Walking past my A.D.....

[corkygmt]

So there I am walking past my local A.D. when I stop dead in my tracks. I thought I had gone back in time 10 years! There in the window was a couple of GMTs, a couple of Daytonas, Sea Dwellers , a Yachmaster etc. I immediately grabbed my wallet and my heart rate rocketed until I saw the little signs in the window " for exhibition only" Gutted I went in and was told "that some people go on a list and then when the watch arrives they find it to heavy or too big so we give people the opportunity to try on the watch before going on the list" I couldn't believe it! So you could try on a watch and fall in love with it and want it even more only to be told you won't get one for years [if ever]. How cruel is that! Incidentally the Rubber strap Daytona and Rootbeer were gorgeous!!

[brandrea]

Psych

[TimepieceRPP]

Guess it is happening everywhere in England now. Saw loads of For Exhibition Only models in London last week.

[Oaker1]

Full movements too by the looks of it. Some nice watches there!

[Nav01L]

This does answer the question as to whether or not they are actually getting any watches though. I mean if they can populate the exhibition that quickly, one may wonder where all these watches were going before… oh, riiiiiight…

[telesquire]

Originally Posted by Nav01L

This does answer the question as to whether or not they are actually getting any watches though. I mean if they can populate the exhibition that quickly, one may wonder where all these watches were going before… oh, riiiiiight…

The fact that non AD jewellers have hundreds of 2021 Rolex for sale right now tells you that watches ARE coming through and to the UK. I mean just on fleabay there are over 400 2021 UK located watches and there's so many physical jewellery shops who wouldn't consider using ebay that have multiple 2021 Rolex for sale right now.

[TNT009]

Such BS!

[-Ally-]

A much better way to do it.

[petay993]

So they can supply them, they just won't let you buy them.

Glad I am out of the Rolex game. My recent OP will be my last.

Even the OP is labelled exhibition.

[samson66]

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by petay993

So they can supply them, they just won't let you buy them.

Glad I am out of the Rolex game. My recent OP will be my last.

Even the OP is labelled exhibition.

Not necessarily. What they are doing is forcing ADs to retain a given piece and only sell it when the exact equivalent arrives again in stock. Basically slowing down the rotation of pieces in favor of displaying watches to the public. Sounds good to me.

[Majin Buu]

I'll probably faint in front of such glorious display!

J

[Oxfordian]

Chatting to my AD apparently every WOS store is doing this, the watches can be rotated from central stock to keep the display fresh.

For example I didn’t see a BLRO or BLNR on display but the TT CHNR was in the window, not all Submariners were on display and I didn’t see any DD’s.

[Nairn1980]

I saw this today. I think it’ll only aggravate people further tbh

[Oxfordian]

Originally Posted by Nairn1980

I saw this today. I think it’ll only aggravate people further tbh

I disagree, without a watch to try on you ask your AD to get you something that you haven’t seen on your wrist so you have no idea how it looks. By having the display watches it gives people the chance to try before they ask for one.

So today I tried two watches, one I liked, one I didn’t. Without these display watches I couldn’t have done this.

[Goin2drt]

Originally Posted by Oxfordian

I disagree, without a watch to try on you ask your AD to get you something that you haven’t seen on your wrist so you have no idea how it looks. By having the display watches it gives people the chance to try before they ask for one.

So today I tried two watches, one I liked, one I didn’t. Without these display watches I couldn’t have done this.

What difference does it make. They won't get one to fill any of these "wants". Back in the day we called this a "circle jerk". That is all Rolex is doing. Waste of time and complete stupidity. Just make more watches. They are massed produced, build more production lines.

[chiscott_29]

Originally Posted by Goin2drt

What difference does it make. They won't get one to fill any of these "wants". Back in the day we called this a "circle jerk". That is all Rolex is doing. Waste of time and complete stupidity. Just make more watches. They are massed produced, build more production lines.

Sorry, but doing this would be the definition of stupidity. Rolex is a luxury good. Luxury brands strive to get to the point where their demand outpaces supply. Once they do, there’s simply no business reason to go back.

Now, one could argue that since the demand is so insatiable, that Rolex might want to consider supplying a watch that is available to anybody that wants one. You see luxury brands such as LV and Hermès do this with some of their handbags, while many remain unobtainable. However, as bad as it sounds, even that runs a risk of diluting the prestige of the brand.


