Normal AD behaviour?

[Cibbersicks]

So I’ve decided on my next Rolex, a GMT BLNR.

I don’t want to pay a premium for a pre-owned, so I went into my local AD (in the UK) today with a view to put my name on a list and curl up for a long sleep until I get the call.

So anyway, I went in and enquired, making it clear I’m fully aware of the waiting list and the demand, only to be told they are no longer taking names as the “list” is full!

I didn’t quite know what to say, until I was very quickly offered a pre owned one for weeeellll over MRSP. I swiftly declined.

So, it’s left me a bit disappointed really, going from thinking that I will get one eventually, to being told there’s no way of me actually ever getting one through an AD, or this one at least.

I plan on doing some ringing around tomorrow, I’m not holding my breath though. Any tips?


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[Trek737]

Plan A: Try other AD’s which I am sure is your next step. Don’t give up...

Plan B: If all else fails try and network with someone on this forum who knows an AD that has one or can get one in a reasonable amount of time. And if need be plan a vacation to a place where you can pick it up in person. Seems some of the AD’s in the states are saying about 2 month wait for the BLNR.

I was in Grand Cayman on vacation last December and the Rolex AD told me buy something else from us and she would sell me a BLNR...

Plan C: I would be find another watch you like that you can buy and enjoy it now and when the supply finally increases then buy your Batman. There are plenty of great watches from a variety of other manufacturers... I have no shot at the Daytona C white or blue SkyD so I am looking at Patek!

[drmizzou]

None other than look for ‘trusted seller’ and perhaps be willing to pay over msrp. Good luck!

[Sarosh]

Call around but look for smaller town AD’s or independent ones. Keep calling every now and then to be fresh in their mind for the watch if it does come in.

[77T]

They are on eBay and TRF. If you must have it new from an AD, then you must wait and put up with the wait.

Have you considered this economic algorithm? The price they offered on a pre-owned BLNR is probably what you will pay someday in the future for the new one because prices will likely increase twice before you find one. All that time you will have gone without a BLNR and all the appurtenances of ownership.


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[train-time]

I was told the same thing about getting on an AD's waiting list. The list was closed because at the prior's years allocation for the particular piece they have 5 years of names on the list so they stopped taking additional names. Another AD told me that they don't have a list.

Keep shopping

[Arthur Daley]

You just have to find the "right" AD. You may find two in the same town that operate completely differently. I did, just a week ago - while out of the country. One local AD would only sell me a steel sports watch if I first bought a gold one! The other had a standard practice of offering any buyer a discount (allowed by Rolex) for ALL steel watches (including Daytonas) and even larger discounts for gold watches to ANYONE who walks through the door. This were just a couple of blocks from each other.

[airpeace]

Just keep trying

[EmilA]

Where are you in the U.K.? If your in London then the list may be closed. Try outside of London.
When I was looking for a ND Sub, I called about 12 AD’s within 1 hours drive, some put me on their lists no questions asked, others asked why am I calling them first and others refused to put me on their list as no prior purchase/not local.

I still ended up getting 4 calls for watches within a 2 month period. You just got to put me some leg work :)

[AK797]

Originally Posted by EmilA

Where are you in the U.K.? If your in London then the list may be closed. Try outside of London.
When I was looking for a ND Sub, I called about 12 AD’s within 1 hours drive, some put me on their lists no questions asked, others asked why am I calling them first and others refused to put me on their list as no prior purchase/not local.

I still ended up getting 4 calls for watches within a 2 month period. You just got to put me some leg work :)

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by Cibbersicks

So anyway, I went in and enquired, making it clear I’m fully aware of the waiting list and the demand, only to be told they are no longer taking names as the “list” is full!

This is common in some countries due to supply/demand of popular stainless steel models.

I had five or six ADs tell me exactly that. "The waiting list is too long, we're not accepting new orders". They usually have some but keep them for frequent high-spending customers.

I gave up and went to a grey seller who claimed to be able to get one in 1 month (took 3). Price was same as retail.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Cibbersicks

I plan on doing some ringing around tomorrow, I’m not holding my breath though. Any tips?

Wait or

Pay the asking price for a grey market one or

Move on to another watch

[tyler1980]

get to know the AD... then the list isn't closed. Sometimes it as simple as they don't know you. Thats the world we live in these days, so might as well jump through the hoops.

