Should I check-in with AD on regular basis or just wait?

[ks58]

Yea, it's not easy getting a first watch. And sometimes I feel they make the client invest a lot before even getting the watch they want. Other times, we hear how lucky someone got something without purchase history.

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by Luke0968

True! I get why ADs prioritise those who spend. They don’t have much else I want - bought an Omega Speedmaster in July from another AD but when I enquired about a Submariner, they said I needed to have bought a Rolex from them to get on the list (chicken and egg situation!). This AD is out of town (outside London). They have some cool Tudor’s but in the back of my mind, can’t help but feel I would be buying for the sake of getting on a list. Sorry, repeating a classic problem here! I’m happy to wait for a Sub - just want to eventually get the call

The ADs want to sell to new clients .Important for future business ,but they have a huge problem to distinguish between Mr Sincere and Mr Flipperman .
Mr Sincere is possible repeat business,Mr Flipperman is nothing .

[Carrera911]

Mr. Flipperman is also a repeat buyer, if you make a successful flip you would want to make more of those.

[peterp]

I do not understand how the people can buy crap they do not need and is/are not desired on the market to move in the list for one watch. At the end you may pay more than on gray market. Don`t mention time.

[Halifax Daytona UK]

Pop in every day at least one , ask them if there is any hard to shift stock that you could buy off them at a premium , take them cakes etc, stalk them ,

[amphr1]

You have to keep that line of communication alive. I emailed my SA last month just for my monthly ping, and then I end up buying the Tudor BB58 and the TT Explorer within a few weeks. It wouldn't have happened if I didn't send that email. The Explorer wasn't even in their inventory system yet when I purchased. He had to add it in right there, and then sell it to me. The watch was in their inventory system for less than a minute haha. If you could figure out when they get their shipment and ping them that day, that might give you the best chance. But that's all it really is, chance, random.

[Ringhio]

Keep in contact with them if you want to score a watch.
Buying something of course will improve your history.
"Building a relation" doesn't mean go to the store or send emails only... It means make the associate move some piece... most of the time.

[deigo7]

I generally try to check in every couple of months. It has paid off as I have gotten 3 rolexes in the last eighteen months. Sub Date, Bluesy and Explorer II. I have also referred friends to them all the time. Still on the wait list for Daytona and have been told it will be a year. Hoping to pick up sooner but willing to wait. I also take pics of the watches my AD has sold and send them to him always thanking him and so he knows I am not flipping.

[Polar Bear]

Loosing my virginity took less time and effort than getting a Sub at retail, it seems...

[1665fan]

Originally Posted by Luke0968

Thanks all! Went in today - after being told last time it would be 18 months, I was told today that due to my spend history not being high enough, it would be years �� �� �� . Perhaps good I didn’t just ‘wait’ for the call

Get a Tudor, then get a sub……is what they are telling you

[Cool Hand]

It took me 26 months, but my AD actually told me to stay in contact with him frequently. I emailed about once every 2 months, minimum.

[samuel019]

I sometimes wonder about this myself. I like to think I have a pretty good relationship with my contact at my A D, one that has lasted for over 10 years, and we text each other often throughout the month

BUT I’ve been asked 3-4 times different this year would I be interested in such and such and I said yes every single time and didn’t get any of those. Kinda like an emotional roller coaster. Get excited thinking I’m getting it and don’t

Makes me sometimes think if I popped in more often I’d have one of those chances. On one hand I think “hey at least I’m getting texts” but when it results in zero watches kinda sucks but I keep hope alive. What else can I do….

[Chewbacca]

They like it when you visit daily and wear a monocle and top hat.

[waxy88]

Originally Posted by Luke0968

True! I get why ADs prioritise those who spend. They don’t have much else I want - bought an Omega Speedmaster in July from another AD but when I enquired about a Submariner, they said I needed to have bought a Rolex from them to get on the list (chicken and egg situation!). This AD is out of town (outside London). They have some cool Tudor’s but in the back of my mind, can’t help but feel I would be buying for the sake of getting on a list. Sorry, repeating a classic problem here! I’m happy to wait for a Sub - just want to eventually get the call

Hello from a fellow Londoner.

Out of interest which AD have you been speaking with?

Quite honestly if you aren’t interested in buying other pieces then I would say you are very unlikely to get the call offering you a Sub in London. I have good relationships with SAs in a number of stores around London and demand for Rolex has gone through the stratosphere and they just aren’t getting the inventory.

As has been said before with high demand pieces an AD is more likely to prioritise people who have a good spend history and will not be a one and done customer.

