some frustration with buying new rolexes

[BillA]

Way too much is made of “establish a relationship “ with an AD.
Many people on this forum just walk in and buy the watch they want.
What about people who are not members of a forum?
Others score at airports, they have no lists.
I am not going to kiss the buns of my AD nor buy a piece to move higher on a phony list.
Hey guys/gals....it’s only a watch, if I can’t buy it, not life or death, move on.

[MinMay]

Originally Posted by BillA

Way too much is made of “establish a relationship “ with an AD.
Many people on this forum just walk in and buy the watch they want.
What about people who are not members of a forum?
Others score at airports, they have no lists.
I am not going to kiss the buns of my AD nor buy a piece to move higher on a phony list.
Hey guys/gals....it’s only a watch, if I can’t buy it, not life or death, move on.

+1. i totally agree. It's only a material thing in life. One month from now, people will move on and worry about other important things in life.

[AutoBay]

Originally Posted by tng11

The worst is when you've spent lots of money, bought multiple pieces from the same AD and they give you the cold shoulder or screw you over. That just happened to me. So it could be worse at least, as you're not pot committed. Starting again with a new AD is difficult in this market.

This is why I am a firm believer in building relationships with smaller ADs. The big ones will never care until you're spending stupid money. The smaller ADs actually appreciate your business and the lists are just shorter. Go for the small guys, support small business, and get your pieces faster at MSRP :)

[kepler22]

Spoke to AD in the Midlands UK. today about the new releases and if they had a list. They were very vague, apparently they dont keep a list anymore but put your details on an "interested" database and watches are allocated by the sales manager, after reference to Rolex, supposedly to ensure that they don't go to grey dealers. Of course if you have purchase history with them you will be looked at more favourably.

[mountainjogger]

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

Hmmm...first time anything like this has been reported....

Must be an LA thing...

[mountainjogger]

Originally Posted by watchthisway

no offense to the post police but no one is forcing you to read my posts and if you don't want to read someone's post, suggest doing like i do, and don't read it. i think this is a valid discussion topic especially given the number of responses and thanks to those who have responded.

for the record, i could easily pay above market if i wanted to, but it's the principle of the matter. i'm not paying above retail for a new watch. and i'm not crying about anything (so no kleenex or preparation h needed, although interesting that someone would think of preparation h-- sounds like a personal problem dude :)).

in the meantime, i'll just enjoy my vintage rolex pieces. :)

[MARGARITATIME]

Tried to buy new from multiple AD's over the last 6 months. Not luck so I bought used and paid above MSRP. I now have the watches I want and can enjoy them. This market and supply of watches is out of control. The days of going into an AD and have your pick of any pieced available in the catalog is gone. I personally feel bad for the AD's cause they have lost three sales in 2 months. Must suck to pay to be an AD and have nothing to sell.

[Ss22525]

I think we should have sticky official i cant get the rolex that i want thread

[904VT]

Originally Posted by rolexinfl

as I said in another thread, this is already happening in other niche markets ala whiskey/bourbon

you NEED a relationship with a liquor store owner to get certain bottles, you cannot just 'buy' pappy van winkle or a macallan exceptional cask at retail price.

Sure, you can walk in to some stores and pay thousands per bottle - but the retail price is a measly $200 each.

welcome to the world of supply/demand...and in these cases a manufactured supply/demand

I don't know anyone that gets to pay retail for Pappy even with a relationship or if in a state run system with a lottery. All are marked up nowadays.

Though I will argue the difference is it doesn't take Rolex 23 years to make a Daytona!!! Just 23 years for customers to get it

[HogwldFLTR]

There's no alternative universe out there; you can't argue with reality. Availability/market pricing is what it is.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

There's no alternative universe out there; you can't argue with reality. Availability/market pricing is what it is.

statistically there is. Infinite universe and all. With unlimited possibilities, there is another earth somewhere with an efficient watch market. It's math.

I want to live there.

[904VT]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

statistically there is. Infinite universe and all. With unlimited possibilities, there is another earth somewhere with an efficient watch market. It's math.

I want to live there.

Until that damn Plutonium Daytona is released

[rolexinfl]

Originally Posted by 904VT

I don't know anyone that gets to pay retail for Pappy even with a relationship or if in a state run system with a lottery. All are marked up nowadays.

Though I will argue the difference is it doesn't take Rolex 23 years to make a Daytona!!! Just 23 years for customers to get it

I pay retail for pappy...never once have I paid the inflated asking prices.