They are paranoid of flippers in the UK and unknown customers are not worth it to them as there are plenty of people they do know and who will buy the watch.

[jaySL350]

Originally Posted by EmilA

Where are you in the U.K.? If your in London then the list may be closed. Try outside of London.
When I was looking for a ND Sub, I called about 12 AD’s within 1 hours drive, some put me on their lists no questions asked, others asked why am I calling them first and others refused to put me on their list as no prior purchase/not local.

I still ended up getting 4 calls for watches within a 2 month period. You just got to put me some leg work :)

The above,,,
I jumped on a tube train for the first time in decades to collect my bb green
now have contact names in Rolex and Tudor and WoS in Knightsbridge,,
Makes it easier when you ring somebody you have actually met I believe ,

[Z-Blue]

My AD doesn't take people neither on the Daytona list nor on the Batman.
Daytona due to not getting enough watches and Batman due to that the watch will go out of production.

[Cibbersicks]

So I’m on a list... allegedly a 5yr long list, but a list none-the-less.

Turns out I’m lucky enough to live right next to another AD so I went in and had a discussion, they were a lot more accommodating than the one from yesterday.

I even took the time to try on a Deepsea they had arrive in yesterday and a bi-metal GMT, which just isn’t for me.

I have considered buying the Deepsea to tide me over until the GMT arrives. What would you do? I’m sat having a coffee with the AD in sight right now...


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[sparks]

Originally Posted by Cibbersicks

So I’m on a list... allegedly a 5yr long list, but a list none-the-less.

Turns out I’m lucky enough to live right next to another AD so I went in and had a discussion, they were a lot more accommodating than the one from yesterday.

I even took the time to try on a Deepsea they had arrive in yesterday and a bi-metal GMT, which just isn’t for me.

I have considered buying the Deepsea to tide me over until the GMT arrives. What would you do? I’m sat having a coffee with the AD in sight right now...


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The Deepsea please can you tell us what model it is?

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Cibbersicks

So I’m on a list... allegedly a 5yr long list, but a list none-the-less.

Turns out I’m lucky enough to live right next to another AD so I went in and had a discussion, they were a lot more accommodating than the one from yesterday.

I even took the time to try on a Deepsea they had arrive in yesterday and a bi-metal GMT, which just isn’t for me.

I have considered buying the Deepsea to tide me over until the GMT arrives. What would you do? I’m sat having a coffee with the AD in sight right now...


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I wouldn't buy a watch just as a placeholder. I'd also try and get on a few AD lists not just your local one.

[Devildog]

If you buy the Deepsea I’d bet good money that you’ll see that BLNR in 5 months rather than 5 years. Especially if you pop in from time to time with it on your wrist to show you’re not a flipper

But. And it’s a big but. You’ll take a hit when you sell the Deepsea. So try and neg a discount.

They’re not that sought after, so don’t be taken in my that chat (of you get it)

Cheers .


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[emtee]

Don’t settle. I got my BLNR after 3 weeks of going on ‘the list’ after being quoted at least 6 months

[Cibbersicks]

Originally Posted by Devildog

If you buy the Deepsea I’d bet good money that you’ll see that BLNR in 5 months rather than 5 years. Especially if you pop in from time to time with it on your wrist to show you’re not a flipper

But. And it’s a big but. You’ll take a hit when you sell the Deepsea. So try and neg a discount.

They’re not that sought after, so don’t be taken in my that chat (of you get it)

Cheers .


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Thank you, you’ve confirmed what I thought while having a coffee about taking a hit. I think I was just excited at the sight of an SS Sports model in the window!

I walked away. I’m going to ring around some AD’s tomorrow and get on some other lists. It can’t be that bad, this AD had x2 BLNR’s in yesterday with the Sea Dweller delivery but had been scooped up by folks on “the list”.



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[OneMoreSi]

Fly to HK for a holiday and pick one up there, win-win.

[Nairn1980]

Originally Posted by OneMoreSi

Fly to HK for a holiday and pick one up there, win-win.

No the advice to come to USA or HK isn’t good advice.

VAT is payable on a Watch returning to the UK. Add 20% VAT to the cost of the trip and you’ve got the most expensive example ever.

Better dig your heels in and stick to the uk.