If you genuinely have no interest in buying other pieces from other brands, I would just bite the bullet and go grey and save yourself a lot of heartache and frustration. I would recommend BQ Watches in Radlett, they are great guys, have good inventory and aren’t the most expensive out there. They have a new no date Sub for £11k. I get that paying over MSRP is not ideal, but it is swings and roundabouts really, if the alternative is buying watches you aren’t really into to get a Sub at retail….

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by Luke0968

Thanks all! Went in today - after being told last time it would be 18 months, I was told today that due to my spend history not being high enough, it would be years �� �� �� . Perhaps good I didn’t just ‘wait’ for the call

I had a feeling that would happen

[waxy88]

Aargh… sent my post twice and don’t know how to delete this one… sorry

[Luke0968]

I’ve been speaking to Wakefields in Horsham. When I spoke to them a month ago, they seemed perfectly pleasant and said it would likely be an 18 month wait (sorry, sound like a broken record) with the caveat it might never happen. At that point, they never suggested I purchase other goods from them (although did say they would prioritise those with a spend history - completely get that!). As I say, the frustration is, I’m happy to wait but feels a bit unprofessional to be told a certain time frame and then have that suddenly change to - you need to buy stuff with us now to even be considered, especially as, had I not followed up with them I would never have known that. I thought about going grey but the premium is just too much for me (8-9k sure, more than that and I’m priced out).

Appreciate no good me complaining - I’m preaching to the choir lol

[majidessa]

I don't believe a sub no date is as hard to get as other hyped Rolex watches like Pepsi. Don't give up, put your name with another AD, check every now and then in person (every 2 months), try to have a personal touch with the sales associate, show them how much you love watches and that you are not a flipper.

On another note, you can always consider an alternative, like Tudor BB or Omega Seamaster, both of which are really good value for your money especially if they are preowned, one day you might get the call for the sub and you can easily sell the other watch with very small loss if any.

[lava flow]

frankly, i never go into my AD apart from when collecting a watch

sorry folks but calling in to 'talk watches' is the last thing they really need - they would rather chat about cars/food and holidays

nothing is more boring to them than a nerd quoting reference numbers etc

the AD knows what i want and when it becomes available they will contact me - end of story i'm afraid

what many fail to realise is that working at an AD is just a job - a love of Rolex is not a prerequisite

they are sales people and employed to sell things not to have a deep meaningful relationship with the things they sell

sorry if the truth hurts but it is what it is

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by gold&black

Indeed, a call usually equates to a new timepiece :)

It was a nice conversation until he confirmed that he could no longer deliver the Blue Sky D in November as he had originally promised!

I will need to go in and see him to find out when it is likely. I'm no longer expecting to receive it any time soon to be honest.

Good luck in your quest for the blue Sky D. A friend of mine picked his up last year and it's an absolute beauty as you know.

That's a pity. But it sounds like you're still in with a chance. I'm fifth on my AD's list for a blue Jubilee and if I get it in 3 years I'll be fortunate. I'm a bit hooked on this reference. I probably need rehab more than I need a blue one.

I don't wish to seem unkind to the OP or anyone struggling with this because we all have to start somewhere. All this "how do I?" and "what if?" speculation sounds like over thinking. We should each do what feels comfortable to us and seems comfortable to the AD/SA. Mind reading is not required, just open questioning at a depth and rate that feels right for the situation.

If this prompts questions like "OK, but how do I gauge what comfortable feels like?" or "what is an appropriate contact rate for my AD?" the advice is more straightforward. Either forget about it for now or go in and start buying things - providing they are things you want. If it's a Rolex only AD you should probably be looking for another AD if you can't read them, and can only buy Rolex watches that you don't want.

There is no magic formula. It's like bringing up children, falling in love, coping with ill health, building a career etc... You learn as you go and adapt to what happens, based on what you have learned.

[Mdotlife]

Originally Posted by Luke0968

I’ve been speaking to Wakefields in Horsham. When I spoke to them a month ago, they seemed perfectly pleasant and said it would likely be an 18 month wait (sorry, sound like a broken record) with the caveat it might never happen. At that point, they never suggested I purchase other goods from them (although did say they would prioritise those with a spend history - completely get that!). As I say, the frustration is, I’m happy to wait but feels a bit unprofessional to be told a certain time frame and then have that suddenly change to - you need to buy stuff with us now to even be considered, especially as, had I not followed up with them I would never have known that. I thought about going grey but the premium is just too much for me (8-9k sure, more than that and I’m priced out).