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[Goin2drt]

Originally Posted by chiscott_29

Sorry, but doing this would be the definition of stupidity. Rolex is a luxury good. Luxury brands strive to get to the point where their demand outpaces supply. Once they do, there’s simply no business reason to go back.

Now, one could argue that since the demand is so insatiable, that Rolex might want to consider supplying a watch that is available to anybody that wants one. You see luxury brands such as LV and Hermès do this with some of their handbags, while many remain unobtainable. However, as bad as it sounds, even that runs a risk of diluting the prestige of the brand.


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First of all a mass produced anything is debatable to be a luxury item but let's just say Rolex is a luxury. I mean by definition a Coca Cola is a luxury because one you don't need a soda but you can just buy a private label one if you really need a soda at a third of the price.

Rolex is nothing more than a mass produced heavily marketed product. There are PLENTY of mass produced premium (luxury as you call them) products you can go buy right now AT MSRP on there website. Just because something is limited in quantity (yet you can buy it all day long any day of the week from a gray) does not mean if they produce more it will "hurt" their brand. Simply just not true. Some economists would actually say squeezing supply, allowing a gray dealer to make all the margin and not capitalizing on a huge demand to make 10X what you already are is the definition of stupidity.

[Oxfordian]

Originally Posted by Goin2drt

What difference does it make. They won't get one to fill any of these "wants". Back in the day we called this a "circle jerk". That is all Rolex is doing. Waste of time and complete stupidity. Just make more watches. They are massed produced, build more production lines.

Rolex isn’t going to build more watches, it sells every watch it makes very easily. Rolex isn’t going to change anything anytime soon. If we want our Rolex watches we have accept the current situation and get on with it.

And yes my AD does get watches, and yes my AD can get me the watch or watches I want, I just have to be patient.

I like this situation whereby the store has these demo watches, I get to see and try the watch, as a result I have a better idea of what I like or dislike.

Thumbs up from me

[klenboy]

I think this is a step in the right direction. At least with something to try on people can really make sure that they really like the watch before they pursue it with the AD. Here in the US I only saw Boutiques having them. I haven't seen normal AD's have these in their displays yet.

[Singslinger]

Originally Posted by klenboy

I think this is a step in the right direction. At least with something to try on people can really make sure that they really like the watch before they pursue it with the AD. Here in the US I only saw Boutiques having them. I haven't seen normal AD's have these in their displays yet.

Yes I agree. Some ADs in Singapore are doing the same thing. It's a good move IMHO.

[dukie748]

Brighton?

[dejj]

Originally Posted by dukie748

Brighton?

Bluewater I’m sure

[corkygmt]

Originally Posted by dukie748

Brighton?

Yes Watches of Switzerland

[Boopie]

The Rolex shop at Caesar’s Palace Forum Shops in Vegas had a fully array of exhibition watches a couple of weeks ago.

[Dr. Hips]

gotta put meat in the seats. Decent idea though. I've been tossing around the idea of a DJ 41 lately...but I just can't justify a purchase without trying one on. I'm a stickler I know.

[jlovda]

Imagine the the amount of labor and logistics of manufacturing these "exhibition" watches and shipping them around the world.

[chiscott_29]

I think this is an excellent development.

Many people complained “you can’t even try them on”. Well, now you can. And now Rolex is teasing everybody and is even more evil.

Seeing and holding a watch is important in determining if you really like something and whether it is worth your hard earned money. So there’s utility there. This could also be an opportunity for new customers to actually strike up a conversation and work towards building a relationship to separate yourself from all the noise that an AD deals with every hour of the day. You know, prove that you actually KNOW something about Rolex and WANT something because you like or love it…


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[dauster]

Originally Posted by chiscott_29

I think this is an excellent development.

Many people complained “you can’t even try them on”. Well, now you can. And now Rolex is teasing everybody and is even more evil.

Seeing and holding a watch is important in determining if you really like something and whether it is worth your hard earned money. So there’s utility there. This could also be an opportunity for new customers to actually strike up a conversation and work towards building a relationship to separate yourself from all the noise that an AD deals with every hour of the day. You know, prove that you actually KNOW something about Rolex and WANT something because you like or love it…


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100% agree all brands should do it. for normal people to order a 10-50k watch without ever trying it on is crazy

[EndlessEight]

Those are actually watches with movements.

That’s interesting.