[A.I.]

Try and pick up a minty used LNIB. It can be done and not much more than list really.

[SeaDweller50]

Originally Posted by drmizzou

None other than look for ‘trusted seller’ and perhaps be willing to pay over msrp. Good luck!

This neither if U.K. based.

[Cibbersicks]

So the plot thickens even further.

My other half and I just popped up to the same shopping centre to pick up Mother’s day gifts for tomorrow. We went back in the AD because my other half is eyeing up a 36mm SSDJ so wanted to try one one.

I dealt with the same consultant as yesterday, so I thought I would enquire about the x2 BLNR’s to see if I could be cheeky and see one. She declined and said they’d already been collected. However, she said “we do have another GMT but it’s been reserved...”

She went in the back and arrived back with a shiny new black GMT, the person has it reserved, they’ve been called but haven’t collected yet, they have 48hrs and then it’s first come first serve, there’s no one else waiting for a black GMT.

So I deliberated for a while, finished up and said ok, if it doesn’t get collected I’ll take it. Please call me in 48hrs if the deal doesn’t go through.
I figured that I can keep the GMT 116710LN until the BLNR arrives and move it on pretty quickly, even back to the AD.

I got back in the car and the phone rang, it was the consultant from the AD, basically telling me if I wanted the watch after the 48hrs is up I need to put a retention deposit down, otherwise it will have togo in the window.
So I figured they were basically calling me out, asking me to put my money where my mouth is, so I went back in and did just that. I wasn’t willing to risk them thinking I’m just a chancer wasting their time.

Also, she eluded into what’s currently happening with AD’s (or this one at least) she said that in order to try and control the flow of the grey market and retain the brand’s image, Rolex have reduced supply of SS pro models from 70% to 30%. They have to send the details on the waiting lists to Rolex once a month so they can investigate who I am, because if I am a dealer, there is categorically no way they will sell me any watch, let alone a SS Pro.

I’m half expecting a phone call before the 48hrs is up, I’m wondering if this person who has first shout on the watch even exists and they are just trying to scope me out as a ‘real’ buyer...


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[AK797]

Originally Posted by Cibbersicks

So the plot thickens even further.

My other half and I just popped up to the same shopping centre to pick up Mother’s day gifts for tomorrow. We went back in the AD because my other half is eyeing up a 36mm SSDJ so wanted to try one one.

I dealt with the same consultant as yesterday, so I thought I would enquire about the x2 BLNR’s to see if I could be cheeky and see one. She declined and said they’d already been collected. However, she said “we do have another GMT but it’s been reserved...”

She went in the back and arrived back with a shiny new black GMT, the person has it reserved, they’ve been called but haven’t collected yet, they have 48hrs and then it’s first come first serve, there’s no one else waiting for a black GMT.

So I deliberated for a while, finished up and said ok, if it doesn’t get collected I’ll take it. Please call me in 48hrs if the deal doesn’t go through.
I figured that I can keep the GMT 116710LN until the BLNR arrives and move it on pretty quickly, even back to the AD.

I got back in the car and the phone rang, it was the consultant from the AD, basically telling me if I wanted the watch after the 48hrs is up I need to put a retention deposit down, otherwise it will have togo in the window.
So I figured they were basically calling me out, asking me to put my money where my mouth is, so I went back in and did just that. I wasn’t willing to risk them thinking I’m just a chancer wasting their time.

Also, she eluded into what’s currently happening with AD’s (or this one at least) she said that in order to try and control the flow of the grey market and retain the brand’s image, Rolex have reduced supply of SS pro models from 70% to 30%. They have to send the details on the waiting lists to Rolex once a month so they can investigate who I am, because if I am a dealer, there is categorically no way they will sell me any watch, let alone a SS Pro.

I’m half expecting a phone call before the 48hrs is up, I’m wondering if this person who has first shout on the watch even exists and they are just trying to scope me out as a ‘real’ buyer...


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Down to 30%? Not really surprised, drastic times call for drastic measures. This is one major detox.

[Juantxo]

Wait after Basel. I suspect that there will be changes this year that have been keeping low inventories on the shelves.

[Quailhunter]

The U.K. supply issues are stunning. I got my BLNR in less than two days.

[Uhtred59]

I still think you should move. Maybe to "New England".