Visited Rolex stores in central London

[Robbyman]

Originally Posted by timlaw

one that sells watches?

this strategy makes no sense to me - rolex has no dog in the fight on the level of premium in the grey market so why fuel that market by limiting supply? all that does is reduce rolex profit (at a time when market conditions are fairly favourable for luxury watch purchasers) and fuel the grey market upwards.

my AD has racks full of datejusts and oyster perpetuals (which aren't selling) but none of us are going to buy one of those instead of an SS sports model.


still rolex is rolex and they can do just about whatever they want to do

The DJ is the best seller and has been for many years, limited supply or not.

[Robbyman]

Originally Posted by Carry The Interest

6 month wait time for an Explorer I?!?! That's the first I've heard of that. Sounds a little like AD nonsense to me.

There was one sat in the window in the boutique in Leeds the other day when I walked by.

[R G]

It’s a long term strategy for Rolex.

Hopefully supply will increase to AD’s eventually once things fall back in to line.

For the past two years though, as a short-term bi-product, ironically they have enabled/helped grey dealers as buyers are obviously turning to those dealers and ultimately it’s been fuelling the grey market of late.

[timlaw]

Originally Posted by Robbyman

The DJ is the best seller and has been for many years, limited supply or not.

It might well be and I have had 2 in the past but I still don’t understand how creating a huge supply shortage benefits any one


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Burlington]

I do think this is further exacerbated in the London bubble.

[jpsmoove]

Weird they can't or won't meet demand.

[Old Geezer]

A recent visit to an AD in Germany and case contained LVc, sub date and non-date, BLNR. All supposedly sold. In my opinion, that is BS. All sold and not picked up, doubt it. They were waiting to be sold to the loyal customer that called inquiring or the person they could convince to by a PM piece and then earn the right to purchase one of the unicorns. They had black and white Daytona in the safe. Allowed me to try one on claiming it was sold. Miraculously they offered me the opportunity to pick up a Daytona the next day (probably the one I was holding) if I bought a PM piece. Depending on the AD and the market they are in they will play the game however they think they will make the most money.

[Helmi]

Originally Posted by Old Geezer

A recent visit to an AD in Germany and case contained LVc, sub date and non-date, BLNR. All supposedly sold. In my opinion, that is BS. All sold and not picked up, doubt it. They were waiting to be sold to the loyal customer that called inquiring or the person they could convince to by a PM piece and then earn the right to purchase one of the unicorns. They had black and white Daytona in the safe. Allowed me to try one on claiming it was sold. Miraculously they offered me the opportunity to pick up a Daytona the next day (probably the one I was holding) if I bought a PM piece. Depending on the AD and the market they are in they will play the game however they think they will make the most money.

Funny you say that, I have been begging all dealers I know in USA, Europe, Middle East to bundle white ss ceramic Daytona with a wg oysterflex Daytona for me and till now no single dealer I spoke with accepted this offer. Some of them I have previous purchase history of more than 2-3 pieces and still no success.

This game is very hard for me to understand and really driving me crazy as I still refuse to pay over retail for any watch I want.

[Robbyman]

I’m in Spain and an Everose Daytona is well above the UK retail price. I was offered a healthy discount and it brought it to UK pricing.

No wonder UK watches are in demand.

[ROLEXUS]

Originally Posted by Helmi

Funny you say that, I have been begging all dealers I know in USA, Europe, Middle East to bundle white ss ceramic Daytona with a wg oysterflex Daytona for me and till now no single dealer I spoke with accepted this offer. Some of them I have previous purchase history of more than 2-3 pieces and still no success.

This game is very hard for me to understand and really driving me crazy as I still refuse to pay over retail for any watch I want.

I was in an AD in the USA recently as a first time walk in and was offered a YG oysterflex/LVc bundle at full retail for both.

[Demeter008]

Originally Posted by rolexinfl

Funny thing is...people are waiting for Rolex and turning to the grey market for them and not buying Omega/Breitling 'instead'.

Goes to show you the power of the brand and what it means to have a Rolex on your wrist. No one cares about watches that have been to the moon, etc.

You can get the watch now on eBay, Craigslist or even from this site. I don't mind going second hand or new from a trusted dealer or seller. I don't mind going 2nd hand, because the watch will look used in a few weeks anyways. Waiting 2 years is insane, I want to enjoy life now.