Although, you can't really find rolexes sitting on a shelf in a small store in the FL panhandle for $99.99, either, lol

[AK797]

Originally Posted by _speedmaster_

That's the thing. I could understand Rolex's market manipulation, if others were doing it on the same level.

It seems crazy to me that, recently, I've had the opportunity to easily source from boutiques a FPJ Bleu, AP ROs and a 500 piece (worldwide) limited edition Blancpain FF. Each of those brands are as, or more exclusive than Rolex.

I'm not exceedingly rich mind you, and I haven't pulled the trigger on any (maybe the Bleu in my future). But is this not backward? Shouldnt it be harder to get a 500 production piece watch? Shouldn't it be harder to get a watch from a world renowned in house manufacturer that produces less than 1k watches a year?

But there isn't crazy demand for these pieces, if there was, such as on the 5711, you get the exact same situation. People keep saying it shouldn't be so hard to get a Rolex, and it wasn't, but we all know now what a bumper year 2017 was for global wealth and this is the result. It's 95% this and 5% Rolex manipulation.

[904VT]

Originally Posted by rolexinfl

I pay retail for pappy...never once have I paid the inflated asking prices.

Although, you can't really find rolexes sitting on a shelf in a small store in the FL panhandle for $99.99, either, lol

In all fairness any Van Winkle that is $99.99 isn't Pappy, it's probably this below, but nice getting ORVW at retail

As for comparison, you also don't have the thousands upon thousands of liquor stores (unregulated by RVW Distillery unlike a Rolex AD) where your chances of finding a hidden gem on a shelf are much higher. Rolex distribution outlets are much less saturated and the supplies more concentrated. It's the equivalent of trying to get Pappy 23 from Total Wine.

[rolexinfl]

Originally Posted by 904VT

In all fairness any Van Winkle that is $99.99 isn't Pappy, it's probably this below, but nice getting ORVW at retail

As for comparison, you also don't have the thousands upon thousands of liquor stores (unregulated by RVW Distillery unlike a Rolex AD) where your chances of finding a hidden gem on a shelf are much higher. Rolex distribution outlets are much less saturated and the supplies more concentrated. It's the equivalent of trying to get Pappy 23 from Total Wine.

yeah yeah...thats my shtick too, yelling at people for calling ORVW and Lot B 'pappy'. we're on a watch forum so i didnt get technical

[904VT]

Originally Posted by rolexinfl

yeah yeah...thats my shtick too, yelling at people for calling ORVW and Lot B 'pappy'. we're on a watch forum so i didnt get technical

Glad to meet another whiskey collector and Sub lover

[watchthisway]

Originally Posted by mountainjogger

sorry i don't read emote. maybe if you put together a sentence i will know what you are intending to convey but then maybe not depending on the source.

however, if your point (and i'm going on a limb here) is to express the sentiment that we should not start posts on previously discussed topics, i can guarantee you that probably 99% of new posts on this and most forums rehash previously discussed topics.

we're talking about watches here for christ-sake. and specifically rolexes. there's only so much we can talk about. trying to set some standard of having each thread be "unique" seems like an arbitrary and unattainable standard.

[MinMay]

Originally Posted by Ss22525

I think we should have sticky official i cant get the rolex that i want thread

I can guarantee you we will see another new thread soon.

My AD told me that I could be waiting for 5 years. I said OK. It is what it is. That's the fun part about this collectible hobby.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by Ss22525

I think we should have sticky official i cant get the rolex that i want thread

they basically already are. There is always at least a half dozen on page one.

[jfoord27]

Originally Posted by BillA

Way too much is made of “establish a relationship “ with an AD.
Many people on this forum just walk in and buy the watch they want.
What about people who are not members of a forum?
Others score at airports, they have no lists.
I am not going to kiss the buns of my AD nor buy a piece to move higher on a phony list.
Hey guys/gals....it’s only a watch, if I can’t buy it, not life or death, move on.

I was a walk in buyer for a submariner in Nov 16. The way it was explained to me is that they have lists but occasionally ADs will let a walk in customer have a watch that just reaches the store. The rationale is that while they preferentially treat existing customers, they still want to attract new clients and it's good marketing because a walk in buyer will tell their friends they avoided a waiting list and then from word of mouth these people also visit the dealer.

Fast forward to today and this same dealer has completely closed their waiting list to all SS sports rolexes, so I guess times change.