Appreciate no good me complaining - I’m preaching to the choir lol

Hi Luke. I have spoken to the same AD myself. As you said, they are very polite but sounds like a similar experience that happened to me with an AD in London. With the London AD, I was quoted a time frame for a sub then I got ghosted and received no response. Possibly they have spoken to someone higher up about your request (like a manager of sorts) and they've simply said no unless he buys other things. I can only imagine that happened to myself.

If it makes you feel any better, I contacted that AD in Horsham about getting onto the list for a £33k yellow gold day date. They weren't even able to tell me if I would get one other than taking my details and 'letting me know'. If the more premium models have a high demand, the more affordable professional models must have a significantly higher demand still. You may just have to bite the bullet and go grey. I'm not fully convinced that even myself would be able to get a sub at retail..... even after £33k spend..... so I may have to go grey for a sub myself. Crazy times my friend....

Also, being a jeweller, most likely they would rather you, I and other clients spent £30k on jewellery rather than Rolex. That would probably massively increase our chances of getting steel models. Good luck anyway mate

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by Carrera911

Mr. Flipperman is also a repeat buyer, if you make a successful flip you would want to make more of those.

Mr Flipperman is a watch mule .He is nothing .

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by ks58

Yea, it's not easy getting a first watch. And sometimes I feel they make the client invest a lot before even getting the watch they want. Other times, we hear how lucky someone got something without purchase history.

I think this is where people can fall down. Then they get angry. Clients are not made to do anything. Anything they buy is of their own free will. If a SA thinks a customer believes they should "speculate to accumulate", the SA is not doing their job if they don't sell them things. A gun is not held to the client's head. It's a watch, not a kidnapped relative. Once the adrenalin has worn off and the haze has cleared, people may feel foolish for what they have done. Then we get the evil dealer rants.

The fact that other people get stuff off the bat confirms that not everyone walks in with an expectation of having to "invest" up front, and not every SA tries to walk everyone into that model. People who are not in sales for a livelihood may not fully understand the subtleties of how a seller approaches different customers in different situations. The clue is in the word - "sales". The SA may not adopt the "milk 'em" model to everyone who walks in the door, but if someone signals that are susceptible, they will get sold to accordingly. Or they'll just tell you "no chance without a history" to either get out out of the shop, or to get you buying things.

They're relentless, these salespeople. Give them half a chance and they'll sell you something!

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

It's a watch, not a kidnapped relative.

Bye Aunt Maudie ,be strong !

[brandrea]

Some ADs will sell to the enthusiast

I guess I’m lucky.

[padi56]

Some today expect the AD to kiss there feet when they visit there store, while others think today they must kiss the ADs feet to build this so called AD relationship stuff.

[gold&black]

Originally Posted by majidessa

I don't believe a sub no date is as hard to get as other hyped Rolex watches like Pepsi. Don't give up, put your name with another AD, check every now and then in person (every 2 months), try to have a personal touch with the sales associate, show them how much you love watches and that you are not a flipper.

You would be surprised to hear that a good friend of mine is really struggling to get hold of a sub no date. FYI he has all the hot steel models already including the 116500LN and Sky D blue!

[gold&black]

Originally Posted by Harry-57

That's a pity. But it sounds like you're still in with a chance. I'm fifth on my AD's list for a blue Jubilee and if I get it in 3 years I'll be fortunate. I'm a bit hooked on this reference. I probably need rehab more than I need a blue one.

At least you know where you are on the list. I'm with you it's definately the one I want next, I was also offered the 116500LN.

[Gab27]

The AD is likely going to sell it to you when it becomes financially advantageous to them to the optimal degree. That generally necessities that, A) they have it in stock, and B) they don't have a better customer than you (which is generally defined in financial terms.) If you are looking for a Sub right now, and especially if you are only looking for a Sub, getting both of those stars to align can be difficult (it can definitely happen, but I think it is probably rarer than many hope). I ultimately got my ND from a secondary dealer for a small premium and am happy with the purchase. It's something to possibly consider the merits of.

Most ADs care mainly about money (as do secondary dealers, for that matter, as well as private sellers). You can't blame them for this--when I sell stuff, it's what I care about, too.

[majidessa]

Originally Posted by gold&black

You would be surprised to hear that a good friend of mine is really struggling to get hold of a sub no date. FYI he has all the hot steel models already including the 116500LN and Sky D blue!

I have one reserved for me after 3 months waiting which I will be picking it up tomorrow, however, my chances of getting a Pepsi or a Steel Daytona is almost slim according to my AD although in the past I got a hulk and last year he got me a DJ 41 blue fluted with jubilee.

So I guess it all depends on the AD and the allocations they receive