[Raku]

I visited 2 more Rolex ADs today and 1 Tudor AD.
Here is what I found:
- WoS Oxford Street - they had the Explorer II Black in the window, I was told I can't get on the waiting lists for Subs or GMTs unless I buy any other watch in the store. There is no waiting list for the Explorer I, they can get one in a few months.
- Selfridges - no SS sport models, all waiting lists are closed plus the sales guy looked quite bored when I asked him and was not helpful at all.
- John Lewis Oxford Street (Tudor AD) - there is a long waiting list for the BB GMT, they had 7 so far (3 in June, 4 in July) but none made the display cabinet. They had 3 BB 58, someone saw one in the display and bough all 3 (probably grey dealer).

Just to sum it up, you are more likely to see pigs fly than Rolex SS sport models in London.

[benlee]

Originally Posted by 2nastie

Very disappointing as fan of the Speedy moonwatch and the Omega brand. I hate to say but they’ve really bouchered their product. Releasing every LE and color variation possible with the Speedy. Heck they just released 5 more reissues for the Tokyo Olympics along with another Speedy Tuesday. Their modern flagship moonwatch should’ve gotten a direct boost in sales as result of everyone’s hype and demand... but nope.

That's exactly why I stop buy Omega.

[ukms]

Most AD’s in London are all part of the same group (WoS, Mappin & Webb and Bucherer) and all watches come through the group down to individual stores. Many of the stories from staff at the stores are just that. The group do have a regular feed of all models but clearly not enough to meet demand. This week I’ve just purchased two pieces, A TT SUB for me and a very nice Datejust for my wife from an AD in Central London.

When I first started calling around I was given all sorts of stories about the sub availability, ranging between 3 month to 1 year wait. Once I engaged with someone who knew I was genuine about a purchase AND knew I was purchasing the datejust, miraculously my sub was available the next day. They also bought into stock some hard to find dials at short notice for my wife to view.

Once I had paid for these, the closed SS Daytona list suddenly opened with me ‘slotted in’ ! With an expectation of calling me within 12 months. We shall see :) but all very interesting.

[flyingtiger85]

Originally Posted by Raku

- all 3 stores mentioned they get 1 SS sports model every 2 months and that there is no way of getting one unless things change and Rolex send more (something like 20 per month).

1 SS every two months? I doubt they are receiving tons but i don't believe that's all each of the 3 receives.

[Jsimon]

My wife got me a submariner non-date from T5 few months back. She phoned me and I contemplating about purchasing it. All the staff were acting like she’s (and me) won the lottery... now I can see why.
Supposedly the guy before, said he will think about it and literally just handed it back to the sales assistant even though they told him it’d be gone by the time he came back. It only had been in the shop 20 mins.

[Jsimon]

My wife managed to find a Sub no date in Heathrow T5 a few months back. She phoned me and I was on the other end contemplating whether to purchase it. The staff were acting like we had won the lottery lol... now I see why, I’m glad I did.
One guy looked at it before and literally just handed it back, they told him it’d be gone while he thinks about it.

[Jsimon]

My wife managed to find one at Heathrow T5 a few months back. While I was on the other end of the phone contemplating the purchase the staff were acting like we had won the lottery. Glad I bought it and didn’t wait!

The Watch had just been handed back by a chap ‘who would think about it’ and was told it would be gone if he did that... true to their word the watch was in the store for a total of 20mins or so.

[kwingy]

Today I spoke to a Store Manager of a well known AD up North and he told me he has closed the waiting list on:

Black GMT
No Sub
No Date Sub
Explorer 1 (!!)

Green Sub/BLNR don't even bother asking. He even confessed and said if you are a repeat customer and wanted a BLNR he could get you one maybe with 2 years but if a big spender came in and spent £60K - he would give your one to him. 80% of his daily conversation is about watches he cannot sell as he does not have.

Doesn't matter where you live in the UK - to get an SS at list requires the luck of the gods, big wallet or just be seriously connected.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Raku

I visited 2 more Rolex ADs today and 1 Tudor AD.
Here is what I found:
- WoS Oxford Street - they had the Explorer II Black in the window, I was told I can't get on the waiting lists for Subs or GMTs unless I buy any other watch in the store. There is no waiting list for the Explorer I, they can get one in a few months.
- Selfridges - no SS sport models, all waiting lists are closed plus the sales guy looked quite bored when I asked him and was not helpful at all.
- John Lewis Oxford Street (Tudor AD) - there is a long waiting list for the BB GMT, they had 7 so far (3 in June, 4 in July) but none made the display cabinet. They had 3 BB 58, someone saw one in the display and bough all 3 (probably grey dealer).

Just to sum it up, you are more likely to see pigs fly than Rolex SS sport models in London.

well the 3 on regent/bond street you visited before very well could be part of the same chain that the WOS on oxford street belongs to (Aurum group). So you could have gone to 4 Rolex AD's and 3 of them were the same owners and then selfridges, which is Bucherer, another big chain.

