A nice Porsche Diesel!

 

Do you want the watch? Yes? Then do this: find the nearest AD, go see them, tell you exactly what watch you want and tell them you're willing to give them a deposit. They won't take one, but take the name of the salesperson and give them a call every couple of weeks for an update. A critical element here is that they know this watch is important to you, and it's for you. If they are a good, established AD with people that have been there a while, you're the kind of customer they want, even if you don't buy a few watches a year. Eventually, you'll get it. It's taking much longer these days because of world-wide demand, and C-19 stopped production for a while. But it sounds like you have patience and that's all you need. I've gotten every Rolex I went after by just waiting, and, true, over time I developed a relationship with my AD which has helped but it started with one watch. The online watch community with all its flippers and associated creeps have really gummed up the works, and that's why you need to meet them in person. Best of luck.

 

Any progress with this?

 

None.

Honestly, I’ve let go of any expectation. And, the impulse is passing.

Part of my interest was curiosity to see what it was like, trying to buy an OP from a Rolex AD. I mean, not even a Daytona or a stainless steel sport model. And now, my curiosity has been sated, even if my desire hasn’t.

Any other group of merchants that I sent an unsolicited email to, I’d be getting all sorts of email solicitations from them by now, whether related to my original request or not. But not a single one of the Rolex dealers I was in contact with has put me on any mailing lists.

(I get that some think I should be all over an AD, with periodic phone calls to them and stopping by occasionally. If it were a rare piece, I might well be doing this.)

I’m convinced now. Rolex doesn’t need my business and could care less about whether they sell me one or not.

That’s fine. It’s not like the watch is my (or anybody’s) holy grail.

I wish the best of luck to all the flippers out there.


Today’s listings

 

This is the real deal!

 

This makes me sad.
What a broken system...

 

Everyone one of those listing is by a professional dealer (except one), Rolex knows exactly what’s going on and don’t do anything about it. It is a sad state of affairs.

 

Drafting behind what @Dor_42 said, adding my own "yup!" about how broken the system is.

And it's funny, on the Mars zoom call yesterday, difficulty getting an iPhone at various releases was brought up in comparison.

The huge difference is that Apple has at least has tried different approaches with various iPhone releases, trying to address the insanity of their demand situation. I don't pretend to have any insight into what Rolex thinks or does, but I don't see any change or any attempts to mitigate the situation. Clearly, it's working out great for them.

But be clear: if they had a monthly subscription model, they'd fall over themselves making sure we had Rolex watches on wrists and ankles.

 

I could not agree more. Establishing a relationship with an AD and being patient is the only way to get what you want in the end. In 1994 I was in Scotland’s and was able to buy a TT Sub right out of the store (my first Rolex) I then went on the list for a Zenith Daytona. Two years later I got the call. When picked up the Daytona I went on the list again for another Daytona. That one was for my cousin. Exactly two more years later, my AD Martin, delivered the second Daytona.

More recently I have had similar success with a Pepsi GMT (18 months) and a Ceramics Daytona (21 months). I am now based in the USA and visit my AD regularily. I have been on his list for the new “”Tiffany” 36 mm OP for almost a year now. The only time I email or call him is to find out when a good day would be to stop by for a visit. Good luck

 

I wish the worst of luck to all the flippers out there.

 

As discussed on innumerable threads, Rolex are plainly very happy with what goes on, as are presumably the sales guys who presumably rely on commission from sales to earn money/extra money. When I worked in high end retail you definitely followed up every lead and worked hard to establish good relationships with clients (some of whom became friends). It beggars belief that no one calls you back when you are offering full RRP for their product, or at least puts you on a list and contacts you occasionally to touch base.

Similar things happen with cars and other luxury goods I suppose but there is no way that I would ever engage with a company that operates in this way. But then I guess this thread reinforces the fact that they don’t care.

 

Is there a company that you do think cares whether you buy an in demand watch?