[2th_doc]

Originally Posted by watchthisway

sorry i don't read emote. maybe if you put together a sentence i will know what you are intending to convey but then maybe not depending on the source.



however, if your point (and i'm going on a limb here) is to express the sentiment that we should not start posts on previously discussed topics, i can guarantee you that probably 99% of new posts on this and most forums rehash previously discussed topics.



we're talking about watches here for christ-sake. and specifically rolexes. there's only so much we can talk about. trying to set some standard of having each thread be "unique" seems like an arbitrary and unattainable standard.

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[Rolexier]

I wouldn’t worry about it there’s other more important things in life that you can spend on or buy honestly

[srvrf]

I know this is Rolex forum, but I have a nice collection that does not include a Rolex. You don't have to play the game if you don't want to. But if you do, you have to pay a premium or wait.

[SeaAndSky]

Originally Posted by watchthisway

so basically i have to buy a watch i don't actually want from them to be able to get a watch that i do want?

No. You don’t. Wait until it’s available and pay retail. These will end up in display cases waiting for buyers. The BLNR is a much better looking watch. Side by side in a case, that’s the watch the general public is going to walk out of the store with most of the time in my opinion amd in the opinion of all my watch mad GMT wearing pilot buddies. This forum is absolutely not representitive of most Rolex buyers. I remember, when shopping for my 116710LN, that it took awhile for me to find it in the display case of the two stores I was looking at purchasing it from. But there was always a BLRO in the case.

[Nocomment]

Originally Posted by watchthisway

so i'm starting to get a little frustrated with rolex as it seems all of the new watches i want to buy i can't actually buy. at least at the retail price.

namely, the new daytona (white or black) and the ss pepsi gmt that is coming out.

it seems you have to have a relationship with a rolex dealer to get on their preferred waiting list for one of these hot watches.

last week i called around a few rolex dealers locally here in los angeles and even out of town to see if i could get on a waiting list for the new ss pepsi. universally they indicated they were giving preferential treatment to their established customers.

so basically i have to buy a watch i don't actually want from them to be able to get a watch that i do want?

the irony is i own 4 rolexes and a tudor. it's just most of those are vintage and the one more modern one was a gift.

i just wanted to vent a little. i imagine there are probably others out there who are experiencing the same frustrations i am.

i understand your frustration.

Guess noone can really change the rolex market atm, but I guess thas also the joy of hunting the watch that you really want.

[Tanner]

Originally Posted by AutoBay

This is why I am a firm believer in building relationships with smaller ADs. The big ones will never care until you're spending stupid money. The smaller ADs actually appreciate your business and the lists are just shorter. Go for the small guys, support small business, and get your pieces faster at MSRP :)

This is very true.
Did business with a small AD for the first time last year on an SD43 and she got me one after only 3 months.
Now she has put me top of list for pepsi and rootbeer.

And believe me i tried and tried with larger ADs in london and was just ignored.


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[GolfGuy]

Originally Posted by MinMay

+1. i totally agree. It's only a material thing in life. One month from now, people will move on and worry about other important things in life.

Well said... there are plenty of people out there that have far worse problems than not being able to buy the $12,000 watch they want at retail price. Poke around different ADs, see what you can get, and if you are hitting a brick wall either try again later or if you want one that badly pay the premium...

[Roll the Lex]

Originally Posted by AutoBay

This is why I am a firm believer in building relationships with smaller ADs. The big ones will never care until you're spending stupid money. The smaller ADs actually appreciate your business and the lists are just shorter. Go for the small guys, support small business, and get your pieces faster at MSRP :)

Yup.
The local AD had a sub nd and date, exp 2 both in black, white dial, and a milgauss, exp I. I asked about the new holy grail and they said they don't do lists because they get so few that it's not worth it.

The drawback is that you have to pay tax. But I guess in this current climate if you pay msrp and tax, it's worth it I guess.

[WJGESQ]

Originally Posted by watchthisway

so i'm starting to get a little frustrated with rolex as it seems all of the new watches i want to buy i can't actually buy. at least at the retail price.

namely, the new daytona (white or black) and the ss pepsi gmt that is coming out.

it seems you have to have a relationship with a rolex dealer to get on their preferred waiting list for one of these hot watches.

last week i called around a few rolex dealers locally here in los angeles and even out of town to see if i could get on a waiting list for the new ss pepsi. universally they indicated they were giving preferential treatment to their established customers.

so basically i have to buy a watch i don't actually want from them to be able to get a watch that i do want?

the irony is i own 4 rolexes and a tudor. it's just most of those are vintage and the one more modern one was a gift.

i just wanted to vent a little. i imagine there are probably others out there who are experiencing the same frustrations i am.

Don't think omega plays these games.