Rolex boutique on Bond street. Aurum
Mappin & Webb. Aurum
Watches of switzerland. Aurum
Goldsmiths (not a Rolex AD in the london locations AFAIK) . Aurum

Selfridges. Bucherer
Rolex boutique Knightsbridge.Bucherer

If thats what happened your chances are even worse because they will all tell you the same thing but you are thinking you are trying different ADs when you are not.

[normalboywatches]

I had an awful time at the central London big name high street ADs whilst looking for a sub no date. The worst experience was at watches of Switzerland on Regent street. Despite having bought a Longines watch (oh the embarrassment...) a few month previous the staff in the Rolex section pretty much laughed me out of store and made me feel like I was rubbish on the bottom of the shoe for even having the cheek to ask about a Sub. Not even a chance of being added to a waiting list- same story in other stores.

I had even bought a Tudor Black Bay from Bucharer in Covent Garden recently, but on a return visit speaking to the store manager who sold me the Tudor it was the same old story; “the Sub list is closed sir, goodbye”.

I had all but given up, until an ad popped up on my Facebook news feed for a small independent jewellers in Mayfair. A few emails and a few days later i was sat in store speaking to their Rolex guy. We had a great chat about watches, he treated me with respect and as an actual human being. By that point I had actually changed my mind about which watch I would really love, and that was the SD43 (the bigger size was a real draw for me). He said no problem, I can get you one within a few months. And 30mins after walking into the store for the very first time, he added me to his list.

He said that they take stickers off at POS and also keep the warranty card in order to discourage flippers, and I said that was absolutely fine by me. Interestingly he mentioned that because of this It is much easier for them to get in demand watches from Rolex, as Rolex can be sure that the watches won’t be sold (at least within the first year...!).

So my advice would be to avoid the big high street chains like the plague, and seek out small, independent family owned jewellers in and outside London. Go in, chat, show them that you love watches and know about them
Inside and out and that you aren’t going to sell it for a huge profit within 6 months.

[tyler1980]

watch shopping has devolved into an episode of Seinfeld

[glamorama]

Just had a chat to a jeweller that is also Rolex dealer in my wife's Italian home town, situation is better than London for sure but not by much. They said last year they got about 10 sports steel per month and now they get 1. (This jewellery is part of a larger group so it might be that supply have been redirected to other shops)

They had Sub, explorer I and II, DSSD, rose gold CHNR, rose and white gold daytona on rubber but they would all be sent to other shops in more touristic areas this week.

[JonaG]

I visited the IDEAL Rolex AD in Tenerife today, a rather sad looking display but perhaps better than those to be found in London. They had Explorer / Explorer II and Air King but the rest were PMs and TTs. They had the blingy what looks like a Coke GMT encrusted with diamonds. The sight of the display made me really think why I’d bother to even try and “build a relationship” with an ad if they have nothing to sell to me this side of Xmas.

[RC999]

Have been offered EXP I within 5 weeks by my London AD. Great variation by the sound of it!! Have bought YM II & TT Daytona from them recently. I wonder what’s in the safe hoever?!

[Fleetlord]

Omega needs to limit distribution of the Speedy Pro. Then they will actually be able to sell them at retail.

They also need to retire 60% of their references. They are overproducing themselves into irrelevance.

Rolex? They don't need to do anything, they are giving everyone what they want..

Sales have not dropped since distribution was limited. It has increased!

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by 2nastie

Very disappointing as fan of the Speedy moonwatch and the Omega brand. I hate to say but they’ve really bouchered their product. Releasing every LE and color variation possible with the Speedy. Heck they just released 5 more reissues for the Tokyo Olympics along with another Speedy Tuesday. Their modern flagship moonwatch should’ve gotten a direct boost in sales as result of everyone’s hype and demand... but nope.

I completely agree, and it’s a shame IMHO. Omega, and especially the Speedy are Iconic, but they seem to have taken the exact opposite approach that Rolex did. They flooded the market with every color, dial, second hand, shape etc. Again, IMHO, it really has hurt their brand.

[TheVTCGuy]

If it’s any consolation guys, the situation is not any better here in the states.

[kimwizzzuuu]

from what I heard in Tourneau 57th in NYC, the corporate gave the store 20 pieces SS daytona, each SA will have 2 pieces to sell to their "loyalty clients". I was also offered from another AD with a Breguet Queen Naples+ VC fiftysix SS three hand bundled deal, with a guaranteed black SS daytona. Still thinking.

[Macnavara]

I went to st james today to pick up my sub and didnt even bother to do the rounds for a bit of window shopping....not much point at moment ....sad