 

With Rolex the answer is painfully simple. Any watch you want can be purchased at MSRP from your AD. Your invitation to come down to the store is the first step. The AD will then offer you something else you don't want, but you buy that watch. You buy a watch or two or three that you don't want. Now you become a preferred client. Next thing you know you are being offered pieces from both classic and professional ranges. The painful secret is you have to buy. You will loose money in the long term because you can't sell every one of the watches at a profit, only certain models are really hyped and expensive and the AD won't sell you two or three at at time, but they will sell you multiples if you keep buying whatever they put in front of you. Even OP turquoise dial has become a specialty item.

 

Is this your personal experience? Could you outline exactly everything you’ve purchased from Rolex you did not want and the Rolex’s you have that you did want?

I purchased a SS SkyDweller 3 months after release; I also purchased the new Submariner a handful of months after it came out.

Those are the only two watches I’ve purchased from Rolex.

Fully admit my situation could be a fluke.

Interested, then, to hear your watch buying history with Rolex

 

I live in a major metro market. In order to get anything at Rolex you must be a buyer. The OP was wondering why he can't get an Oyster perpetual. Wherever he lives he hasn't purchased enough to even get the courtesy of a possible delivery date of an Oyster Perpetual. If your market is different, then your AD maybe selling to people who don't have much purchase history. Maybe that AD is selling outside his shop to get rid of some other pieces which are harder to move. That's just a speculation. As for me, I won't go into any specifics about my purchase history but I have in the past owned just about any hyped piece. At the present time I am not currently buying any Rolex pieces.

 

Skydweller purchased from RB in Las Vegas; Sub purchased from AD in Austin, TX (which may as well be viewed as the sum of Austin, Dallas, and Houston for “market” purposes).

Then, do you work at an RB/AD and this is the source of your info first stated earlier? Or instead you’re saying that back some unknown time ago when you purchased “hyped pieces” from Rolex the way you worked your RB/AD was as you earlier stated?

Or are you instead-instead recounting a view that is not from first hand experience?

Your assertions earlier were authoritative and detailed, and so it seems reasonable to offer some glimpse as to their source; I appreciate how via forum posts this could seem a challenge, but as noted before, if this world you describe is the vast majority of “the real world” and I’ve been living in an alternate universe, I’m genuinely curious to understand better - and only intending to be direct.

As for the OP’s experience: it’s been an entertaining ride this thread - as he intended - but it’s never been an earnest attempt to purchase a watch so much as an attempt to do just enough to make a mockery of what may be required to purchase such a watch. Salespersons ask to meet in person, he scoffs, etc.

I get it, it lays bare the irony or embarrassments underlying the whole circus, and that’s good commentary: but it’s not an earnest attempt to purchase something that is hard to purchase.

I’m fully in support of people only preferring to purchase watches when they’re kissed up to and fed champagne, or instead just recoiling at the tables being turned and having to be the ones to kiss up.

But be it unique real estate, rare vehicles, hard to get reservations at a show, or anything else that is in demand = I personally don’t find it unnatural to negotiate, including negotiating people’s egos.

But only to a point: I personally wouldn’t buy anything of any material expense that I did not want in order to get any modern Rolex.

It sounds like you used to, or used to be on the sales side?

 

“Product innovation and the ability to establish and nurture product icons is vital – Rolex has done a fantastic job on this front”

This article https://luxurylaunches.com/watches/...ch-group-posted-its-first-loss-since-1983.php posits that Rolex is a shining beacon while all around are making losses, and suggests that their introduction of coloured dials and the strength of the brand in China is one of the reasons why. So maybe all turquoise dials are winging their way to the Far East...

 

Rolex is just leveraging the hype that has started since 2016. So the Rolex AD is trying to turn every customer into a repeat buyer so they refuse to sell popular watches to just anyone. My hobby is I am just a watch collector. I buy watches, sell some, trade some, and some I keep. For some time I only bought Rolex. Buy enough from the same AD and they will get you almost anything you want. They call that a preferred client. The issue is I enjoyed owning every piece I bought. But, Long term, I didn't want every watch for my personal collection, so I gave them away to family members, traded some, sold some and kept some. Try to buy a Patek Nautilus or Aquanaut. You will need to be a preferred client before you will get offered the piece. There are Omegas that are also hard to get, probably those pieces go to preferred clients. Go into the A Lange & Sohne dealer and ask for an Odysseus. See what answer you get. All Simple as that.