UP?

[Token74]

Originally Posted by Dusko.Popov

This is not that hard and it makes perfect sense from a brand perspective.

Rolex is thinking about tomorrow, not selling another few extra units today.

All the "this makes zero sense posts" are what make zero sense.

I'm not sure why folks don't understand why this is a good long term move for Rolex. Wake up. This is so flipping easy people.

This poster said it best ...

Post #64:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...=581302&page=3

Spot on!


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[belutak]

Originally Posted by Exploradori

This is just not true. I talked with two close ADs and they don't know anything about this letter. Which makes no sense anyway...

We're being trolled.


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Agree.



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[mahefa]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Why would they? Less volume means less sales!!!

Datejust is the most sold model of Rolex. They get along fine just by selling datejusts. Rolex is a charity foundation based, so their values differ from shareholder based entities.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by Ruud Van Driver

Having thought this through a bit more, if the currency markets keep on going the way they have been recently it could soon make sense for UK buyers to pick up from the US TRF trusted sellers. Over the last few months or so Sterling has gone from £1 - USD 1.3 to £1 - USD 1.41.

A new DaytonaC from DavidSW is now 'only' £13,460 which is almost £3,000 cheaper than Watchfinder

With the VAT Paul?

Sorry - not had tome to check

[Danny83]

One day I wanna have an incoming that breaks 500 posts and 35,000 views

[mailman]

Thanks for passing along the information G

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by AzHadEnuf

I’m not doubting G’s information. I was at the Winn in Vegas to day and the salesperson claimed that production had not changed on SS sport models. He said that the vast majority of it was being shipped to the emerging Chinese markets. Just passing along what I was told. Oh, they had nothing in stock.

It could be Symantec’s Paul and I agree.

My AD said exactly the same thing back in the fall. He did not say production of SS references had slowed, he said shipments had slowed to the west, due to the focus being made to Chinese market.

I guess we shall see what unfolds in the coming months.

EDIT: I suppose Symantec’s aside it’s the same result for us here in others parts of the world

[omx5o]

If Rolex can make fewer, but finer watches, then that's no bad thing.

[Chiboy]

Originally Posted by Tanner

ROLEX NEW LINE UP?

And you thought the DayC was hard to get....

[77T]

Off topic, but Apple will cut Q1 iPhone X production in half compared to last quarter.

Maybe a Megatrend is forming among companies - perhaps planning for a dip in demand due to some projected downturn in global financial markets?


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[VicLeChic]

Considering China and Hong Kong account for 28% of buyers of watches by value, followed by the US at 10%, I'm not surprised Rolex decided to prioritise these markets by reallocating ressources.

I can understand the backlog with huge waiting lists, but what surprises me is the concept of custom orders. Can someone from HK or China shed some light on this? What sort of non standard features would buyers ask from their ADs, typically? I find this fascinating.

https://www.statisticbrain.com/wrist...ry-statistics/

[Johny]

I really like the getting rid of the old stock because a new movement is coming out theory..

[Buzzlite]

I have heard from a reliable source that rolex is stoppjng production of automatic movements to make way for quartztopium movements

[BBL]

Originally Posted by Buzzlite

I have heard from a reliable source that rolex is stoppjng production of automatic movements to make way for quartztopium movements

But G is our man!

[Zerouali]

Originally Posted by 77T

Off topic, but Apple will cut Q1 iPhone X production in half compared to last quarter.

Maybe a Megatrend is forming among companies - perhaps planning for a dip in demand due to some projected downturn in global financial markets?


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Apple are cutting iPhone X production because by Apple’s standards it’s been a sales flop. Even rumours circulating that it could be axed in September this year when the next new model is released, although I think that is unlikely.

Rolex are shipping as much as they can to China because they Chinese are throwing money at Rolex, any production/sales/stock issues in the rest of the world are purely as a result of the majority of watches going to China, I have no doubt.

[asiparks]

My guess ( using imaginary round numbers):
Rolex sell 1 million Submariners per year, but this year they intend to release an updated model and have it available shortly after launch.
So, 2 years ago, ( give or take), they planned that this year they'd only make 800,000 complete Subs and keep back 200,000 case sets in which to plonk the new movements.
Unforseen higher demand eats through the 800,000 units by midyear, resulting in Sub drought.
Manufacturing for this year has already been assigned to the updated version, but it's decided that a limited quantity of the 200,000 previously held back case sets are to be released, with existing movement, to tide over the market until post Basel, when the new version is launched.



Then Swatch buys Rolex. And maybe Amazon...

[semi-ambivalent]

Originally Posted by Zerouali

Apple are cutting iPhone X production because by Apple’s standards it’s been a sales flop. Even rumours circulating that it could be axed in September this year when the next new model is released, although I think that is unlikely.

Rolex are shipping as much as they can to China because they Chinese are throwing money at Rolex, any production/sales/stock issues in the rest of the world are purely as a result of the majority of watches going to China, I have no doubt.

And yet it was in the routine news two weeks ago that the Chinese government is cracking down on "gift giving". One of these positions is suspect, or it is a wave of gifting before some tax exemption window closes. I'm pessimistic, and could entertain that Rolex is reducing inventory because it foresees a global slowdown in the tea leaves. But except for a very few people it's all just guessing, isn't it.

[vincenzowl]

Wouldn’t surprise me if they are “correcting” supply levels. They probably still make enough money on their other non-sport lines.

[Scottyg927]

I believe Ferrari cut production on purpose as well......it's anyone's guess.